I propose that congressional members oppose to the auto loan be paid the same rate as...

[LiberalFighter]

their state's senator or representative.

Senator Shelby's example would be $10 each day in session for Alabama.

[midnight]

1. That is a perfect solution to the financial crisis that most Americans

are living with, and now our elected officials can live it too.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. I've long felt that Congressional salaries should be

the median income for an individual American. In 2006, that was less than $27K.
http://pubdb3.census.gov/macro/032006/hhinc/new05_000.htm
If they want a pay raise, they can work to raise the income of all Americans.

[Cleita]

3. Ding, ding, ding....

we've got a winner here!

:thumbsup:

[Jennicut]

4. Here is what Senators have been paid since 1789

* 1789-1815 -- $6.00 per diem
* 1815-1817 -- $1,500 per annum
* 1817-1855 -- $8.00 per diem
* 1855-1865 -- $3,000 per annum
* 1865-1871 -- $5,000 per annum
* 1871-1873 -- $7,500 per annum
* 1873-1907 -- $5,000 per annum
* 1907-1925 -- $7,500 per annum
* 1925-1932 -- $10,000 per annum
* 1932-1933 -- $9,000 per annum
* 1933-1935 -- $8,500 per annum
* 1935-1947 -- $10,000 per annum
* 1947-1955 -- $12,500 per annum
* 1955-1965 -- $22,500 per annum
* 1965-1969 -- $30,000 per annum
* 1969-1975 -- $42,500 per annum
* 1975-1977 -- $44,600 per annum
* 1977-1978 -- $57,500 per annum
* 1979-1983 -- $60,662.50 per annum
* 1983 -- $69,800 per annum
* 1984 -- $72,600 per annum
* 1985-1986 -- $75,100 per annum
* 1987 (1/1-2/3) -- $77,400 per annum
* 1987 (2/4) -- $89,500 per annum
* 1990 (2/1) -- $98,400 per annum
* 1991 -- $101,900 per annum
* 1991 (8/15) -- $125,100 per annum
* 1992 -- $129,500 per annum
* 1993-1997 -- $133,600 per annum
* 1998-1999 -- $136,700 per annum
* 2000 -- $141,300 per annum
* 2001 -- $145,100 per annum
* 2002 -- $150,000 per annum
* 2003 -- $154,700 per annum
* 2004 -- $158,100 per annum
* 2005 -- $162,100 per annum
* 2006-2007 -- $165,200 per annum
* 2008 -- $169,300 per annum
Per diem is per day, per annum is per year
In 1965 Senators passed the amount what is the average medium income of US families today.
So Nearly $170,000 is too much for them in my opinion.

[PADemD]

6. I wonder how their current salary compares to other countries.

Do you know of a good web site to search?

[AwakeAtLast]

13. Look at 1991

Who was in charge then? Hmmmmm.....

[PBS Poll-435]

16. The Democrats were

We had 57 in the Senate and 270 in the House.

[Freddie Stubbs]

5. Or perhaps only the wealthy would be able to afford to serve

Is that what you want?

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

8. Since it appears that only the wealthy serve now,

what difference would that make? Public service used to be looked upon as a necessary sacrifice by those who served, not a way to line their pockets at the public trough, which is what it is now.

[thoughtcrime1984]

10. The ones who said the auto workers must work for the lowest auto worker wage in the US?

Yeah, I think those types should work for the lowest Congressional pay in the US. What is good for the "working class" is good for the "elites". And those that would push us all towards minimum wage servitude are indeed elite.

[rucky]

9. It would take an act of Congress...

what a gig! they get to decide their own pay. guess they don't need a union.

[AwakeAtLast]

11. Another reason why I want to be able to recommend posts

:applause:

Terrific idea!

:hi:

[AZ Criminal JD]

17. Ding, ding, ding we have a loser here.

If salaries were the 27k you hope for only independently wealthy people could ever run for Congress. Probably what you want someone looked into it.

[JoePhilly]

7. Remove THEIR pensions!!!

[AwakeAtLast]

12. AND their healthcare!

Make them find it on their own.

[Festivito]

14. Or paid as much as their Japanese counterparts.

Since Japan is the new standard for our standard of living.

[unblock]

15. great way to guarantee more and more corruption

tempting though it may be to cut the salary of people you don't approve of, but the only way to ensure that congresscritters are not owned by corporations is to make sure they ARE owned by we the people.

pay them a high enough salary so that they have no need or excuse to rely on corporations for wealth.

personally, i think their salary should be at least doubled, as part of a REAL reform package to really crack down on compaign contributions and bribery and post-political career compensation and so on.