Is this possible??

[kentuck]

Nothing rubs people more than to see their elected representatives arrogantly give themselves raises, when they are working for us. At least, they are supposed to be.

But, is it possible to pass statewide referendums that would prohibit your elected Congressmen and Senators from taking any raises proposed by the Congress of the United States? What if that happened in twenty or twenty-six states? What would be the reaction? Would it be constitutional?

Would that not be the most simple way for the people to take back the power that was given them by our Constitution?

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. This sounds like a good idea to me...

It might just remind them that they work for US.

I'm not at all sure of the constitutionality...

Maybe someone else will know.

:hi:

[krispos42]

2. About a year ago I came to the realization...

...that we should tie the Congressional salaries to the minimum wage. Say, 10x the annualized minimum wage.

They want a raise, give everybody a raise or STFU.

[napi21]

3. Congressional raises were made permanent quite a few years ago.

They don't have to be voted on anymore...they just happen! I thought they were tied to the col index, but I know they got on again this year and the col & the inflation rate has been negative so I don't know now. I know we are living on SS & I was a bit pissed that congress got their raise but SS recipients did not because there was no inflation.

As to States passing law to prevent their Congress critters from getting raises, I don't think that can happen. Congress is Federal, and whatever law gives those raises to congress supersedes State Law.

[kentuck]

5. I think some states passed term limits on their Senators and Congressmen..?

I don't know if the Courts ruled against the states?

[Ozymanithrax]

7. Yes, the SCOTUS ruled that states could not term limit U.S. Congrssmen and

U.S. Senators.

They can pass term limits on state offices. We did that in Califonria and it has proved somewhere between stupid and pointless.

[wildbilln864]

4. k&r!

:popcorn:

[Ozymanithrax]

6. Pay for U.S. Congressment and Senators comes from the National Government...

And states do not have a say on how that money is spent.

I don't think that a state law can do diddly about that.

[D-Lee]

8. I believe there is already a US law that limiting voting for a congressial pay raise to some extent

Pay raises can be voted on only to come into play for the next congress session (i.e. not for their term in office). That was a subject of discussion at the beginning of last year, in relation to Senator Clinton (if you wish to look it up).

Term limits as the term is commonly used for mean one can hold an office for only a given number of years (as was explained to me by a powerful political leader) only concentrates power in the hands of the political power structure, and now the sources of money. It just assures a lack of institutional memory and experience on the part of the office holder and that the office holder cannot build, and has no incentive to build, a long-term base or record. Power to the puppet-masters, as it were.

We have term limits, which are called elections.