Caswell, you haven't looked at the numbers on this one, have you? Each year, the House and Senate combined get paid $93.25 million. If the government stopped defecit spending today, it would take over 15,000 years of the House and Senate working for free to pay off the defecit of this year alone. To pay off the entire debt, it would take over 156,000 years to pay off.
I'm all for cutting their pay, but it won't even make a dent in what we owe.
Of course, my calculation doesn't factor in their non-pay benefits, but it wouldn't significantly change the outcome.
Bud, I like what I think you're getting at, but I'm not certain you're getting at what I think you are.
If you're talking about reducing the number of people in the House and Senate, the will be problems because you'll have people trying to represent twice as many people, which is twice as hard.
However, if you're talking about reducing their pay, I'm all on board. Even better than that, why not introduce term limits? No one person can serve more than 12 years. This can be achieved with 2 Senate terms, 6 House terms, or a combination of both. This minimizes the impact of lobbyists and career politicians.
In my opinion the best way to save money would be to reduce the congress and senate by one half, adjust their benefits package, give the president line item veto, and not allow sneaky little addons to legislation. Make them contribute to their retirement and require ten years or better to get retirement in the form of a 401K.
I agree however I'm thinking a lot of people believe raising taxes on the rich will be a quick fix and the debt will be gone and the issue will be solved. The truth is the rich don't have enough money to pay the debt either. I have no delusions about tax increases, they are coming whether I like it or not, my problem is the selling of them by the Dems saying only the rich will pay. Reasonable people have to realize this isn't sufficient. So yes, taxes are coming but who here honestly trust the government to tax first and then cut spending? Not I for sure and I don't think I'm alone. Maybe I am though.
This debt problem is going to linger for 20 years. It's like buying that sports car you always wanted - it's FUN for a few months and then the payments drag on and drag on. Our legislature got used to good times - and now the good times are over. Fire them all - start over - balance the budget and (oh my god this pains me to say) do what China has said - LIVE WITHIN OUR MEANS!
I will say this congress is hampered by a more than poor president. The repubs at least have put forth a budget something we haven't seen in what 2 years. However, this deficit/debt deal is just too much to over look in the end. Even the republicans put a plan that was at best pathetic, BUT at least they put one, two, three on the table. More than can be said for the dems who just prostrated in front of the media and reporters.
They are a bunch of lying, deceitful bums who need to thrown out. The trouble is, an honest and ordinary "man from the street" has no chance of winning election against these clowns who are on the take.
BryanJSebeck
Caswell, you haven't looked at the numbers on this one, have you? Each year, the House and Senate combined get paid $93.25 million. If the government stopped defecit spending today, it would take over 15,000 years of the House and Senate working for free to pay off the defecit of this year alone. To pay off the entire debt, it would take over 156,000 years to pay off.
I'm all for cutting their pay, but it won't even make a dent in what we owe.
Of course, my calculation doesn't factor in their non-pay benefits, but it wouldn't significantly change the outcome.
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CASWELL
fire, fire, goverment is way to big ,we don't need all the yes men . in wages alone we could balance the budget or get a darn good start
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BryanJSebeck
Bud, I like what I think you're getting at, but I'm not certain you're getting at what I think you are.
If you're talking about reducing the number of people in the House and Senate, the will be problems because you'll have people trying to represent twice as many people, which is twice as hard.
However, if you're talking about reducing their pay, I'm all on board. Even better than that, why not introduce term limits? No one person can serve more than 12 years. This can be achieved with 2 Senate terms, 6 House terms, or a combination of both. This minimizes the impact of lobbyists and career politicians.
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budman
In my opinion the best way to save money would be to reduce the congress and senate by one half, adjust their benefits package, give the president line item veto, and not allow sneaky little addons to legislation. Make them contribute to their retirement and require ten years or better to get retirement in the form of a 401K.
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RonaldA
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Vauche
I agree however I'm thinking a lot of people believe raising taxes on the rich will be a quick fix and the debt will be gone and the issue will be solved. The truth is the rich don't have enough money to pay the debt either. I have no delusions about tax increases, they are coming whether I like it or not, my problem is the selling of them by the Dems saying only the rich will pay. Reasonable people have to realize this isn't sufficient. So yes, taxes are coming but who here honestly trust the government to tax first and then cut spending? Not I for sure and I don't think I'm alone. Maybe I am though.
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Eskychess
This debt problem is going to linger for 20 years. It's like buying that sports car you always wanted - it's FUN for a few months and then the payments drag on and drag on. Our legislature got used to good times - and now the good times are over. Fire them all - start over - balance the budget and (oh my god this pains me to say) do what China has said - LIVE WITHIN OUR MEANS!
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WhoWee
Sorry, but the Republicans are just as despicable. They have all put themselves and their parties above the needs of the American citizens.
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Vauche
I will say this congress is hampered by a more than poor president. The repubs at least have put forth a budget something we haven't seen in what 2 years. However, this deficit/debt deal is just too much to over look in the end. Even the republicans put a plan that was at best pathetic, BUT at least they put one, two, three on the table. More than can be said for the dems who just prostrated in front of the media and reporters.
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Retiredandhappy
They are a bunch of lying, deceitful bums who need to thrown out. The trouble is, an honest and ordinary "man from the street" has no chance of winning election against these clowns who are on the take.
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