Lawmakers Agree Not to Give Themselves a Raise
Following a similar gesture in the Senate, the House voted Tuesday to freeze members' pay before an automatic raise could kick in. It adds up to only $1 million in savings, but it's the politics that count in this election/recession year.
Following a similar gesture in the Senate, the House voted Tuesday to freeze members’ pay before an automatic raise could kick in. It adds up to only $1 million in savings, but it’s the politics that count in this election/recession year.
Wait, before you go…Washington Post:
Lawmakers frequently push such pay freezes in election years, and they are generally even more eager to do so in the midst of a recession.
The freeze, which Congress also passed last year, accomplishes little in a public-policy sense; the federal budget deficit is estimated at $1.3 trillion this year; the bill passed Tuesday would save less than $1 million.
At the same time, few lawmakers want to defend their own pay, as many in Congress are millionaires from previous work and the median household income in America remains just above $52,000.
If you're reading this, you probably already know that non-profit, independent journalism is under threat worldwide. Independent news sites are overshadowed by larger heavily funded mainstream media that inundate us with hype and noise that barely scratch the surface. We believe that our readers deserve to know the full story. Truthdig writers bravely dig beneath the headlines to give you thought-provoking, investigative reporting and analysis that tells you what’s really happening and who’s rolling up their sleeves to do something about it.
Like you, we believe a well-informed public that doesn’t have blind faith in the status quo can help change the world. Your contribution of as little as $5 monthly or $35 annually will make you a groundbreaking member and lays the foundation of our work.
Support Truthdig
Military
The Pentagon budget is not only outrageously oversized, some parts of it are genuinely dangerous.
Military
Despite a 2016 law requiring transparency, the Defense Department is limiting public access to court records in the military justice system.
Politics
Helpful tools to strengthen the efforts of citizen groups in the halls of Congress.
Politics
The official report of the Congressional investigation into the January 6 attack on the Capitol, featuring a foreword by Ari Melber, makes a compelling case for a sustained and wide-ranging conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election.
Politics
The committee ends its historic investigation of a failed presidential coup.
Politics
A promise made in the Treaty of 1835 is yet to be fulfilled.
There are currently no responses to this article.
Be the first to respond.