The members of the House of Representatives -- "the people's house" -- have soiled themselves. Again.
Recently, and with no fanfare, they voted to give themselves another pay raise, something they do just about every year. They now make nearly $170,000 a year, in addition to endless perks at taxpayer expense.
They gave themselves this good news at about the same time they were refusing to raise the federal minimum wage, which has been stuck at $5.15 an hour since 1997. Because of inflation, the minimum wage is now $2 an hour lower in real dollars than it was four decades ago. At the current level, a family of three with one minimum wage income falls about $6,000 short of the official federal poverty threshold.
Of course, our representatives have been very busy lately, addressing same-sex marriages and flag burning, among other issues vital to the nation's survival. They are like hypocritical swine, slopping themselves at the national trough. Sooo-ey!
As you can see, not many responding. Apathy runs amok in the U.S. What is happening to us?
Fresno's City Council gave themselves a raise as well. I guess that pork runs downhill.
Give us a break! Not everyone monitors this site 24/7, and you posted only 13 minutes after Russ started this discussion.
I can't think of anything much to add to what Russ has said. This is just another example of Congress insulating themselves from their own actions (or inactions), and another case of NOT leading by example. Pay raises are "inflationary" for you or me (never mind that productivity has increased the last 5 years, but median wages haven't), but it's okay for them.
I wonder how our local reps voted on both issues?