Republicans Block Congressional Pay Hike

[RustyAngeL]

I don't think any of them need pay raises. Did anyone see the house that John Edwards lives in? Almost 29 thousand square feet. He said he made alot of money as a trial lawyer.(yes I would say 100 million is a lot of money) Please tell me why he needs to make more money? and why would he want to be president when they only make $250.000 a year?

Rusty, the President now makes $400,000 a year, starting with the first President after Bill Clinton, which happened to be Bush, of course. It was one of the last things Clinton did before he left. He signed the bill which raised the Presidents salary to $400,000, to be effective after he left.

Also, Justin, all Federal employees receive a COLA. Military personnel are Federal workers, so they get one, too. Just how much is determined on several factors, and placed into each year's Federal budget. The only reason that a Congressman's COLA is in question is because it has turned into a politcal issue over the past 15 years or so.

The COLA I get is minimal each year. What is more to me is where they base my pay out of in relation the where my work place. Basically, they determine our base pay dependent on where the nearest military post is. For me, it's a big drop in the cost of living where the nearest facility is, as opposed to the cost of living in the area where my work place is.

The cost of living in the city where I work is much higher than the cost of living in the city where they base the pay on.

I'm not sure if the COLA for Congressmen is based on the same criteria, or if they simply pump it up because they work in the DC area. Either way, there are military posts in the area, so it would be based on the same area.

If I'm not mistaken, I think most state workers receive something similar, as well. That includes their Congressmen, all the way down to the highway department workers.

t.

Opps so sorry, I didn't know that Clinton did that. Hey I don't have a problem with $400,000 a year for the president, they do have a lot on their sholders. But did I dectect a note of bitterness when you said "starting with Bush of course" Or am I wrong???

[ted]

I don't think any of them need pay raises. Did anyone see the house that John Edwards lives in? Almost 29 thousand square feet. He said he made alot of money as a trial lawyer.(yes I would say 100 million is a lot of money) Please tell me why he needs to make more money? and why would he want to be president when they only make $250.000 a year?

Rusty, the President now makes $400,000 a year, starting with the first President after Bill Clinton, which happened to be Bush, of course. It was one of the last things Clinton did before he left. He signed the bill which raised the Presidents salary to $400,000, to be effective after he left.

Also, Justin, all Federal employees receive a COLA. Military personnel are Federal workers, so they get one, too. Just how much is determined on several factors, and placed into each year's Federal budget. The only reason that a Congressman's COLA is in question is because it has turned into a politcal issue over the past 15 years or so.

The COLA I get is minimal each year. What is more to me is where they base my pay out of in relation the where my work place. Basically, they determine our base pay dependent on where the nearest military post is. For me, it's a big drop in the cost of living where the nearest facility is, as opposed to the cost of living in the area where my work place is.

The cost of living in the city where I work is much higher than the cost of living in the city where they base the pay on.

I'm not sure if the COLA for Congressmen is based on the same criteria, or if they simply pump it up because they work in the DC area. Either way, there are military posts in the area, so it would be based on the same area.

If I'm not mistaken, I think most state workers receive something similar, as well. That includes their Congressmen, all the way down to the highway department workers.

t.

Opps so sorry, I didn't know that Clinton did that. Hey I don't have a problem with $400,000 a year for the president, they do have a lot on their sholders. But did I dectect a note of bitterness when you said "starting with Bush of course" Or am I wrong???

You're wrong.

I was typing that and it was one of them "can't quite find the exact right words" moments.

All I was doing was emphasizing that Bush (of course) was the next President after Clinton, and thereby, was the first one to receive the newly approved $400,000 salary.

You can substitute the word "obviously" for "of course", and it would probably fit better.

t.