$174,000 salary not enough for congress

5,248 Views | 68 Replies | Last: 11 mo ago by Fireman
Dan Scott
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5:14p, 1/5/24
AG


Patrick McHenry says $174K is not enough and a higher salary would attract more credible people. I say bull***** If the pay sucks, why keep running for office. I get Washington DC is expensive but why do these clowns go to Washington anyways. They don't do anything. All meetings and hearings can be done via zoom. Stay in your local office and save money. Go to Washington only when needed.

On the other hand some people really take a pay cut by getting elected. Good for them. Some could make much more at law firms. Singapore government pays very high salaries to their leaders to attract the best. Don't think it'd help here though.
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Antoninus
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In reply to Dan Scott • 5:17p, 1/5/24
Dan Scott said:


Patrick McHenry says $174K is not enough and a higher salary would attract more credible people. I say bull***** If the pay sucks, why keep running for office. I get Washington DC is expensive but why do these clowns go to Washington anyways. They don't do anything. All meetings and hearings can be done via zoom. Stay in your local office and save money. Go to Washington only when needed.
Well, there is that pesky Constitutional requirement of a quorum ....
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HollywoodBQ
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5:18p, 1/5/24
AG
It's less than what most of us on TexAgs make (in Internet money).

Seriously though, I'd like to know what their total comp looks like.
Do they get housing allowances, staff, travel?
Do they get their Obamaphone reimbursed?
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FJB
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5:19p, 1/5/24
AG
Seemed to work out pretty good for most of the swamp rat millionaires.
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Some Junkie Cosmonaut
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5:21p, 1/5/24
AG
Tell them to reign in the Pelosis and Crenshaws of the world and we can talk.

Maybe.

Tone deaf morons.
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Old May Banker
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5:23p, 1/5/24
AG
Trade term limits, retirement, stock trading, etc for a higher salary.
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aggie93
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In reply to Dan Scott • 5:23p, 1/5/24
AG
Dan Scott said:


Patrick McHenry says $174K is not enough and a higher salary would attract more credible people. I say bull***** If the pay sucks, why keep running for office. I get Washington DC is expensive but why do these clowns go to Washington anyways. They don't do anything. All meetings and hearings can be done via zoom. Stay in your local office and save money. Go to Washington only when needed.

On the other hand some people really take a pay cut by getting elected. Good for them. Some could make much more at law firms. Singapore government pays very high salaries to their leaders to attract the best. Don't think it'd help here though.
I like the Texas model where they make less than $7k and meet for a few months every 2 years except for Special Sessions.
"The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help."

Ronald Reagan
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GAC06
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5:29p, 1/5/24
AG
He has a point
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Moral High Horse
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5:30p, 1/5/24
Learn to code
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Pinochet
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5:33p, 1/5/24
So he's saying it only makes sense to do it for a short period and not make a career out of it? That's a bad thing? Maybe he's trying to argue for smaller salaries?

Maybe this is satire.
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CDUB98
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5:33p, 1/5/24
AG
Dude is whining because he sucks at grifting and insider trading.
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CrackerJackAg
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5:37p, 1/5/24
AG
I wouldn't quit running my company for $174k. I say that because I'm a borderline ****ing idiot and you guys deserve better than me.

If you cant run something that values you as more than 174k per year you probably can't run the country.

Let's not pretend that this is some sort of civic duty that attracts people to Congress. Make it two years
terms and no pay and then you'll get the kind of people who are interested in civic duty.
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P.H. Dexippus
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5:39p, 1/5/24
AG
Keep the salary the same, but make Congress part-time, like the TX Leg. Half a year every other year sounds about right.

ETA- great minds think alike, Aggie93 beat me to it.
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Picard
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5:41p, 1/5/24
AG
Congress must be feeling the effects of the very inflation they caused

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TTUArmy
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5:44p, 1/5/24
If everyone was staying honest and only sticking with the salary we give them, I'd consider it. Politicians are on the take from all kinds of special interests and lobbyists. Hard pass.

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Gigem_94
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5:47p, 1/5/24
AG
Don't forget the nice pension they get when they retire.
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Demosthenes81
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5:48p, 1/5/24
AG
I would be in favor of building a dorm and requiring congress critters to live with two others.
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TexasAggiesWin
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5:51p, 1/5/24
S
So this idiot believes that earning even more than their current 3x what the average worker earns is a good idea to float? I swear that people who go to 'serve' in Congress continue to become more and more removed from the actual people that they represent. It's pathetic
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tamc93
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In reply to CrackerJackAg • 5:54p, 1/5/24
AG
CrackerJackAg said:
I wouldn't quit running my company for $174k. I say that because I'm a borderline ****ing idiot and you guys deserve better than me.

If you cant run something that values you as more than 174k per year you probably can't run the country.

Let's not pretend that this is some sort of civic duty that attracts people to Congress. Make it two years
terms and no pay and then you'll get the kind of people who are interested in civic duty.
Not opposed to anything you said, other then pay is needed to a certain degree.

"no pay and then you'll get the kind of people who are interested in civic duty" - is basically jury duty and we see how that works out.
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No Spin Ag
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In reply to TTUArmy • 6:22p, 1/5/24
TTUArmy said:
If everyone was staying honest and only sticking with the salary we give them, I'd consider it. Politicians are on the take from all kinds of special interests and lobbyists. Hard pass.



You can replace Mitch with every other politician in DC. They're all on the take and they're all over paid.
There are in fact two things, science and opinion; the former begets knowledge, the later ignorance. Hippocrates
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BoydCrowder13
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6:33p, 1/5/24
To be fair, unless you are a bartender like AOC, most of Congress probably took a pay cut to be there. They simply hope they are rewarded with board seats and speaking fees on the back end.
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SouthTex99
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7:12p, 1/5/24
AG
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Bondag
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7:53p, 1/5/24
AG
There should be a congressional dorm and bus in DC. Let them fly home every few weeks and pay for a seat in southwest. Maybe we can take care of term limits.
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Definitely Not A Cop
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7:56p, 1/5/24
AG
Seems like a compelling reason to work on bringing down inflationary costs on your end.
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harge57
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8:07p, 1/5/24
AG
They should definitely be paid more than that.
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TX_COWDOC
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8:14p, 1/5/24
AG
Salary should be tied to change in net worth post-matriculation into congress. Some should take no salary at all. Just live off the grift.
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9:27p, 1/5/24
JWinTX
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In reply to Old May Banker • 9:32p, 1/5/24
Old May Banker said:
Trade term limits, retirement, stock trading, etc for a higher salary.

This in a heartbeat. Double the pay, but 6 years is the longest a rep can be in DC. 12 years for a Senator. So tired of seeing Bernie, McConnell, Grassley, Biden, Pelosi, etc..just loiter in DC for the grift they take decade after decade.
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Ag with kids
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9:35p, 1/5/24
AG
Patrick Henry:

"Give me liberty or give me death!!!"

Patrick McHenry:

"Give me a raise or else!"

I prefer the original to the McDonald's knock off...
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AggieMD95
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9:43p, 1/5/24
AG
Pass a balanced budget. Then maybe a 5% raise.

GDP up over 5% get another 5% raise
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BonfireNerd04
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9:47p, 1/5/24
Constitutional Amendment idea: Require that every member of Congress have the country's per-capita budget deficit deducted from their salary.

Right now, that would cost them about $5120.
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oldag941
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9:52p, 1/5/24
AG
Fund them through a cooperative and NIL.
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richardag
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In reply to Old May Banker • 9:52p, 1/5/24
Old May Banker said:
Trade term limits, retirement, stock trading, etc for a higher salary.
Also, increased criminal penalties for the numerous forms of grift many politicians partake. Serious penalties like loss of all assets, prison time, etc,
Among the latter, under pretence of governing they have divided their nations into two classes, wolves and sheep.”
Thomas Jefferson, Letter to Edward Carrington, January 16, 1787
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richardag
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9:57p, 1/5/24
Interesting views from over 2,300 years ago
  • Look at the orators in our republics; as long as they are poor, both state and people can only praise their uprightness; but once they are fattened on the public funds, they conceive a hatred for justice, plan intrigues against the people and attack the democracy.

  • You vote yourselves salaries out of the public funds and care only for your own personal interests; hence the state limps along.

  • Under every stone lurks a politician.

  • You have all the characteristics of a popular politician: a horrible voice, bad breeding, and a vulgar manner.
Aristophanes
Among the latter, under pretence of governing they have divided their nations into two classes, wolves and sheep.”
Thomas Jefferson, Letter to Edward Carrington, January 16, 1787
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one MEEN Ag
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10:00p, 1/5/24
AG
Meh, I don't care if you pay them more. They are responsible for huge parts of the economy. Pay them comissurate with what you see in industry for being in charge of equivalent scope, influence and finances. I will say that 174k in DC is basically lowest tier, mid career professional equivalent for the area.

I would personally be okay with doubling their salary in exchange for barring everyone and their spouses from options trading or individual stock picking while in office.

If you can't do your job, be happy with your pay at 350k, and stop trying to enrich yourself at that amount just hit the reset button and do what texas does 7k, meet once every two years.
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