Essay: Feeling Perky - 3/16/06

Benjamin Franklin might have been lynched if he showed up in Congress today. He thought federal officeholders should serve their country without pay. But people protested that it would mean only the rich and the corrupt could afford to serve their nation.

So we started paying our lawmakers.

What we forgot is that no matter how much some people get, they always want more. Congressmen have an easy time persuading themselves they need more. They make $165,000 a year, which sounds like a lot . . .  but they have to maintain two homes, one back in their district, and one in Washington. Throw in the fact that they are likely to have kids of college age. Then consider that they are always being hit up for campaign donations. Poor devils.

Yet they do get a lot of perks. Free offices. Free staff. Free life insurance, and an awesome retirement plan. Congressmen get virtually unlimited free mailing privileges, other expense accounts, and thirty-two fully reimbursed round trips home every year.

Naturally, they abuse the system anyway. Do you think the taxpayers should pay for Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick to drive a Cadillac Deville around the area she represents, which is the state’s poorest and physically smallest congressional district?

How about cases where outside interests pay for congressional junkets? If I sent a woman three dozen roses and offered to take her on a cruise on my non-existent yacht, do you suppose she would think I had an ulterior motive, or do you think she would suspect I wanted to discuss the effects of the Single Business Tax?

Congressman Candice Miller and her husband got a free four-day trip to Key Biscayne, Florida in January, paid for by the Ripon Society. That doesn’t sound so bad at first. The Ripon Society is a Republican think tank that promotes moderate ideas.

But dig a little deeper and you learn that these days, the Ripon Society is known in Washington as a “travel agency for lobbyists.”

Lobbyists – I don’t know which ones – paid for Candice’s junket. Now it is possible they only wanted to fly her down there because her blonde hair looks nice against the sand. But being nasty and cynical, I suspect they wanted her eventual vote on some bill or bills. If it has feathers and quacks, it probably ain’t the Virgin Mary.

Here’s what we need to do.

Ban any third-party payment of congressional travel. Then set up a bipartisan body to approve virtually any legitimate travel request by a congressman who wants to investigate something, or go to a conference, especially if it has anything to do with their committee assignments or anything happening in their district.

Give every member a car allowance tied to the physical size of his or her district, and then let them figure out what to lease.If we don’t want a congress of pigs, here’s a thought.

Let’s take away the trough.

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Comments

[Janet]

just a question... why do you always refer to members of Congress as congressMEN?

[Rhonda Ross]

Jack,

I agree that we need to ban the free gifts and travel that lobbyists give to members of Congress.

I do not think that will solve the entire problem though. We need to get the money out of the system. We need some form of public campaign financing.

Also, it is very disturbing to watch my family, friends, and neighbors who are losing their healthcare benefits, losing their pensions, and losing (or are afraid they will lose) their jobs. We are in very serious economic trouble here in Michigan and we need a President and a Congress that will work to prevent more companies from filing bankruptcy and also provide the appropriate carrots or sticks to keep jobs here.

Perhaps if Congress felt the pain of their constituents something would get done. In my campaign for Congress, I've promised to introduce legislation that will cut the pensions of members of Congress to bring them into line with what hardworking Americans are getting. That should motivate some action. I think we should do the same with Congressional healthcare benefits.

I understand the importance of offering a good salary and good benefits to members of Congress because we desperately need to attract qualified individuals. Given the time, expense, and personal scrutiny and attacks candidates must face, it is already difficult to get people with the necessary credentials to want to serve.

Rhonda

Rhonda Ross for Congress
Michigan's 9th District
website: www.ross4congress.org
blog:www.ross4congress.blogspot.com