Our Poor Pitiful Underpaid Congress
Speaker Mike Johnson 2024 official portrait (Public Domain)
I had no idea how much We The People take advantage of the superior intellects that occupy the United States House and Senate. That is, until the Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, made it clear what a profound sacrifice he and the rest of our superiors make in order to serve us in the magnificent manner in which they do.
Johnson was asked about a ban on members of Congress making stock trades while they are serving.
He reluctantly said he’d support such a bill, but that he has sympathy for the other side. You know, because the superior intellects could make so much more in the private sector – the same private sector they raise millions of dollars to avoid being a part of.
As a favor to Speaker Johnson, I’ll trade income and perks with him any time he wants.
AUDIO: Random Samplings of a Logical Mind
I have always liked Speaker Johnson. But…
He seems to be a man of faith, with the best interests of the American people at heart. However, I think his rather elite yearnings for more money for services rendered have left a stain on his reputation – at least with me.
Members of Congress, many of whom are lawyers (and worse than that, many are from discredited Ivy League schools), are not worried about where their next meal is coming from. Bidenflation never touched them. The Trump tariffs, no matter how they affect the rest of us, will be nothing more than a mosquito bite to the elite members of Congress.
They’re not making SEC and Big Ten football coach money, but they’re nearly as rich the average school superintendent – and that’s not bad. (Note that I’d trade salaries and perks with most of our school superintendents as well.)
Video: Poor, pitiful members of Congress. Speaker Johnson explains why they might need stock trading to keep up.
Two points: perks and performance.
Perks are often better than salaries, as anyone in a government job can tell you. The best two things about government jobs are that people – think Congress members —tend to keep them for a long time, and when or if they retire, they’ve got a pension that sets them up for the rest of their lives. Most of the rest of us can be fired without cause. Many of us seek out better jobs because it’s hard to get ahead. Most of us have 401k retirement accounts, but the days of fat pensions for most of us are gone.
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As for performance, we’re $36,800,000,000,000 in debt. That alone merits an F grade for Congress. Those who are Democrats don’t care and those who are Republicans care a little but not much. If they cared, and if they were doing their jobs – God forbid – we would not be in debt. They likely would not be controlled by earmarks and lobbyists – two of the worst ideas this country has ever had.
Hollywood for the Ugly.
That’s how Rush Limbaugh described Washington, D.C. It’s where people who don’t look like Tom Cruise or Gwyneth Paltrow can go to be idolized, have an entourage, meet girls – even Chinese spies like Eric Swalwell and Fang Fang, spend like drunken sailors, and come out richer than you went in. If you ever come out.
Note that few members of Congress ever face burnout.
Trey Gowdy, now at FOX News is a rare example of someone who wanted to get out and do something else. But Edward M. Kennedy did not. He got a malignant brain tumor and refused to resign. He died in office. So did Robert Byrd, the former Klan member who was known as the Conscience of the Senate. (I was unaware the Senate had a conscience.) So did a feeble Dianne Feinstein, and Sheila Jackson Lee. There’s something about being in Congress that makes them quite addicted.
Maybe it’s the glory. Maybe it’s service to the country, maybe it’s sex. I don’t know what it is, but they take great pains to being home the bacon, to stack the deck in favor of the incumbent (that would be them), and to raise millions of dollars to make sure no one else ever takes away THEIR seats.
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What are their salaries, perks and benefits?
Congress does all right. House members, senators, delegates, and the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico make $174,000. The Speaker of the House makes $223,500 and the President pro tempore of the Senate and the majority and minority leaders in the House and Senate draw a salary of $193,400. These levels have remained unchanged since 2009, which accounts for the whining from Speaker Johnson.
Members are required to be on Obamacare – something they pretty much had to do. They participate in Social Security. They get to print their newsletters (really campaign propaganda) at taxpayer expense, and they have franking privileges which amount to free postage. Their political opponents have to raise money to pay for such things. They get other perks as well, which you may read about here: https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/RL30064.
It’s relevant to note that some members of Congress hire members of their own family as campaign staff. That’s a legal way to transfer campaign funds into their own bank accounts – or at least the accounts of family members. CBS’s venerable magazine show “60 Minutes,” back when it was relevant, did an expose on Congressional leadership PACs which remains a beautiful example of actual journalism, the like of which we do not see much anymore.
Video: A high point in journalism from “60 Minutes.” Washington’s Open Secret: Profitable PACs.
Now let’s talk about the other reason they like to stay in Congress: money!
I have often commented on the radio that members enter Congress somewhat rich – and before long, many of them are very rich. The obvious example is Nancy Pelosi. The Pelosis are worth a lot of money. Some people think that Nancy has used insider information to pass on to her husband Paul who makes the stock trades for the family. She says that’s not true.
Video: FOX’s Jesse Watters explores the career and the cash of former Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
But something makes members richer than they ought to be based on what they make. The other answer might involve lobbyists. Lobbying is legal. Bribery, however, is illegal. If the lobbyists aren’t providing some under-the-table benefit to members of Congress, how do they manage to be worth the giant salaries they get from their clients? The obvious explanation is not pleasant to contemplate.
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So, let’s have a full investigation. By out an outside, unbiased CPA firm.
I’d like to know how they seem to get wealthier the longer they stay in office. If it’s all legal and above board, that’s fine. Maybe we should pay them more for the fine job they are doing. I’m up for a nice fat pay raise for members of Congress as soon as we know they’ve done nothing underhanded, and as soon as the National Debt is paid down, and the budget is balanced. Sorry, but I like to get my money’s worth from my employees.
Lynn Woolley is a Texas-based author, broadcaster, and songwriter. Follow his podcast at https://www.PlanetLogic.us. Check out his author’s page at https://www.Amazon.com/author/lynnwoolley.
Order books direct from Lynn at https://PlanetLogicPress.Square.Site.
Email Lynn at lwoolley9189@gmail.com.
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