Thursday, March 31, 2011

Oh, yeah! U.S. Lawmakers Want Paychecks Even in a Govt Shutdown

On March 1, I posted about the Senate bill that would prohibit Members of Congress and the President from receiving pay during Government shutdowns (see Senate Bill Blocks Pay For Lawmakers and President During Govt Shutdown).

AP reported then that the US Senate unanimously passed this legislation. I wrote at that time that the ball is in the House of Representatives' court to pass a similar bill quickly, or it might look bad on them.

Well, apparently, I presumed too much, too soon. And know absolutely squat about human nature.

If there is a government shutdown in April, our lawmakers will continue to get their paychecks. Because, hey -- are you ready for this? They need the money!

NBC's Luke Russert and Carrie Dann have an update:    

Today the House GOP said that their soon-to-be-approved budget bill (dubbed the "Prevention of Government Shutdown Act") would include the same language to eliminate paychecks for members of Congress during a shutdown.

But that budget bill – which has already been rejected by the Senate once – has virtually no chance of passing the upper chamber, meaning that the language about members' salaries will still not become law.

What’s more, GOP leaders refuse to bring the “clean” – or unattached – Senate-passed salary language up for a vote on the House floor.

Why? There are a variety of reasons, but one that is mentioned constantly is that many newer members of Congress quit their jobs to run for office.

Quite frankly, they say they need the money.

Bwa! ha! ha! Sometimes, life is so hilarious you just gotta roll around and laugh till you cry.  What is more liberating than that?  Obviously, the federal employees, contractors, government vendors, and all the rest of you related one way or another to Uncle Sam do not need the money when our Uncle is shut down.  Nor have bills to pay.  What bills?  Don't worry, you apparently don't have those either.

But give them a break, people. First, you did not/not quit your job and borrow a mound of money to run your election/ reelection campaign in order to serve the people. And they did. Second, you are not/not in power, and they are. What's the use of being in power if you cannot look after a simple self-interest like getting your paycheck on the correct day of the month?  

They very clearly deserves their paycheck even when they are no better than kids squabbling in the schoolyard, and are the cause of the shutdown. Howabout your paycheck?  Well, who do you think you are -- an elected representative?         








2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I linked to you here: http://wellthatwasdifferent.wordpress.com/2011/03/31/oh-please/.

Thanks for linking to me a few days ago!

Domani Spero said...

Thanks for the link, Kelly!