• If you are having problems logging in please use the Contact Us in the lower right hand corner of the forum page for assistance.

Are Members of Congress Paid Enough?

Help Support Ranchers.net:

Tex

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 13, 2007
Messages
2,156
Reaction score
0
Location
Texas
From the Article and last comments on first page:

Are Members of Congress Paid Enough?



Everyone complains about their job now and then, and members of Congress are no exception.

A few lawmakers have suggested in recent months that despite a $174,000 annual salary, generous health care and pensions, and perks for things like travel and mail, being one of the elite 435 ain't always what it's cracked up to be. And when you calculate the hours they put in, the pay isn't stellar either, they say.

The Florida Capital News reported last week on a speech Steve Southerland, a Republican representative, gave to a retirement community in Tallahassee in which he complained about some of the parts of his new job:

"He said his $174,000 salary is not so much, considering the hours a member of the House puts in, and that he had to sever ties with his family business in Panama City. Southerland also said there are no instant pensions or free health insurance, as some of his constituents often ask him about in Congress.

"'And by the way, did I mention? They're shooting at us. There is law-enforcement security in this room right now, and why is that?" Southerland told about 125 people in an auditorium at the Westminster Oaks retirement community. "If you think this job pays too much, with those kinds of risks and cutting me off from my family business, I'll just tell you: This job don't mean that much to me. I had a good life in Panama City.'

"...He added that 'if you took the hours that I work and divided it into my pay,' the $174,000 salary would not seem so high."

Southerland, a freshman, ran a family funeral home business in Panama City and earned about $90,000 before joining Congress in January.

His sentiments were not unlike those expressed by Sean Duffy, a Republican representative from Wisconsin, when he said in March it was a "struggle" to pay his mortgage and student loans with his congressional salary. "At this point, I'm not living high on the hog," Duffy, a father of six, said. (Compared to his colleagues, Duffy is one of the least wealthy members of Congress.)

At the height of the debate over a possible government shutdown last spring, Linda Sánchez, a Democratic representative from California, said during an MSNBC interview that she was living "paycheck to paycheck" on her congressional salary. And she wasn't the only one. Renee Ellmers, a Republican representative from North Carolina, was asked if she would forgo her pay in the case of a shutdown. Ellmers declined, saying, "I need my paycheck."

Are times really so tough that even members of Congress are struggling to get by? The numbers suggest otherwise. A recent analysis of congressional pay found that members of Congress earn about 3.4 times the salary of the average American worker. Using that standard, members of Congress are among the highest paid legislators in the developed world.

This talk probably won't help Congress' approval rating. The federal government is the worst-rated industry in the country, viewed favorably by only 17 percent of Americans, according to a new Gallup survey.



7 Replies
Bebee
688Thumbs UpThumbs Down7
Bebee 17 hours ago Report Abuse

I am in the military. I have deployed 3 times as Infantry. I was injured downrange and now I am being medically reclassed after 9 years in. I make a quarter of what anyone in congress makes and they get to retire in about a quater of the time it takes me. When not deployed we work on average 65... More

51 Replies
Timothy
654Thumbs UpThumbs Down4
Timothy 19 hours ago Report Abuse

Quit if your not happy. Welcome to the real world. Congress has all but wiped out the middle class with your legislation. Hearing gunshots and trying to pay bills is part of life for a lot of people. I use to have a pension until congress let the corporations wiggle out of the promise. Excuse... More

4 Replies
joeygrisso
1508Thumbs UpThumbs Down31
joeygrisso 19 hours ago Report Abuse

Average salary of current U.S. Presidents: $400K
Average salary of former U.S. Presidents: $180K
Average salary of Congress: $174K
Average salary of the Speaker of the House: $223K
Average salary of Minority/ Majority leaders: $193K
Average salary of a TEACHER: $40K
Average salary of a SOLDIER deployed in the MIDDLE EAST: $38K

I think I have found who needs a raise...
 
How many longterm congressmen/women or senators have actually left office in a poorer financial condition than when they entered office?

It's a pretty wellknown fact that working on the "Hill" is a lucrative gig, provided a person can keep getting elected.
 
What anyone else is paid is not really the issue. The congressmen have failed, any normal job and they'd be fired. However the American people keep rehiring them.
 
If it's such a shytty job why do they start their re-election campaign a 18 months in advance? Don't see too many bailing out in the middle of a term because they are financially embarassed.
 
SENATE CONVENES AT 10:00 A.M.

2011

======================================================================================
January, 05, 25, 06, 26, 27, 31.

======================================================================================
February, 01, 02, 03, 04, 07, 08, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 28.

======================================================================================
March, 01, 02, 03, 04, 07, 08, 09, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 28, 29, 30, 31.

======================================================================================
April, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 12, 13, 14.

======================================================================================
May, 02, 03, 04, 05, 09, 10, 11, 12, 16, 17, 18, 19, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 31.

======================================================================================
June, 03, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 14, 15, 16, 20, 21, 22, 23, 27, 28, 29, 30.

======================================================================================
July, 01, 05, 06, 07, 11, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31.

======================================================================================
August, 01, 02, 05, 09, 12, 16, 19, 23, 26, 30.

no one has ever accused a congressman of being a workaholic, at least not one with a straight face..

2010

======================================================================================
January, 05, 19, 20, 21, 22, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29.

======================================================================================
February, 01, 02, 04, 08, 09, 11, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26.

======================================================================================
March, 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 08, 09, 10, 11, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26.

======================================================================================
April, 12, 13, 14, 15, 19, 20, 21, 22, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30.

======================================================================================
May, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28.

======================================================================================
June, 07, 04, 08, 09, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 28, 29, 30.

======================================================================================
July, 12, 13, 14, 15, 19, 20, 21, 22, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30.

======================================================================================
August, 02, 03, 04, 05, 12.

======================================================================================
September, 13, 14, 15, 16, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29.

======================================================================================
October, 01, 05, 08, 12, 15, 19, 22, 26, 29.

======================================================================================
November, 01, 04, 08, 10, 12, 15, 17, 18, 19, 29, 30.

======================================================================================
December, 01, 02, 03, 04, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22.
 
Things don't seem too tough for those poor folk in D.C....

The Hill's 2011 50 Wealthiest in Congress
By The Hill Staff - 09/05/11 05:30 AM ET

Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) has dethroned Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) as the richest member of Congress, according to The Hill's annual list of the 50 wealthiest lawmakers.

McCaul reported a net worth of at least $287 million, by far the most of any lawmaker.

Analysis for The Hill's Wealthiest shows that 2010 was a banner year for many well-heeled members of Congress. Lawmakers including Republican Rep. Darrell Issa (Calif.) and Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) saw gains of millions of dollars in their fortunes.

Together, the 50 wealthiest lawmakers reported a minimum net worth of $1.6 billion, about $200 million more than the lawmakers who appeared on 2010's list.


Last year's wave election brought big changes to The Hill's rankings. More than a dozen lawmakers appear on the list for the first time, including 10 Tea Party-backed GOP freshmen with backgrounds in business, medicine and auto sales, among other professions.

The richest GOP freshman is Rep. Jim Renacci (Ohio), who reported a minimum net worth of $35.9 million, ranking him 11th on The Hill's list.

One freshman Democrat, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (Conn.), edged into the top 10 with a minimum net worth of $54.9 million.

GOP gains in the 2010 elections helped shift the list toward Republicans. Six Democrats who made The Hill's 50 Wealthiest in 2010 lost their reelection bids.

The rankings include 32 Republicans and 18 Democrats. By chamber, the breakdown is 29 from the House, 21 from the Senate.

To compile the rankings, The Hill reviewed all the congressional financial disclosure reports that lawmakers filed for the 2010 calendar year.

Those reports do not have precise values for lawmakers' assets and liabilities but instead disclose value ranges for each item. The Hill's researchers recorded the lowest number of each value range to calculate lawmakers' assets and liabilities. The sum of the liabilities was subtracted from the assets for a low-end estimate of each lawmaker's net worth.

Click through the following pages for the list of the wealthiest lawmakers and see how much they're worth.


http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/179087-the-hills-2011-50-wealthiest-congress-rish-list

To determine the richest lawmakers, Roll Call adds up the minimum value of total assets reported by each Member on their annual financial disclosures and subtracts the minimum liabilities. Percent change refers to the change since last year's disclosure forms.

An asset valued at $5 million to $25 million is counted at the lesser amount, as is a liability valued at $1 million to $5 million.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



1.Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) $294.21
Million
Assets$294.21 Million Liabilities$0.00 Million Change298.9% .

2.Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) $220.40
Million
Assets$295.40 Million Liabilities$75.00 Million Change37.7% .

3.Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) $193.07
Million
Assets$232.39 Million Liabilities$39.32 Million Change2.5% .

4.Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) $81.63
Million
Assets$86.63 Million Liabilities$5.00 Million Change0.2% .

5.Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) $76.30
Million
Assets$76.32 Million Liabilities$0.02 Million Change8.7% .

6.Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.) $65.91
Million
Assets$67.94 Million Liabilities$2.03 Million Change16.7% .

7.Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) $55.07
Million
Assets$55.07 Million Liabilities$0.00 Million Change10.8% .

8.Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) $52.93*
Million
Assets$52.93 Million Liabilities$0.00 Million Changen/a .

9.Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) $45.39
Million
Assets$47.39 Million Liabilities$2.00 Million Change-1.5% .

10.Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) $44.21
Million
Assets$70.66 Million Liabilities$26.45 Million Change-20.3% .

11.Rep. Jim Renacci (R-Ohio) $35.87*
Million
Assets$37.87 Million Liabilities$2.00 Million Changen/a .

12.Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) $35.20
Million
Assets$43.45 Million Liabilities$8.25 Million Change61.9% .

13.Rep. Rick Berg (R-N.D.) $21.60*
Million
Assets$23.43 Million Liabilities$1.83 Million Changen/a .

14.Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) $21.18
Million
Assets$26.68 Million Liabilities$5.50 Million Change15.9% .

15.Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-N.J.) $20.35
Million
Assets$20.35 Million Liabilities$0.00 Million Change2.3% .

16.Sen. James Risch (R-Idaho) $19.78
Million
Assets$20.10 Million Liabilities$0.32 Million Change0.5% .

17.Rep. Gary Miller (R-Calif.) $17.45
Million
Assets$17.45 Million Liabilities$0.00 Million Change-9.9% .

18.Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) $17.00
Million
Assets$17.05 Million Liabilities$0.05 Million Change8.1% .

19.Rep. Kenny Marchant (R-Texas) $16.45
Million
Assets$18.76 Million Liabilities$2.31 Million Change-10.6% .

20.Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) $15.46
Million
Assets$15.46 Million Liabilities$0.00 Million Change3.8% .

21.Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.) $11.90*
Million
Assets$12.90 Million Liabilities$1.00 Million Changen/a .

22.Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) $11.60
Million
Assets$11.60 Million Liabilities$0.00 Million Change182.9% .

23.Rep. Richard Hanna (R-N.Y.) $10.89**
Million
Assets$n/a Million Liabilities$n/a Million Changen/a .

24.Rep. Scott Rigell (R-Va.) $10.69*
Million
Assets$11.21 Million Liabilities$0.52 Million Changen/a .

25.Rep. Diane Black (R-Tenn.) $10.63*
Million
Assets$16.53 Million Liabilities$5.90 Million Changen/a .

26.Rep. Tom Petri (R-Wis.) $10.60
Million
Assets$10.85 Million Liabilities$0.25 Million Change16.4% .

27.Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) $10.38
Million
Assets$10.88 Million Liabilities$0.50 Million Change-14.4% .

28.Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) $10.35
Million
Assets$11.35 Million Liabilities$1.00 Million Change-1.6% .

29.Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) $10.28
Million
Assets$10.28 Million Liabilities$0.00 Million Change-1.6% .

30.Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) $10.14
Million
Assets$12.39 Million Liabilities$2.25 Million Change9.0% .

31.Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) $10.14 ***
Million
Assets$10.14 Million Liabilities$0.00 Million Change2.6% .

32.Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) $9.88
Million
Assets$9.88 Million Liabilities$0.00 Million Change-21.2% .

33.Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) $9.84
Million
Assets$9.84 Million Liabilities$0.00 Million Change38.6% .

34.Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.) $9.43
Million
Assets$9.43 Million Liabilities$0.00 Million Change10.8% .

35.Rep. Nan Hayworth (R-N.Y.) $9.35*
Million
Assets$9.35 Million Liabilities$0.00 Million Changen/a .

36.Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-Nev.) $9.29
Million
Assets$10.66 Million Liabilities$1.37 Million Change11.4% .

37.Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.) $9.23
Million
Assets$110.23 Million Liabilities$101.00 Million Change-298.9% .

38.Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) $8.53
Million
Assets$8.78 Million Liabilities$0.25 Million Change6.2% .

39.Rep. Blake Farenthold (R-Texas) $8.51*
Million
Assets$8.57 Million Liabilities$0.06 Million Changen/a .

40.Rep. John Campbell (R-Calif.) $8.44
Million
Assets$8.44 Million Liabilities$0.00 Million Change-13.3% .

41.Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) $8.18*
Million
Assets$8.18 Million Liabilities$0.00 Million Changen/a .

42.Rep. Steve Pearce (R-N.M.) $8.03*
Million
Assets$8.03 Million Liabilities$0.00 Million Changen/a .

43.Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) $7.94*
Million
Assets$12.94 Million Liabilities$5.00 Million Changen/a .

44.Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) $7.93
Million
Assets$7.95 Million Liabilities$0.02 Million Change2.9% .

45.Rep. Bill Flores (R-Texas) $7.71*
Million
Assets$7.81 Million Liabilities$0.10 Million Changen/a .

46.Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) $7.41
Million
Assets$7.93 Million Liabilities$0.52 Million Change7.4% .

47.Sen. Kay Hagan (D-N.C.) $7.06
Million
Assets$10.34 Million Liabilities$3.28 Million Change5.8% .

48.Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) $6.56
Million
Assets$6.56 Million Liabilities$0.00 Million Change-2.7% .

49.Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) $6.47
Million
Assets$6.49 Million Liabilities$0.02 Million Change2.6% .

50.Rep. Randy Neugebauer (R-Texas) $6.21
Million
Assets$7.24 Million Liabilities$1.03 Million Change-6.8% .
* Indicates a freshman Memb
 

Latest posts

Top