Congress Gets A Raise, But Sad Day For You.

I think ALL of their pay should be cut in half immediately so they can understand why people are about to revolt against them with a revolution. A bunch of crooks is all they are.

The rich get richer, the poor stay poor, and the gap continues to divide

I am so sick of this crap, and it is CRAP.

There has ALWAYS been a difference between skilled, and unskilled labor.

Hell someone doesn't DESERVE 50 bucks an hour for flipping burgers. or cleaning a toilet.

The biggest reason(s) for the 'wage gap' is because of inflation.

Since politicians like in the op created the federal reserve that prints money hand over fist like it was nothing.

Compound that epic stupidity with asinine regulations.

Compound that epic stupidity with the progression of technology. Which means people like to think they are working 'harder' than their parents, and grand parents, and great grand parents, but that isn't so.

But the root problem of it all are those shills on capitol hill who don't deserve a pay increase.

Because they are not earning the money for the job they are suppose to be doing.

Putting the country first. Instead of their political careers. and the materialistic ID complex of the masses.

Seems to be the only thing they all can agree on and pass in a timely manner.

originally posted by: Tardacus
a reply to: LDragonFire
It`s hard work carrying all those bags of kickbacks and bribes to the bank,they need some time off to enjoy their ill gotten gains.

With a $174,000 a year salary,plus bribes,kickbacks and other perks, if they are starting to feel the pinch in their bank accounts from inflation how do they think the average worker has been feeling?
if i remember correctly social security recipients didn`t recieve a cost of living increase for several years because the "government" said there was no increase in the cost of living.

Where do you come up with this BS about bribes, illegal kickbacks. Don't you know there are laws on the books against Congress engaging in such activity. No Congressperson would jeperdise their career over such deviate actions. No way, sir. You've must be reading too much Japanese manga lately. Here are the facts, and yes, they deserve more and more the merrier for your hard and loyal working Congress people that serve the countries' citizens to the highest standard in the world. I'd offer them even 10% of my VA disability check if i could, but you see, I've been turned down twice, just don't qualify, but your Congressmen qualify because they make the rules for themselves that benefit them.

U.S. Congress salaries and benefits have been the source of taxpayer unhappiness and myths over the years. Here are some facts for your consideration.



Rank-and-File Members:
The current salary (2014) for rank-and-file members of the House and Senate is $174,000 per year.

Members are free to turn down pay increase and some choose to do so.
In a complex system of calculations, administered by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, congressional pay rates also affect the salaries for federal judges and other senior government executives.
During the Constitutional Convention, Benjamin Franklin considered proposing that elected government officials not be paid for their service. Other Founding Fathers, however, decided otherwise.
From 1789 to 1855, members of Congress received only a per diem (daily payment) of $6.00 while in session, except for a period from December 1815 to March 1817, when they received $1,500 a year. Members began receiving an annual salary in 1855, when they were paid $3,000 per year.


United States Congress
Pay
Retirement House
Salaries
Senate
Congress: Leadership Members' Salary (2014)
Leaders of the House and Senate are paid a higher salary than rank-and-file members.

Senate Leadership
Majority Party Leader - $193,400
Minority Party Leader - $193,400

House Leadership
Speaker of the House - $223,500
Majority Leader - $193,400
Minority Leader - $193,400

A cost-of-living-adjustment (COLA) increase takes effect annually unless Congress votes to not accept it.

Benefits Paid to Members of Congress

You may have read that Members of Congress do not pay into Social Security. Well, that's a myth.

Prior to 1984, neither Members of Congress nor any other federal civil service employee paid Social Security taxes. Of course, they were also not eligible to receive Social Security benefits. Members of Congress and other federal employees were instead covered by a separate pension plan called the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS). The 1983 amendments to the Social Security Act required federal employees first hired after 1983 to participate in Social Security. These amendments also required all Members of Congress to participate in Social Security as of January 1, 1984, regardless of when they first entered Congress. Because the CSRS was not designed to coordinate with Social Security, Congress directed the development of a new retirement plan for federal workers. The result was the Federal Employees' Retirement System Act of 1986.


Members of Congress receive retirement and health benefits under the same plans available to other federal employees. They become vested after five years of full participation.

Note: Starting in 2014, the only health care coverage made available to members of Congress and their employees by the federal government will be coverage offered through the Health Insurance Exchange created by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act - the "Obamacare Act."

Members elected since 1984 are covered by the Federal Employees' Retirement System (FERS). Those elected prior to 1984 were covered by the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS). In 1984 all members were given the option of remaining with CSRS or switching to FERS.

As it is for all other federal employees, congressional retirement is funded through taxes and the participants' contributions. Members of Congress under FERS contribute 1.3 percent of their salary into the FERS retirement plan and pay 6.2 percent of their salary in Social Security taxes.

Members of Congress are not eligible for a pension until they reach the age of 50, but only if they've completed 20 years of service. Members are eligible at any age after completing 25 years of service or after they reach the age of 62. Please also note that Members of Congress have to serve at least 5 years to even receive a pension.

The amount of a congressperson's pension depends on the years of service and the average of the highest 3 years of his or her salary. By law, the starting amount of a Member's retirement annuity may not exceed 80% of his or her final salary.

According to the Congressional Research Service, 413 retired Members of Congress were receiving federal pensions based fully or in part on their congressional service as of Oct. 1, 2006. Of this number, 290 had retired under CSRS and were receiving an average annual pension of $60,972. A total of 123 Members had retired with service under both CSRS and FERS or with service under FERS only. Their average annual pension was $35,952 in 2006.

Allowances

Members of Congress are also provided with an annual allowance intended to defray expenses related carrying out their congressional duties, including "official office expenses, including staff, mail, travel between a Member's district or state and Washington, DC, and other goods and services." [Learn more...]

Outside Income

Many members of Congress retain their private careers and other business interests while they serve. Members are allowed to retain an amount of permissible "outside earned income" limited to no more than 15% of the annual rate of basic pay for level II of the Executive Schedule for federal employees, or $26,550 a year in 2013. However, there is currently no limit on the amount of non-salary income members can retain from their investments, corporate dividends or profits.

House and Senate rules define what sources of "outside earned income" are permissible. For example, House Rule XXV (112th Congress) limits permissible outside income to "salaries, fees, and other amounts received or to be received as compensation for personal services actually rendered." Members are not allowe

originally posted by: musicismagic

Where do you come up with this BS about bribes, illegal kickbacks. Don't you know there are laws on the books against Congress engaging in such activity. No Congressperson would jeperdise their career over such deviate actions.

Naivety at its best

originally posted by: musicismagic
Here are the facts, and yes, they deserve more and more the merrier for your hard and loyal working Congress people that serve the countries' citizens to the highest standard in the world.

I think a little pee just came out there from laughing so dammed hard.