Pay

All this talk about how in debt we are got me to start thinking.

Did you know: (data from 2005)

Executive Branch

• President: $400,000; $50,000 expense account; $100,000 nontaxable for travel; $19,000 official entertainment account; free housing
• Retired president: $150,000 pension; plus $150,000 to maintain staff
• Former first lady: $20,000
• Vice president: $208,100; $10,000 expense account; free housing
• Presidential Cabinet member (i.e. secretary of defense, attorney general, etc.): $157,000 

Legislative Branch

• Speaker of the House of Representatives: $208,100
• Senate president pro tempore: $180,100
• Senate and House majority and minority leaders: $180,100
• Other senators and representatives: $162,100

Judicial Branch

• Supreme Court chief justice: $208,100
• Supreme Court associate justices: $199,200
• Circuit judges: $171,800
• District judges: $162,100

 The household median income is $49,777. (according to 2009 census)

THIS IS ABSURD!

Here's a little article that will put things a little in perspective: http://articles.cnn.com/2003-06-13/politics/senators.finances_1_financial-disclosure-financial-holdings-ranges?_s=PM:ALLPOLITICS

These people (AT THE MINIMUM) make over three times as much as the average US household.  Why are we paying these people so much?  It's not like they can't get their jobs afterwards.  Nothing like having US Congressman on your resume to get a job.  Nothing is preventing their spouse to have a job either.  Yes, yes, you'll argue that being part of congress is stressful and you put a lot of hours in doing it.  You know what?  I know people that work two jobs have kids and put in over 60 hours a week to help keep their family afloat, and personally I think that's pretty stressful.

Here's my suggestion: 

Executive Branch

• President: $200,000; $25,000 expense account; $50,000 nontaxable for travel; $19,000 official entertainment account; free housing
• Retired president: $100,000 pension
• Vice president: $150,000; $10,000 expense account; free housing
• Presidential Cabinet member (i.e. secretary of defense, attorney general, etc.): $100,000

Legislative Branch

• Speaker of the House of Representatives: $150,000
• Senate president pro tempore: $110,000
• Senate and House majority and minority leaders: $110,000
• Other senators and representatives: $100,000

Judicial Branch

• Supreme Court chief justice: $150,000
• Supreme Court associate justices: $125,000
• Circuit judges: $100,000
• District judges: $100,000 

Average savings per year (that could be used towards something else): $33,925,500

With the changes I suggested it would still give the elected government officials a bump over the average US household (double instead of three times) but wouldn't put them so drastically above the average citizen that they might not see his woes.  I heard a statement last week, if congress was making minimum wage watch how quick the minimum wage would change.  Seriously, there is no reason that we should be paying these people this much to go to war with each other because they are different party instead of fixing things that are wrong with the country.  Don't get me wrong, I love my country, but it has a long way to go from being perfect.