Show Kill that Congressional pay raise Of all the crazy ideas to come out of Washington DC D.C. the nuttiest one of 1976 was the proposal by the Commission Commission Commis Commis- sion on Executive Legislative and Judicial Salaries to raise the pay of Congressmen and government bosses anywhere from 22 percent to percent percent per per- cent in 1977 urn In cash figures that comes to a minimum pay raise of for some all the way up to a raise per year for others In round numbers if Congress goes ahead and approves the raise it will cost American taxpayers taxpayers tax tax- payers at least another million per year Specifically the nine-man nine Commission Commission Commission Commis Commis- sion urges that the sal salary ry of the Vice President be raised from the present 0 to or a raise of a year the same amount for the Speaker of the House for members of Congress an increase of a year from to a year Federal Judges would be given a raise of a year giving them a salary of a year and so on for all Cabinet members agency heads Under UnderSecretaries UnderSecretaries UnderSecretaries Secretaries Assistant Secretaries and bureau chiefs Our compatriot William Loeb Edi Edi- Publisher tor-Publisher of the Manchester New Hampshire Union Leader commented with his usual restraint What an j incredible in credible piece of arrogance these recommendations are arc arel At a time when we are trying to combat inflation our rulers in Washington want to give themselves themselves themselves them them- selves a 25 percent pay raise Somebody has to be out of down there 1 Mr Loeb Loch also reminds us that the proposed raise in pay exceeds the entire yearly income of most wage earners To put it another way the present pay enjoyed by members of Congress per year is about a year more than the average income of most wage earners And that doesn't begin to take into consideration all of the so-called so fringe benefits such as free hair Cuts auth medical care postage and stationery allowances travel expenses expenses ex ex- and all the rest And now they want even more more I There is only one thing to do pick pickup up pencil and paper or get out the typewriter or get on the telephone and let the Congressmen and Senators from your state know how you feel about the matter It is time for Congress to stop ripping off suffering long-suffering taxpayers back home |