Here’s one Democrat who wants to help the “poor”: by giving himself (and the rest of Congress) a raise, apparently.
Rep. Alcee Hastings, a Democrat from Illinois, said that Congressmen like himself are underpaid–and that they deserve a raise, right away!
All Congressmen, including Hastings, make $174,000 per year. The average American earns just $42,693 per year.
“We are entering our seventh year without a pay raise,” the well-paid public servant complained. “Now, I think we’ve proven to the American people that we are responsible. And I know that it has impacted me personally.”
Hastings continued: “We have more than 50 [Members of Congress], probably as many as 75 or more, living in their offices. They’re not there because of any other reason than they can’t afford it. Now if people want us in sackcloth and ashes than they will get what they rightly deserve as representation.”
In short, Hastings wants the American people to pay up or shut up about our horrible representation in Washington.
Aside from the brazen idea that Congress has “proven [they’re] responsible” enough to get a big raise–they’re not–it’s ridiculous to insist that someone making well into a six-figure salary is somehow “in sackcloth and ashes.” Of course, that’s the typical liberal response: rich Republicans are evil; rich Democrats are underpaid martyrs.
An income of $174,000 per year means Hastings and his colleagues earn more than 92% of American households. Many of which are, like Hastings, not even close to poverty.
