Pay Raises for Congress

I am an employee of the state of Tennessee and for the last two years (and most likely the next two years) I have not gotten a pay raise, not even a cost of living increase. Tennessee like many other states is in a budget crisis. The federal government is also in a budget crisis, operating in a deficit of well over a $7 trillion. Yet, members of Congress receive a cost of living increase each year automatically and have since 1989.


This year, while the economy was falling and the unemployment rate was soaring, each member of Congress received a $4,700 increase. The only time that they will not receive the annual increase is if they themselves vote to decline it. Of course, the politicians like this automatic raise because they do not have to be on record voting for a personal raise. No average American wants to read in the paper about their representative or senator voting to give themselves a raise. Wouldn't it be nice if we could give ourselves a raise?

The automatic raises began in 1989, twenty years ago. In 20 years, Congress has received pay increases 20 times but voted to increase minimum wage only seven times. Maybe it's just me, but why don't we automatically raise minimum wage every year and the members of congress can publicly vote for whether or not their salaries go up. Or even better, how about the people get to vote for pay increases for congress based on the job they do - wouldn't that change things? Of course, I know this is never going to happen, but at the very least, shouldn't we get the budget under control and maybe out from under this trillion dollar debt before we keep handing out increases?

It has already been determined that Social Security recipients will not receive an annual cost of living increase in 2010. I am anxious to see if the members of Congress still get theirs or will they have the sense to turn it away?