Lawmakers - June 24, 1982 - Commentary
Lawmakers - June 24, 1982 - Commentary
Lawmakers - June 24, 1982 - Commentary
Lawmakers - June 24, 1982 - Commentary
Cokie Roberts intros commentary.
Lawmakers - June 24, 1982 - Commentary
Commentary by Charles McDowell on the relative honesty of the legislators (relative to public opinion, that is), but Congress has been sneaky about changing rules for outside income, and now wants to make a public show of changing the rules back since the public got upset about it. If I ve learned anything from watching Congress over the years it s that the members of the House and Senate are better than the public tends to think they are. That may strike you as feint praise indeed but it s worth pursuing for the moment. Most of the members are smarter, harder working, more public spirited and less self serving than the cartoon image of politicians that prevails in the minds of many voters. But there s at least one subject on which Congress seems to be trying to live up or down to its image as hypocrites and tricksters. That subject is congressional pay and outside income. As we ve mentioned before on this program Congress quite sneakily, without debate or recorded votes, has given itself special income tax breaks, generous new rules on honoraria, fees for outside speeches. Subsequently Congress has been falling all over itself to correct this issue in the face of public indignation. However, it all comes out watch those honoraria. In 1981 members of Congress reported receiving three and a half million dollars in honoraria, a 55% increase in one year. Republican Senators taking power over the committees in 1981, received twice as much honoraria income than the year before. Unlike the Senate, the House limits honoraria. But this income still increased by 70% among House Republicans and 50% among the Democrats. These speech fees are coming heavily to members whose committees have jurisdiction over big economic interest. So the special interests not only are financing members campaigns their supplementing their personal income. Maybe sixty thousand dollars a year isn t a fair salary for a member of Congress. Independent studies keep concluding that the pay should be raised. But many members seem to think that the public wouldn t stand for it if they just forthrightly voted themselves higher pay. As one member of the public I d prefer to pay more for a Congress that is not sneakily subsidized.
Lawmakers - June 24, 1982 - Commentary
Paul Duke, Actually over the years since Congress was founded, the members have increased their salaries only ten times. And from 1789 to 1856 they didn t receive any regular pay. Just six dollars for each day on the job. These days that would barely buy you a taxi ride to the Capitol. We ll be back here at the Capitol again next week with for Cokie Roberts and Linda Wertheimer. I m Paul Duke we ll see you then.
Lawmakers - June 24, 1982 - Commentary
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Lawmakers - June 24, 1982 - Commentary
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Lawmakers - June 24, 1982 - Commentary
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Lawmakers - June 24, 1982 - Commentary
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Lawmakers - June 24, 1982 - Commentary
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