ONE MORE TRY: Congress Should Give Back Its 2009 Pay Raise!
Lately, every time we turn around or switch channels or Internet tubes we’re hearing from Congresspeople of all stripes, persuasions, and shoe sizes that the spending in the fiscal stimulus proposal needs cutting, slashing, and burning. “This is about spending money that we don’t have for things we don’t need,” Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK), said Thursday. He’s joined by many Republican Senators, and more importantly, by Senate Democrats. Senator Ben Nelson (D-NB), a so-called Blue Dog fiscal conservative, is allied with Republican Susan Collins (R-ME), and they propose removing, among other items, $75 Million for smoking-cessation funding, and $400 Million for testing and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases.
Putting aside the broader question about the benefits that these programs would provide, one can make a principled argument on purely fiscal grounds that a fiscal “stimulus” plan ought to actually “stimulate” job creation, and quickly. Smoking cessation and HIV testing do meet that test, at least partially, although it’s true, not in a way that impacts massive numbers of jobs. Yet, the positive public health benefits of these examples of where some want spending cuts is beyond argument. The price is nearly $500 Million, and that is not insignificant. Are these programs the kinds of programs that can be “put off” for a while until our economic house is back in some semblance of order? The Senate minority of Republicans and Blue Dog Democrats that will eventually control the shape of the bill says “Yes.” So, we put off vital health programs.
Congressional Re-Payment . . . Priceless. Now I want to return yet again to something else that
(1) is a spending cut that
(2) can be “put off” until better times, and
(3) can be put off with the massive approval of voters, and
(4) will not cause a single affected person much, if any, hardship, and
(5) would be a forthright gesture by a body that is not held in very high esteem.
What might this be? It’s the 2009 Congressional pay raise that went into effect automatically at the beginning of January 2009, bringing each Congressperson’s and Senator’s salaries to nearly $175,000. Disgorging this, or rescinding it, would cost each of them $4,700.
Until they do this, how much credibility do they have in any debate about cutting spending on programs like HIV testing? How can they stand up straight and ask others to sacrifice? President Obama has already at least partially led the way by freezing White House upper echelon salaries (above $100,000).
I’ve written a few times on this topic, but here is where I provide the whole story, a long term solution, and how to contact your elected “employees.”
The total savings realized by this pay freeze is small, I agree, approximately $2,500,000. But its symbolism . . . priceless.
**** Note: There is no “read more” for this posting.
To see my previous posting on this issue go here. ****
