Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) says Congressional pay shows “dignity of the job”
February 19, 2013 at 11:33 am in News by Tea Party Patriots 55 Comments
Last Thursday, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) declared cutting pay for Members of Congress doesn’t “respect” what Congress does, nor does it give “dignity” to the job they do:
“I don’t think we should do it; I think we should respect the work we do,” Pelosi told reporters in the Capitol. “I think it’s necessary for us to have the dignity of the job that we have rewarded.”
The comments were made in the context of the looming sequester, which would force across-the-board cuts affecting most federal offices, including Congress. With lawmakers nowhere near a deal to avert those cuts, federal agencies are bracing for ways to absorb them with minimum damage to programs and personnel.
According to Leader Pelosi, cutting Member pay isn’t a good idea because of the financial statuses of her colleagues:
Pelosi, whose husband is a wealthy real-estate developer, was quick to note that a cut in her own pay would be far less significant than that for both staffers and less wealthy members of Congress.
“It’s a hard question to ask me because most of my colleagues are the breadwinners in their families,” she said. “A pay cut to me doesn’t mean as much.”
What Pelosi doesn’t understand is that the dignity of Congress left years ago, when special interests and backroom deals for those special interests became the norm. It left when Congress decided to bail out the banks, the auto industry, and other interests. It left when Members supported two wars overseas for political reasons, not for any reasons of national security, essentially sending service members overseas to be injured and killed for the careers of politicians.
Furthermore, it is utter malarkey that a pay cut would be significant for most Members of Congress. According to The Center for Responsive Politics, in 2009, 261 out of 535 Members were millionaires, and their wealth increased from 2008 to 2009. In 2010, the number of millionaires dipped to 249, but the median wealth of Senators increased, and the median wealth of House Members wasn’t exactly on the poverty level – it was around $600,000 in 2010.
Of course, not every Member is super-wealthy. Some had negative asset values in 2010, though this is mitigated somewhat by the lack of a requirement to disclose the values of personal homes. The Center for Responsive Politics (AKA OpenSecrets.org) provides an annual analysis of the wealth of Congress which, shows how broad the estimates are given disclosure requirements. In 2011, for example, the poorest Member of Congress is anywhere from over $30 million in debt to over $1.5 million in debt, and the wealthiest Member is worth from $306 million to $695 million.
In and among the asinine statements made by Rep. Pelosi, there are two kernels of good points made. First, congressional staffers are underpaid, and reductions in their pay would be harmful. Speaking as a former Hill staffer for Rep. Kenny Marchant (R-TX), who pays his staff fairly well (the last eight months of my salary on Capitol Hill can be seen here), the average starting salary for the lowest-end staffer is $30,000, give or take. Given the cost-of-living in D.C., this is not exorbitant.
Second, while being a Member of Congress carries a very visible number of perks, it is not a job that is as relaxed as many might think. To Rep. Pelosi’s point about how hard Members work, the hours in D.C. are long – between voting, fundraising events, meeting with constituents and lobbyists, committee hearings, etc. – they travel on planes at least 80 times per year to and from districts, and even when Members are home they are doing events, connecting with constituents, holding town halls, etc. Vacation time is very valuable to a Member.
In the end, Rep. Pelosi’s statement is more about defending the status quo than defending any good work Congress does. Public service should be just that – service. While the $174,000 paycheck a non-leadership Member of Congress earns is not an exorbitant salary, it is more than enough to live comfortably. This is especially true if Congress ever gets back to only doing what is in the Constitution, not expanding the bureaucratic power of Washington – and thus ending the special interest lobbying that takes up so much of Congress’ time and our tax dollars.
I think their pay should be stopped until they get a budget and start doing their job. NO PAY…IF WE DON’T DO OUR JOB WE GET FIRED THUS NO PAY WHY SHOULD IT BE ANY DIFFERENT FOR THEM AND PUT A CAP ON THEIR TERMS…It should be the same as the president…2 terms then your done…
yes
This one Nancy P. should have her pay cut by 99% since is not biding by the will of the people instead following her own communist agenda.
Pay raises in other companies r based on job performance right know it looks like pay cuts across the board. They r to busy fighting amongst themselves to do the job they where hired and elected to do.
nancy pelosi nether you as a crook or your other so called constituets deserv ANY PAY YOU HAVE NOT ACOMPLISHED ANYTHING in congerss in the lastt 10 YEARS if you were working at a real job you and all your other clowns would have been fired for not doing your job. YOU OBAMA AND ALL THE WORTHLESS DEMORATS SHOULD BE RELEAVED OF DUTY
They should cut their pay. They threaten the military and seniors with no paydays. If i did the poor job they do i would have been fired long ago. I have also learned that just because you make lots of money doesn’t make you a good employee. You forget you are an employee of the people. You all think your pay has no ceiling. Don’t feel to bad, Your way of thinking has filtered down to the township level of govenment.
For starters Nancy Pelosi knows nothing about dignity and wouldn’t recognize the truth it jumped up and bit her in the butt, (if the truth would stupe that low). As for the work they do, if they were paid by their accomplishments in serving the Republic and the people who put them in office, I feel they would owe the Government (We The People) more money than they could pay back in a lifetime.
there pay should not be no better then are s,no pay after trem is doneand trem should be ONE only.INPEACH OBAMA
if they can not get a budget deal then they should take the first pay cut
You did not run for office to get rich. You ran to serve your country. Your payment should be no higher then that of someone on unemployment or minimum wage. I also believe that when you are voted out, that your salary is not permanent. You’re out, you’re done receiving money. If the pay was so low, that it matched minimum wage, there’d be less of you back room deal makers, who do nothing but ruin the country.
What a load of CRAP…. I believe that the majority of the idiots on Capital Hill need to be FIRED. Period… Lets put some people in government that know how to balance a check book. OMG…
Their job is service. Right now they have not passed a budget I. Over 4 years, passed laws that have decreased our pay, so why are they any different? They are one by one taking away our constructional rights, and have done NOTHING in 6 years. We have had 4 Americans killed including an ambassador and now a cover up. They have covered up a gun running scandal while trying to take our guns away. Actually the entire bunch needs to be FIRED, especially Nancy and Harry Reid. Also once we have a bunch in there to actually run a country, then only let them be there for 8 years max.
Pilosi thinks it would be wrong to cut her pay as a Senator! You haven’t done your job in 4 years you should be fired not just have a pay cut. It is the job of congress to present a budget each year. There has been no budget in 4 years of a Democratic led congress. You should be ashamed of yourselves you should return your past 4 years pay to the American tax payer. You have spent America into a crisis. I feel the entire Democratic Senate should be fired. Don’t do your job! FIRED!
“I don’t think we should do it; I think we should respect the work we do,” Pelosi told reporters in the Capitol. “I think it’s necessary for us to have the dignity of the job that we have rewarded.” You should be ashamed Pilose! You haven’t done your job!
We the people should have the right to demand that they do their jobs or they get fired on the spot and we put somebody else in that will get the job done. To cut costs after somebody gets voted out or fired or resigns all benifits r done instead of continuing on for the rest of their lives. Why should we the tax payers have to pay for this.
Just another stupid comment from this failure in California!
If she wants dignity let her have the dignity George Washington had by pledging there lives and FORTUNES to the Republic. Will she do that? NO!
Dignity is not something handed to someone – it is something we posses within ourselves – dignity to me means putting the good of the whole before ones own agenda as well as being honest and truthfull with those around you – - when they show they possed dignity and this country is no longer in its down-ward spiral – then she can talk about dignity
Sorry I meant THIER not there.
well, the salaries of elected office are too high……to begin with……big pay and lots of authority are a bad combination……I truly feel these elected positions should be given to working people, and the elected position is done VOLUNTARILY on a PART TIME BASIS. No compensation. These positions would be filled by people who want to help our country and not have to worry about their financial future by the decisions they make. I have a hard time that these politicians are paid to perform a task and can’t do it…FIRE THEM ALL! All the money spent in their salaries, compensations, and buggy lugging is not conducive in business standards or common sense…..why is it allowed in Washington ? Answer= because the elected officials make it that way to control their financial destiny first, America second.
so true jonathon, Get the deadbeats OUT, Us normal people can do a better job anyway!!
so true Mark, Get the deadbeats OUT, Us normal people can do a better job anyway!!
Dignity is NOT something that comes from a paycheck. It is something that is within ones self. She is a piece of work. How much dignity is shown when she is in Washington name calling? Not alot. She never ceases to amaze me with the dribble that comes out of her mouth. There are alot of Washington hyprocrites that need to learn what dignity is.
VA Employees ‘ie” nurses have Freeze on their pay, why should Congress be any diffrent?? Fed workers all, correct??
Dignity – the quality or state of being worthy, honored, or esteemed; formal reserve or seriousness of manner, appearance, or language. Sorry Nancy, you don’t qualify!
Term limits are needed NOW! Max of 12 years, any way you want it… all in the House, all in the Senate, or a combination. Just no more than 12 years. Also, no retirement checks or benefits except for their 401k being rolled over. Congress members should SERVE then return to a civilian career, living under the laws they impose. And, no working for lobbyist for at least the number of years they served in Congress. Not as an employee, contractor, or otherwise…
I agree there are to many on welfare and what I mean by welfare The Whole Entire WASHINGTON DC area. It has become grounds for conarties, beggaries and user. Everyone Loooking out for THEMSELVES. Making there own wallets Fat. WE THE WORKING CLASS, RETIRED, AND EXWORKING CLASSES PAY THERE BILLS. AS THEY HAVE THE NERVE TO SEND OUR JOBS OVER SEAS TO THIRD WORLD COUNTRY AND TELL US THEY HAVE MORE EDUCATION THAN USA. YET THE THIRD WORLD RICH SEND THERE KIDS HERE TO GET A BETTER EDUCATION, WOW. CUT ALL THERE PAY TO MIN WAGE, AND LET SEE HOW THEY FAIR. I CAN’T FIND WORK OR MY KIDS. SO TELL ME HOW FAIR THIS IS. MY TAX DOLLARS GO OVER SEAS TO HELP PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN KILLING THERE OWN AND OTHER FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS, FOR WHAT OIL, FOR SOMEONES’ PERSONAL AGENDA, TO LOOK GOOD ON TV, STOP THE BULL SHIT, BRING OUR JOBS BACK, BRING OUR TROOPS BACK AND QUIT SPENDING MY TAX DOLLARS ON PEOPLE WHO WON’T TAKE CARE OF THERE OWN COUNTRY. WE DID IT SO THEY CAN TO OR DO LIKE ENGLAND RULE THEM FOR A HUNDRED YEARS UNTIL THERE PEOPLE HAVE FORGOT MY THEY FIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
While I think Pelosi is a complete waste of skin and bone, she is even more wrong on this issue than most. The concepts of leadership are lost on her. The military, your secret service men, your pilots, your bag handlers will take a hit – and you have the nerve to complain about how hard you work. Politician PLEASE. How about we take your Health care and make it equal with that of the middle class, how about we have you travel space available like the military, how about we take your guards so you will understand the need for fire arms. Shut up and take what you brought upon yourself – BITCH
They should take all of her pay, and put it in obamacare. No work, no production, no PAY.
What makes her think that her “dignity” is any more important than the dignity of the thousands of American families that are on food stamps? These people worked hard and because of the current administrations policies their dignity has been decimated! She and all of her cohorts were elected to serve, not get rich off of the taxpayer dollars.
First off Pelosi doesn’t even do her job and second, everyone in Washington is overpaid! Since when is it our job to do “YOUR JOB”! You were all elected to do a job for “WE THE PEOPLE” not the other way around. In America a job is simply that! It is our duty to perform atahigh level in our jobs or we get fired. (PERIOD) just as it is ypur job to perform for the PEOPLE & if you can’t do your job then you to should be FIRED! “SIMPLE AS THAT” I’m simply sick and tired of hearing about all this MIDDLE CLASS CRAP when most Americans are in the lower class category. Your average american citezens are living paycheck to paycheck and all you want to worry about is you millionares getting a paycut and being hurt financially. If you have that kind of money and can’t live within your means then you’ve got a serious problem which in turn tells me exactly why this country is in the shape its in because of people like you who SIMPLY CAN’T DO WHAT YOUR BEING PAID TO DO WHICH IS “BALANCE THE BUDGET. Nothing has been done in over 4 years now and the American people are simply tired of it! So either do what your being paid to do or “GET OUT OF WASHINGTON” so that someone who wants to do there job can take your seat. Is it really that hard to UNDERSTAND. This country was based on the Constitution so either live by it or get out. It is my right to run my family NOT your right to tell me how to run it! ( Just do your job, Thats all the American people are asking!)
Pelosi come from California, the state with the lowest high school test scores, the biggest debts, the most over-crowded prisons and so many illegal aliens that people boo for the national anthem at soccer games. Maybe she should try and fix her own state.
good reply good clean your own house first
I think about 90% of what she said was crap. The dignity of being a public servant is in the act of serving not in the pay you receive. Lets see how many of them would serve if they didnt get paid? Hmm about NONE of them. I am actually fine with the pay they get WHILE they serve. But what kills me is that we continue to pay them after they leave office for the rest of their lives? Explain to me why we do this?? They need to have their pay treated like all the other government employees and have the pay they earn while in office deducted into the government retirement system. If every working American is expected to work to get paid, and expected to pay into their retirement plan then the leaders of this government should have the same treatment. They are not above any of us “common” folks. But no matter what when they leave office their pay should STOP!!!
The only dignity comes from a job well done. They haven’t or we wouldn’t be in this situation.
No “public servant” should receive compensation above the average pay of their constituents. Why are politicians receiving pay at 3-4 times the amount of their constituents, along with other stipends and benefits, such as travel/health coverage, not to mention all of the under-the-table deals with lobbying groups/insider trading. This is SICK!!!
It is time we do something!!!!!!!!!
All of you took the time to bitch on here about what she said…..did you call her or your elected reps. I doubt it. Give yourself a little feel good bump and back to business as usual. Why not take that extra step and send them a message with your name signed to it. I did and i will continue to do so.
And oh yeah, that hand and mouth gesture appears to be demonstrative of what she and Harry reid are always doing.
I get a pay cut every time they raise minimum wage! The amount I worked for is eaten up in the “cost of living” prices going up! Everyone agrees that it is time to do something yet no one is leading the charge. So what can we do?
I think we should pay them. However, I think it should be with changes. There are some Mem. of House and Senators that sleep in their offices when they are in D.C. There are others that do not. I think there should be a set pay for them all across the board. I think that they should all have a budget Cap. Payment for Flights to and from their Home area of only so much per year. When in session only. If they are not then they are on their own dime. When in town, they HAVE to stay at a Federal Facility equal to everyone. Not set up like a Hilton Top Floor, but Nice enough for meetings and Average meals. If they chose to not attend the location, then the cost is out of pocket. With no tax write off for business. They should have to submit to a expense account. If they go over, they pay out of pocket. Look at the reports in the past of the what do they call it the Lunch Room? There are several that have abused their credit there and owe tons of money for meals they have had but not paid for. Send them to collections if they do not pay. Serve Boloney Sandwiches, not Prime Rib. Tator Tots like in the schools that our own children have to eat for lunch. A Balanced Lunch I believe they call it. They spend to much is all I am saying. And they do not decide on the way to pay for everything else in the process. They should be held accountable. And that is ALL Parties.
Michael, I love your answer, A school lunch is good enough for our children,It’s good enough for those lazy asses. They should never enjoy more than the people they work for!
Repect is earned, in your case BY DOING YOUR JOBS, congress has had a free paycheck for no work long enough, Good Americans are unemployed and struggling, while YOU people go sit in cushy offices everyday and DO NOTHING. You have no integretity. You and Harry need to go home and shut the F up!!
On March 1 EVERYONE will suffer. Federal employees have been targets for years for doing their jobs. Many Federal employees may be sole support for their families. Contractors who do work for the Federal governent may be forced out of a job. I think that Senator Pelosi’s comments are out of touch with the American people- may who will be forced to accept the consequences when Congress GETS BACK FROM THEIR VACATION. I wish I had the flexibility to leave when there is a crisis at my job and think that it is someone else’s responsibility. All of Congress needs to grow up and get back to work for the people that elected them.
It is obvious to me that Pelosi should have her pay stopped since she is so arrogant as to say that a pay cut will not hurt her since her husband is the bread winner of the family.
lets get rid of lobbyists first, then term limits, then quit voting in rich people so the voice of the real people in this country is sspoken and heard.
Pay them 30,000.00 a year and if they don’t like it let’em kick rocks.
Obama is always wanting to tax the rich so let him tax the millionaires in Congress (and himself and Michelle) about 65% and see if they like it! Congressmen should only make about $50,000 a year. That way we will know who is up there for the RIGHT reasons. And as far as dignity goes, most of them are tax evaders, adulterers, liars, thieves, cheaters and Atheists.
There is a White House petition to investigate Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell for making over $24 million between 2004 – 2010 on a $194,000 a year salary during the worst recession in history. What a great return!
I’m tired of their continuous fighting! They have not accomplished a thing. They are overpaid for what they have not accomplished. For one thing, Pelosi is an airhead! I don’t think any one of them back in Congress can come up with a budget. They have money so they don’t care what the other citizens of this great country needs or wants. Their solution is to always raise taxes! We need new blood and fresh ideas in the Congress and Senate instead of old-fuddy duddies with one foot in the grave!
she certainly isn’t earning a salary. What ever happened to the citizen legislator from long ago. Someone who would go to the capitol for his term then go home. Term limits should be the norm.
I have lived long enough to see great changes in our government. In my time I have seen 2 great Presidents. Kennedy and Regan. Their private lives may not have been perfect but they were human. Both gave honor and dignity to the JOB they did. They earned the money they were paid just like any working person did. Now it seems the honor and dignity have left our goverment. No one does the job they are being paid to do. I know there are a few who do or try to do their job but are overturned by the freeloaders. Who is to blame? WE THE PEOPLE! We keep voting them in! How did Nancy Pelosi get back in office? How did all the freeloaders get back in office? Even after proving what they are, they got voted back in!
How can we allow them to vote in a pay raise when our country is in such a bind. Everyone knows pay raises are based on performance. Do not do your job and you do not get a raise or you get fired. Also this getting paid for life even after leaving office is the stupidest thing I have ever heard! I have to assume the Powers That Be also voted that in. As long as WE let it happen it will continue. Yes I also believe in Term Limits. Go home and support yourself after your term. Live in the real world! Most of our goverment has been in Washington so long they have completely forgotten what it is to be a real person.
Do you really want to trust Pelosi? Her comment on Obama Care, “Let’s just get the bill passed and then we will read it” Obama is only correct with these 2 statements he made, “It’s time for Change” and “Forward”. Get rid of the Electoral College, put Congress on Social Security and Obama Care, and term limits for all Politicians. Now Forward!!!
So apparently “Congress” doesn’t respect our military and the dignity of “OUR” job, which is actually dangerous. Thanks for voting to cut our pay where many of our men and women can’t sit behind a desk everyday in the air conditioning and make policies that don’t work. Where is the dignity and respect for the military Nancy.
I agree that dignity should reflect pay. Use the constitution as a rule of measure and then come up with pay with respect to how closely an individual followed it dignifying our country. I would personaly like to hand pelosi her check but she must sign for it before she sees it. Once its passed that way she can see whats in it.
Nancy Pelosi is DELUDED! She and the other members of our not so auspicious Congress have utterly FORGOTTEN that she works for US and not the other way around! People USED to serve their country for FREE and she thinks her pay indicates her ‘DIGNITY’?? REALLY? Like I said…… she’s COMPLETELY OUT of touch with reality! The saying goes…. ‘Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts ABSOLUTELY’. And so it does.
Pelosi lost her dignity when she got her last facelift.
Mrs, Pelosi believes that legislators should respect the work they do,” because ‘necessary for them to have the dignity of the job that they have rewarded.” Apparently she does not respect the furloughed federal workers or think that their work is worthy of compensation. I want to move to California just to vote against her during her next bid for office. I’d certainly show her how much I respect the work she does.