I don’t know how this slipped by without more of President Obama’s much-revered “dialogue” from the media types, but our “rank-and-file senators and representatives” received an automatic cost-of-living increase for 2009. Their annual salary – for the privilege of serving the electorate – rose to $174,000, up from $169,300 in 2008, and staff salaries were also increased per Executive Order 13483 of December 18, 2008.
Of course, they could have voted to suspend it.
But, of course, they didn’t.
And this, of course, makes President Obama’s haste to institute a “pay freeze” for some administration staff in his first days in office, well, a rather shallow gesture.
It’s also just a drop in the trillion-dollar bucket of the new deficit when you realize this “freeze” is going to save only $443,000 next year.
With this kind of “fiscal responsibility”, I’m now starting to understand why the Dow continues to tank. I have no faith in this administration, either.
Yea well did you read the extra fine print they also now get an extra 93K for various ‘expenses’.
BUT my really big question is how do some of these folks that come into office with x wealth end up as multimillionaires? How does that work???
While those actually serving this country receive a whopping 2.9% pay raise. Isn’t that special…when are people going to wake up from this cool-aid induced coma?