One simple idea that could save the U.S. Government over $9 million a year!
By flpoolbum
@flpoolbum (2978)
United States
August 11, 2011 11:27pm CST
There seems to be a lot of discussion about how to reduce Government spending. Of course, everyone has a different idea. I have one idea that is a small step fiscally, but would be a bigger step from a Public Relations stand point. Let's start at the top. According to articles in Wikipedia, I have discovered the earnings of our leaders in the United States Government.
It is well known that many workers in the United States have been asked to take cuts in their earnings during tough times. Somehow, the President, Vice President and members of the United States Congress have been spared from taking salary reductions for the good of our country.
The President of The United States earns $400,000 annual salary*. The Vice-President= $ 230,700 annual salary** The Speaker of the House=$212,100 annual salary*** President Pro Tempore=$183,500 annual salary*** Majority Leader of the Senate=$ 183,500 annual salary*** Majority Leader in the House=$183,500 annual salary***
Minority Leader in the Senate=$183,500 annual salary*** Minority Leader in the House=$ 183,500 annual salary*** 97 Remaining Senators @ $169,300=$ 16,422,100 annual salary*** 433 Remaining House Reps @ $169,300=$73,306,900 annual salary***
Total Salaries: $91,489,300.
"Congressional Leaders" get 183,500.*** But since I don't know how many people are considered to be "Congressional Leaders", I used the salary of Non-Office holding members of Congress of $169,300.
Let's ask our leaders to take a ten percent pay cut, make a sacarifice for the "team", our Country. That would be an annual savings of $9,148,930. While that is "small change" compared to the billions and billions of dollars that the U. S. Governement spends every year, it would definately help! When you consider that the medium American Income for Men is $45,113 and for Women it is $35,102, I really don't think that it is too much to ask.
I have heard that while President, John F. Kennedy took a salary of only $1 per year because of his family's wealth. Many of our member of Congress are very wealthly and could afford to volunteer to take a larger reduction. If the heads of the United States Government are expecting us to "tighten our belts", shouldn't they be willing to do the same thing?
References:
* Wikipedia article, "President of the United States".
** Wikipedia article, "Vice-President of the United States".
*** Wikipedia article, "United States Congress".
1 person likes this
6 responses
@preethaanju (3000)
• India
12 Aug 11
Politicians are the same all over the world.Only their skin colour differs.Never expect a politician to cut his earnings. All these phrases like'tightening the belts'austerity measures' are for the common man only. In India,it take just 2 minutes for the Parliament to pass a bill proposing to enhance the salary of ministers and other elected members.Its more than 45 years since a bill to curb corruption in public life has been pending.
1 person likes this
@flpoolbum (2978)
• United States
12 Aug 11
It has been said that U.S. Congressmen just add their raises to other pieces of legislation hoping that it will go unnoticed until the bill gets passed. The President really needs the "Line Item Veto".
@Awinds (2468)
• United States
12 Aug 11
Congress and the president speak of cuts to programs like social security. I think they should do what they preach, and as you say, get some pay deductions rolling! Be an example to the citizenry and show us what they mean by "tighten our belts." Is it really right for them to make over $100,000 a year when the U.S. is in serious debt and economic depression? If they do not take pay cuts, they then appear to be hypocrites to the people. From what I can tell from the comments on several news sites, people already recent the apparent hypocrisy.
I read somewhere a year ago that the median income level for the United States was $40,000. I am sure that has gone down. If that is the median wage, I don't know why the higher ups in politics are making so much.
@flpoolbum (2978)
• United States
12 Aug 11
Most Congressman and Senators are Hypocrites! During the debate about President Obama's health care plan, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi asked freshman House Representatives and Senators to annouce whether they had signed up for the Health Care Plan provided to members of Congress. No one made that annoucement, but I'll be willing to bet that everyone signed up for it. It is easy to say that the American People shouldn't have inexpensive health care even though the Taxpayers pay for most of the cost of their health care coverage. From what I hear, it is a really, really good healthcare plan!
Check out my previous discussions or my blog, "My Life in the Spin Cycle" at floridapoolbum.blogspot.com. I also have offered a couple ideas about Campaign Reform that could save the taxpayers billions of dollars and once again allow the average American the opportunity to run for political office.
@flpoolbum (2978)
• United States
12 Aug 11
It would be interesting to find out how many members of Congress get contributions for companies in the Health Care Industry. Did they put the interests of billion dollar health care companies ahead of the interests of the American People?
@KrauseHome (36445)
• United States
13 Aug 11
Personally that is the problem here. The Wealthy people don't want their income touched. They are the ones always getting the Huge profits, and Bonus's etc. and thinking they should never have to give to the less fortunate while many others out there continue to loose their homes, get their utilities turned off, loose their jobs, struggle to eat, end up homeless, etc. Wonder if they could switch places with a normal worker here in the US for even a month if they would think any differently when they could be back in office? Probably not, but I think it would be worth it to have them see what a normal real live person has to go thru.
@flpoolbum (2978)
• United States
14 Aug 11
I know that the rich don't want to give up anything, most of the anyway. John F. Kennedy, Oprah Winfrey, and guys in the band Bon Jovi are exceptions to that rule. However, if enough American's ban together and tell the President and Congress that they, too, need to tighten their belts then it will have to happen. The hard part is getting enough American's to agree on one thing. I think a 10% pay cut on our law makers salary is fair. After all, as I have pointed out, they make far more than the average American, by A LOT. It has to start with a few people who are willing to be heard and will pass it on to everyone they know. You would be amazed what we could accomplish when we work together.
This is the link to my petition. It describes in detail why Congress and The Administration should cut their salaries by 10%. It would help even more if they got some of their staffers to take a cut, too. Please sign the petition and pass it on! Nothing will ever get accomplished if everyone just sits at the sidelines and complains. It's time to get in the game! Make your voice heard! TOGETHER, WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/13/tell-president-obama-congress-to-cut-their-salaries-by-10-a-savings-of-over-9-million-a-year-if-they/
@lampar (7584)
• United States
12 Aug 11
That is the best suggestion with the best intention i ever read about in this time of economic uncertainty and fiscally difficult period. I am sure it will work out wonderfully if your proposal is adopted unanimously by members of congress and white house. U.S government will save over many million a year and help in reducing a bit of our annual national debt. I am sure a ten percent annual pay cut is not going to hurt a bit on the high standard of living our elected officials have right now, it is just bread crumb as far as their salary and compensation are concerned. The problem here is how many of them are really in the mood of doing somethings for the good of our nation and the people except for themselves and family members. It will be extremely difficult for members of congress to pass law on salary reduction on elected officials becuase it will affect their own salary and compensation, many of them are wealthy but it doesn't necessarily means they don't want to continue living in paradise at our nation's and the people expense. 
@flpoolbum (2978)
• United States
12 Aug 11
You make very good points! That is exactly why, we the citizens, need to pass this idea along. Get it out there into the World. If enough people pressure the Washington D.C. Politicians to take the pay cut then they would be forced to do it. However, it would require hundreds of thousands of American Citizens to demand this salary cut for it to become a reality. Cut and Paste this article on your Facebook, MySpace, MyLot, Twitter and any other medium that you have. Use Congress.Org to send a letter to your U.S. Government Representatives. Pass the idea along to everyone and anyone. The more people that hear the idea the better. Wouldn't it be great if this ten percent salary cut idea went viral, being spread all over the web? Write a letter to the Editor of your local paper. Let's get this out there! If we can ban together, Americans have the power to demand change! I have posted this on all of my sites. Do the same, lets get this 10% salary cut out there!
@flpoolbum (2978)
• United States
12 Aug 11
In just a short time, I have also send this blog as a "letter to the Editor" of my local paper, "The S. Peterburg (Florida) Times and as a commment to: ABC News, CBS News, Fox News, NBC News, and BayNews9 a free news channel provided by Brighthouse Networks. It was so easy, cut and paste and off they go. I love the internet!
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
12 Aug 11
I know better than to take on a politically charged discussion. But I'm going to tackle it anyway. I feel it is coercive to expect this of people just because they are wealthy.
I should have to wonder why we should expect them to live on less. I believe every man and woman is worth their hire. If we are going to target the wealthy why not just make it across the board where all people of all income brackets
must also fork over 10% of their earnings ... It doesn't sound so great when poorer people are asked to do what they expect or demand from the more affluent. I really don't feel that success should be punished just because they are educated and made choices to further their careers.
@flpoolbum (2978)
• United States
13 Aug 11
So far as I know, all U.S. Government Employees have been subjected to some type of pay cut or freeze due to the Economy and the Budget situation. Many non government workers have had some type of cut and/or reduction in benefits in the past few years.
In 2003, 40 of the then sitting U.S. Senators were millionaires. I am sure that the number of millionaires in Congress is much higher now. It has been said then when he became President, John F. Kennedy reduced his Presidential Salary to $1 a year. The small lose of income for these millionaire Congress members by taking a pay cut would would be offset because it would give them great public relations and political capital to use.
Sign and pass on my petition: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/13/tell-president-obama-congress-to-cut-their-salaries-by-10-a-savings-of-over-9-million-a-year-if-they/
@daud4ms (218)
• United Arab Emirates
12 Aug 11
All politicians are the same everywhere. if one will ask them to spare some money to help the poor in the country, they will reply that 'We are more poorer, fist let her fill our pocket then we will thing of other' and their pocket will never fill.
@flpoolbum (2978)
• United States
12 Aug 11
I agree that politians are the same. However, once in a great while, if enough of the people that they represent can get together and demand something, they can't just ignore them and hope it goes away. I am trying to get the American Public outraged enough so that our Congress and Administration will have to take a pay cut. It is very hard to get such a large group of people, like the American Public to agree about anything. This issue, however, goes beyond political party lines. I have tried to make it an "us verses them" issue, putting all of the members of Congress in the spotlight as elitist, uneffected and out of touch. Just maybe, enough people will go to Congress.org to e-mail their elected officials. It is so easy. You can write one e-mail and send it to President Obama, your state's two Senators and your Representative in the House.
