Let's Take Up A Collection

Posted Tuesday, August 30, 2011, at 9:23 AM

You KNEW it wouldn't be long.

More people out of work than ever......and here come some congressmen already, who "can't make it on $174,000 a year."

That's what the JUNIOR dudes are starting at. $174,000, which works about to about $480.00 per DAY!...........and everything else is taken CARE of by us taxpayers....their travel, lodgings, meals, you name it...........NOT to mention their RETIREMENT pensions after only ONE term!

They're saying now that the public doesn't truly realize the hours they are putting in back there, and how hard they are working.

That so?........how is it, that everytime you see one of them speaking on the House or Senate floor, there always seems to be VAST NUMBERS of EMPTY SEATS behind him? Where are the REST of them? Playing golf?

If they are working "so hard" for us, why is there so much "crisis management"------last minute panic on things----------and why are we now entering a THIRD year without a BUDGET in this country.

Just WHAT, are they burning all this "midnight oil" ON? What are they actually DOING back there, watching porn flicks? Anybody know? Seems like they're ALWAYS in "recess"....on vacation.....or Obama is......or both.

If we actually paid them what they're WORTH, they'd probably end up owing US money.

Which they actually and rightfully DO anyway, considering all the crap they WASTE our tax money on.

But they aren't short on NERVE though.....I have to credit them there. Through their incompetence, their lack of foresight and planning, they just put this country through a LAST MINUTE debt fiasco that should have been taken care of LONG ago. That IS why we pay them, isn't it?

They CONTINUE to NOT listen to the people, they continue to give MILLIONS away, they continue to lie, cheat and steal.....

....and now they have the NERVE to complain they aren't being PAID enough! $174,000---(Minimum....depending on your tenure)............heck, they probably STEAL THAT MUCH IN A MONTH! (all these billions and trillions have been going into SOMEBODY'S pockets!)

I don't know sbout the rest of you out there........but even having to pay for all of MY expenses, travel, lodging, food, etc......I could live NICELY on 174 grand a year.

I had to do FIVE enlistments for MY little pension (that you can't really live on), and they started TAPPING INTO the MILITARY retirements, even before this "debt crisis" became publicly known.

Lamont can tell you about that too! Retired service veterans are being cut...........but the "college cowards" and lawyers in the empty suits want another RAISE!

Good! Let THEM go fight the wars they're always getting us involved with.

Having been LIED to by "Uncle Sam" all of those years (and I could write a blog about JUST THAT alone).......(and MAYBE I WILL!).......they're now starting to rob those of us who have made THEIR jobs even POSSIBLE.

They talk a good game when the cameras are rolling, about everyone having to "tighten our belts"......."Eat our peas".....because we're all in this "TOGETHER."

No we aren't. Those yokels are only looking after "#1."

Yeah, yeah, yeah..........."cuts will be difficult", blah blah blah...............

They WOULDN'T be if they'd cut in the right places. Of course, if they did THAT, they might lose the "sponge votes", and our "bought & paid-for foreign friends" would then OFFICALLY despise us.

But as in ANY job....I think you should have to prove to the people who HIRED you....that you've accomplished enough to have DESERVED a raise, before you ask for one.

Speaking for myself.........I don't think those 535 back there have done JACK!

I say we take up a coast-to-coast collection, and put 'em all on a steamship with only enough fuel to reach the Equator!

What say all of you?

Oh......PS......slightly off target-----I understand that Romney would like to take a JACK-HAMMER to the U.N. building and throw them all out of here.

I am not a Romney supporter, but that's the FIRST thing I've heard him say that makes SENSE! I'D certainly be willing to don a hardhat & gloves and go HELP HIM DO IT! If he actually MEANS that.....it definitely raises him up a few degrees in MY book. For the time being though, I'm still sticking with Cain. I want to know HIS take on the U.N.

Getting us OUT of the U.N., and throwing them out of HERE.....is something I have advocated for decades....even back when I was still on active duty.

Comments

View 45 comments

Note: The nature of the Internet makes it impractical for our staff to review every comment. Please note that those who post comments on this website may do so using a screen name, which may or may not reflect a website user's actual name. Readers should be careful not to assign comments to real people who may have names similar to screen names. Refrain from obscenity in your comments, and to keep discussions civil, don't say anything in a way your grandmother would be ashamed to read.

They aren't getting their pay raise

http://thehill.com/homenews/news/97971-obama-signs-law-blocking-congress-pay-rai...

-- Posted by MsMarylin on Tue, Aug 30, 2011, at 9:29 AM
Yeah I read about this on Yahoo. What a joke!

-- Posted by shockwave on Tue, Aug 30, 2011, at 9:47 AM
Yeah I'm sure that if I can scrap by on $11.26 an hour they are doing just fine.

-- Posted by shockwave on Tue, Aug 30, 2011, at 9:50 AM
HewBet: so nice you see you hold your comments to a higher standard than the other folks and critize most of the other comments. Thats your opinion and have a right to that but you don't have to think your opinion is any better than someone elses.

Now you have got to the point of telling people how they should write or comment on their blogs. Give it a rest and let those that want to air their opinion let them do it the way they want to.

-- Posted by Eagle_eye on Tue, Aug 30, 2011, at 2:27 PM
I think you both (Bazoozaman and MtnHomer) failed to notice the date on the article. The bill was signed in May 2010.

-- Posted by Amuzeme on Tue, Aug 30, 2011, at 2:42 PM
And to top it off the pay raise signed in May 2010 was for fiscal year 2011 which we are in right now and ends 30 Sept 2011, I haven't seen anything about fiscal year 2012 for a pay raise. Could be wrong but wasn't that when Obama put a freeze on all government workers?

-- Posted by Eagle_eye on Tue, Aug 30, 2011, at 2:55 PM
Eagle_eye. From my understanding of reading the article, Congress will automatically get a cost of living pay raise UNLESS they specifically vote against it. When this raise takes effect, the article didn't say. Since this bill was signed in May 2010 to take effect in FY2011 which began in Oct 2010 I can only assume that the pay reaise would be effective in October (I may be wrong).

I haven't heard or read anything about them NOT voting a pay raise for FY2012 which would start this October.

-- Posted by Amuzeme on Tue, Aug 30, 2011, at 3:10 PM
Here's another article I think they are saying it is for 2011 & 2012 You be the judge!

When your done reading look down on the bottom of the graph how the presidents pay was jumped up.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/graphic/2011/02/24/GR2011022408358....

-- Posted by MsMarylin on Tue, Aug 30, 2011, at 3:19 PM
I LIKE AMUZEME's POINT.....HOW ABOUT THIS.......we have collectively said that congress and the senate are not doing there job.How about we all send a letter or call and see if we can deduct from there pay anyday they are not on capital hill in there offices or have a letter from the leadership to go fact finding.I think thats fair if you dont go to work you better have a doctors note or loose a days pay,that is just for starters.ALL MILITARY PEOPLE ARE AUTHORIZED 30 DAYS LEAVE(PAYED VACATION)how about that applying to the senate and the congress,after all i would say the military folks have more stress on them.

$174.000.00 to start and they cant make it??Excuse me is there somewhere in the constitution that says being a poletician is a profession??????

suggestion;...... zOOK and I have discussed...8 yrs thats all they get, same as the president 8 YRS.not a day more.There is your amendment,for right now the only one we need.ILL BET THAT WILL GET IT GOING.

-- Posted by lamont on Tue, Aug 30, 2011, at 3:20 PM
Sigh...same old thing, decade after decade: we will lower the budget, simplify the tax structure, balance the budget.....You watch...they will get their raise...one way or the other. Count on it.

-- Posted by NonnyMouse on Tue, Aug 30, 2011, at 3:27 PM
Thanks MsMarilyn,

"A law enacted in late 2010 that froze federal salary schedules for 2011 and 2012 also froze pay for Congress in both years, according to the Congressional Research Service"

I think this clears up the FY 2012 pay raise issue, at least for me. I also think that this references the law that Eagle_eye mentioned concerning federal pay freezes for federal workers.

-- Posted by Amuzeme on Tue, Aug 30, 2011, at 3:34 PM
You guys can correct me if I wrong, but I think the raise's are 1 Jan but could be Oct 1. Last I knew if Congress didn't vote on a raise for them it was automatic which they just don't vote so they get the raise and nobody can say who voted for or against the raise. Also reading the articles if you add in their bennies a started then gets $285,000 per year, hard to think they can't make it on that, if they so worried about their pay quit making a career of it!!!!!!!!

-- Posted by Eagle_eye on Tue, Aug 30, 2011, at 3:40 PM
And when has the congress obeyed its own laws?

-- Posted by NonnyMouse on Tue, Aug 30, 2011, at 4:42 PM
Mike: You asked in your blog when congress worked and that reminded me of a job I had with the railroad a long time ago as a welder. I had been on the chain gang, as we called it, and the work was all physical and pay was low. One day the foreman said he could get me on a traveling crew of four that welded the rails as I had a technical degree in welding. I took the job and the first day there that foreman told me that if any big wigs came around and asked what we were doing just tell them we had either just finished up working or were just fixing to go to work. Maybe that's what they are doing in DC? I like it better when they are gone.

-- Posted by skeeter on Tue, Aug 30, 2011, at 5:30 PM
Wayne, go for it. I did.

-- Posted by royincaldwell on Tue, Aug 30, 2011, at 5:47 PM
Lamont: Another thing. Sixty six brave troops dead this month in a war we don't need. I'll bet you agree?

-- Posted by skeeter on Tue, Aug 30, 2011, at 5:47 PM
Homer, your right. This is Mike's blog. Just as I have mine which you are more than welcome to comment on. Everyone has an opinion and I respect that. I will plead guilty to calling anyone on a misstatement of fact or quote. That's just me as all of you know. I may disagree with some here, but I will always respect your opinions. I may even try and change your mind, but never in a rude or disrespectful manner. That is my promise.

Mike, put them on a boat, tow them out to sea, anchor them and run them food supplies once a month. Just maybe they might learn to BUDGET!

-- Posted by royincaldwell on Tue, Aug 30, 2011, at 5:55 PM
SKEETER.....I HAVE DISAGREED WITH THIS WAR FROM DAY ONE........EVERY DEATH IS LIKE NAMM ALL OVER AGAIN.....IT REALLY BOTHERS ME BAD.AND BELIEVE ME I AM A FLAG WAVER....

-- Posted by lamont on Tue, Aug 30, 2011, at 6:11 PM
Your most likely right Wayne. You do have a great idea though. Oh lord. We might all end up agreeing on something.

-- Posted by royincaldwell on Tue, Aug 30, 2011, at 6:30 PM
I did read it, and you made some very good points. I have also read some Madison and Hamilton and Jefferson. Feel free to comment on my blogs. I hope you noticed that I referred to food,shelter and medical care. The 3 basic necessities. I'm sure you have also seen my comments about my experiences with the LDS. To simple give to a person without expecting something back in return destroys their humanity and self worth.

-- Posted by royincaldwell on Tue, Aug 30, 2011, at 6:59 PM
Wayne, smallville.

-- Posted by royincaldwell on Tue, Aug 30, 2011, at 7:00 PM
HOMMER WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT???????? I HAVE MADE NO MENTION ON THIS BLOG OF ANYTHING YOU HAVE SAID .....SO WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT???????.........QUOTE WERE I SAID ANYTHING DIRECTED AT YOU IN ANY WAY HERE ON THIS BLOG.

GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT,YOU JUST WANT A FIGHT

HOW ABOUT AND APOLOGY.......OR ARE YOU ABOVE THAT?

-- Posted by lamont on Tue, Aug 30, 2011, at 7:04 PM
If you google "Was Jesus Gay" It brings up a lot of stuff. When I googled it I really didn't think I would find anything.

Here's something I found, not sure what to think of this

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2011/apr/04/jesus-gay-man-codices

-- Posted by MsMarylin on Tue, Aug 30, 2011, at 10:53 PM
The founding fathers also believed in a concept that is held in great disdain today by the hard right.

Compromise. Look it up.

-- Posted by royincaldwell on Wed, Aug 31, 2011, at 5:56 AM
compromise usually means doing what the left wants. it's usally always the conservatives fault and the right wing's fault if something is not compromised. if you don't believe that just read the left wind media, just ask a union member, just listen to a hollywood nut job, just watch one of the ten liberal news channels, just listen to the NEA. we don't need more compromise we need less legislation so their is no need.

-- Posted by skeeter on Wed, Aug 31, 2011, at 6:37 AM
I just read about the fire over there. Hope everyone is ok. Even you homer, my friend.

-- Posted by royincaldwell on Wed, Aug 31, 2011, at 1:35 PM
Yeah its not to far from where I live. We live off of Air Base Road in the county...

-- Posted by MsMarylin on Wed, Aug 31, 2011, at 1:42 PM
Since we have been talking about various subjects here's something to do with congress

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/31/cantor-disaster-relief-hurricane-irene-...

-- Posted by MsMarylin on Wed, Aug 31, 2011, at 2:45 PM
homer, a black man only counts as 3/5 of a man?

-- Posted by royincaldwell on Wed, Aug 31, 2011, at 5:01 PM
But homer, it was all the founding fathers rules and ideas, and if it was such a great idea, why was it changed? I was just pointing out the problem with broad sweeping statements that start with all. Yes it was a compromise in order to found this nation. So were many other things. When I brought up the founding fathers and compromise, my point was that without compromise, we as a nation would've never existed. That's all. Today is the first time I have had time to really sit down with the blogs. I really do try and answer all questions put to me.

-- Posted by royincaldwell on Wed, Aug 31, 2011, at 5:21 PM
Darn it homer, I'm not trying to be CUTE or play word games. If you had said most of the ideas and rules, I wouldn't have said a thing.

-- Posted by royincaldwell on Wed, Aug 31, 2011, at 5:33 PM
BTW, my line of work requires exactness. Just as Mike's did. Not paying attention to the minutiae can kill people in my line of work.

-- Posted by royincaldwell on Wed, Aug 31, 2011, at 5:50 PM
To all, the funny thing is that 2 years ago, I couldn't put together enough words to make a decent statement. Today, I have enough attention to detail to have received a national certification in my line of work.

-- Posted by royincaldwell on Wed, Aug 31, 2011, at 6:04 PM
A classic case of government knowing what's best for our tax dollars. Wonder who got the kick back money?

President Obama made a high-profile visit in May 2010 to Solyndra Inc., a solar-panel manufacturing plant in Fremont, Calif. The company received $535 million in loans from the Energy Department and was a centerpiece of the Obama administration's economic stimulus effort. "Companies like Solyndra are leading the way toward a brighter and more prosperous future," Mr. Obama chirped. On Wednesday, Solyndra closed its corporate headquarters, announced that it's filing for bankruptcy and laying off 1,100 workers.

The Solyndra debacle is a case study in the failure of government intervention in the economy. Founded in 2005, the company manufactured a rooftop solar panel designed chiefly for commercial applications. Solyndra was a poster child of the utopian future envisioned by the Obama administration when oodles of green jobs would relieve the nation's unemployment rate, generate clean energy and help the environment. Energy Secretary Steven Chu rushed through loan guarantees, and money began to flow to Solyndra from the Federal Financing Bank. The terms of the loans, just more than 1 percent interest in most cases, were well below the rates competitors had to pay.

Competition in the solar marketplace is stiff, particularly from China, and Solyndra couldn't make a profit. In the spring of 2010, the company spent around $3.5 million promoting an initial public stock offering (IPO) to raise $300 million to retire some of the government debt, but the company couldn't escape an inconvenient truth: In the first three quarters of 2009, it grossed $59 million against production costs of $108 million. Solyndra argued that economies of scale would eventually drive down the red ink, but the investment community wasn't impressed, and the IPO was withdrawn.

When government loan guarantees of more than half a billion dollars were secured, Solyndra bragged that its new plant expansion would create 3,000 construction jobs and 1,000 permanent manufacturing positions. On a plant-site visit, Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. enthused, "These are jobs that won't be exported." Not so, Joe. After the failure of the IPO attempt, Solyndra sent half its manufacturing to China.

The House Committee on Energy and Commerce is attempting to investigate Solyndra and the extent of its political connections to the White House, but it's being stymied by no-show witnesses and White House refusal to turn over records. One of the company's leading investors, oil billionaire George Kaiser, was a campaign-donation "bundler" for the 2008 Obama campaign. An investigation by the Government Accountability Office found the Department of Energy announced Solyndra's loan approval "prior to completion of external reviews required under procedures." Earlier this month, the Office of Management and Budget agreed to comply with a House subpoena for up to 1,800 pages of records related to the Solyndra loan decision.

Whatever sweetheart, back-channel deals the investigation eventually reveals, the lesson is that it takes more to survive in the marketplace than just trendy green credentials, political pull and a boatload of taxpayer cash. Last year, Mr. Obama said, "The true engine of economic growth will always be companies like Solyndra." Let's hope not.

-- Posted by skeeter on Thu, Sep 1, 2011, at 5:24 AM
More regulations proposed by Pres. Obama, and it means our products will cost more and someone's pocket will get lined.

All told, the seven proposed rules on the environment and transportation cited by Mr. Obama would cost U.S. companies at least $38 billion per year and could cost as much as $100 billion annually in compliance costs.

-- Posted by skeeter on Thu, Sep 1, 2011, at 5:32 AM
enough from me, gotta work now.

To show her support for American workers, President Obama's labor secretary, Hilda Solis, has junked the standard black limo and purchased a new Chevrolet Equinox to ride around Washington in. The problem: the crossover SUV is built and assembled in Canada from parts also made in Canada.

Solis proudly arrived at a media breakfast hosted by the Christian Science Monitor today in the shiny silver vehicle, which she has dubbed the "bullet." She was asked about why she traded the standard-issue limo for the SUV. "What better example could I set if I encouraged my staff to go and purchase and seek how we could acquire a vehicle that would for me would send a signal that we're for supporting our American workers, American-made products, fuel efficient as well,"

-- Posted by skeeter on Thu, Sep 1, 2011, at 5:55 AM
homer, your right, this is a blog. A public blog. If you were to take a look at the title and the beginning of my next to last blog, you might better understand me. I can take the heat, and I wont leave the kitchen. On some issues I'm so far to the right, I make many of you and others look like members of the far left. On other issues, I'm the lone voice of moderation. I'm the school teacher that students hate because I don't buy this "Well everyone got the gist of what I said" nonsense. I'm the person you hate because if you make broad reaching statements in public, I'll call you on it every time to defend said statements. I'm like a tenacious pit bull who wont pick up his marbles and go away. I am who I am. Get used to it. Don't read or comment on my blogs if that is your choice. But don't ever expect me to get out of the kitchen.

-- Posted by royincaldwell on Thu, Sep 1, 2011, at 7:02 AM
So, it's agreed then. The founding fathers were not omnipotent. They were not visionaries. They were maybe 3/5 visionary.

-- Posted by DaveThompson on Thu, Sep 1, 2011, at 8:38 AM
I agree with JYD and HewBet.

-- Posted by DaveThompson on Thu, Sep 1, 2011, at 9:24 AM
A little long winded, but a very interesting read. I'll leave it at that.

http://lexrex.com/enlightened/AmericanIdeal/aspects/demrep.html

-- Posted by royincaldwell on Thu, Sep 1, 2011, at 9:39 PM
http://www.whitehouse.gov/wethepeople

-- Posted by DaveThompson on Fri, Sep 2, 2011, at 9:10 AM
Guess that we the people site isn't a go yet but they want my email address so they can contact me. Guess the government is here to help and I'm so happy to see them. Two biggest lies in history.

-- Posted by arsenal on Fri, Sep 2, 2011, at 10:05 AM
It seemed to work for me.

-- Posted by royincaldwell on Fri, Sep 2, 2011, at 10:55 AM
JYD

DONT GO FOR IT....THE PROJECTION,INSULTS AND SNIDE REMARKS NEVER STOP........THE PROJECTION VALIDATES THE OTHER.....CIRCLE OF NARCISSCISM

-- Posted by lamont on Mon, Sep 5, 2011, at 1:28 AM
Didnt direct anything at you hommer......so back off........you are assuming.....i did not call your name.........so back at you !!!!!!!!!!!! HA

-- Posted by lamont on Mon, Sep 5, 2011, at 12:21 PM

Respond to this blog

Posting a comment requires free registration:

If you already have an account, follow this link to login
Otherwise, follow this link to register