Poll: Should Congressional pay raises be linked with the minimum wage?

If Congress votes to give itself a 5% pay raise, should the minimum wage also increase by 5% as well? Is that not the least that can be done for people at the bottom of our economic structure?

Look at this post as a reference:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1465034

A $3,000 annual raise (which Congress just voted for its members) would still leave minimum-wage earners below the poverty level, but it's a start.

that is, the minimum wage can increase without a comensurate pay raise for the conressional leeches.

I like this idea.

Anybody disagreeing better speak up. I see a "no" vote but no explanation.

Somebody was saying today that politicians are afraid to lose their jobs because then they have to go back to the workaday world and deal with the consequences of the laws they passed -- like not raising the minimum wage for nine years.

although, I'd like to see them linked to job performance...or better yet, paid hourly for activities solely related to governance...things like meeting with constituents, researching bills up for debate (hell, I'd be happy if they just read them), and even travel time (provided it is on a major air carrier in business class). They would not be paid for lunching with lobbyists, fundraising for anyone other than themselves, or sticking thier head up chimpy's ass!

Paid by the hour. How fast do you think that would get them out of town and looking for other work??????

Honestly, tell me why it's such a bad idea to tie the minimum wage to congressional pay increases? Do you want to eliminate the minimum wage altogether in the name of "free-market" capitalism?

Pay them less.

congressional pay raises should be cut 5% a year for every one of the thugs that stay past the term limits that they promised to abide by. The minimun should be 7.25$ and indexed to inflation.

:toast:

Congress suggested that it would be too expensive to raise the salaries of soldiers. That was before the computer age so I could not email my congressman. That being the case, I simply wrote out and mailed a letter to him in which I stated that soldiers' salaries should be raised to the level of congressmen since the soldiers were getting their asses shot off (I stated that in just those words) and that congressmen should be willing to work for a soldier's pay since congressmen were merely sitting on their asses while the soldiers got shot, and further that they should be more than willing to accept a soldier's pay in the name of patriotism. I never received a reply to that letter, but shortly after I sent it I remember seeing a congressman (not mine) on the news howling about how he felt he was entitled to every penny he made. Though, as I've said, I never received a reply from my congressman, I have often wondered since that newscast whether he read my letter on the floor before his colleagues. I still don't think my suggestion is a bad idea, especially since Congress has gotten considerably worse in the intervening years. I would only add that I think the soldier pay argument applies equally well to minimum wage citizens trying to support themselves and their families on the starvation pay of minimum wage.

Congress raises their pay so much that the minimum wage would be waaaay too high. $7.25 is as high as it should go. Any higher than that would cause unneccessary inflation and unemployment.

When did an increase in the wage floor ever cause, anywhere, an increase in inflation and reduction in employment. (Careful now! I already know the answer to this one. I published a paper on it in the 80's)
The Professor

...however if low skilled labor is artificially priced too high, empolyeers will either have to lay some off or raise prices, causing inflation.

You simply repeated your opinion. Your opinion and the two dimensional constructs learned in Econ 101 is not proof. The fact is that what you're describing has NEVER happened in modern history. Never!
The Professor

. . .(at least in theory), then why wouldn't a Senate run by people who want to "run gov't like a business", think this wasn't a terrific idea. It would be EXACTLY like being in business.
The Professor