House GOP leader sides with AOC on pay hike, says Congress at risk of being only for millionaires

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Name a topic, and chances are good that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., are on opposite sides.

But now McCarthy appears to agree with AOC that members of Congress deserve a pay raise. Without a salary increase, McCarthy says, only millionaires will be able to serve.

The top Republican in the House made the comments this week as lawmakers scrapped the bill over the possible backlash from increasing salaries for themselves and their staffs.

“When you talk this subject about COLA, a cost-of-living increase, it does invoke an emotion, kind of an impulsive emotion," McCarthy told reporters, according to the Washington Examiner.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/house-gop-leader-sides-with-aoc-on-pay-hike-says-congress-at-risk-of-being-only-for-millionaires/ar-AADW6eU?li=BBnb7Kz

[Wounded Bear]

1. How about tying it to a minimum wage hike?

Guess that would be "too hard."

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

2. It would probably die in the Senate

But that doesn't mean they shouldn't try.

[tazkcmo]

11. Yes!

And all future raises.

[msongs]

3. take away their health care and retirement so they will have real world lives nt

[pangaia]

4. "adjusted for inflation,' I am losing money also.. And I never made no $174,000 !

Give me the $4500 first.

Then we'll talk about Congress.

[YOHABLO]

5. How many people here make over $174,000 a year? Raise your hand.

The problem is not millionaires running Congress, the problem is campaign finance and the enormous amount of money it costs to run for office.

[marylandblue]

7. Still it overwhelmingly attracts millionaires who can afford to leave their jobs

to campaign and maintain two homes while flying every week between them. Meanwhile, smart, talented, accomplished people can get a lot more than $174,000 working in the private sector. You can even get more as a senior civil servant without the hassle of having to run for re-election or constituents calling for help with their social security checks.

[marylandblue]

6. I'm one of the few people that thinks we should give them a huge pay increase.

$500,000 a year plus subsidized housing and a generous pension. In exchange for this, they have a lifetime ban on lobbying, paid corporate directorships, working for a think tank and paid speechmaking unless open to the public. Income on speeches and books above a set amount must be paid to the treasury.

[Roland99]

9. I could get behind something like that

[Goodheart]

8. No, just no.

[eppur_se_muova]

10. Well, we don't want them looking for outside "work".

That's what made the old Texas Legislature so corrupt. Only rich ranchers and oilmen could afford to serve in office. Guess who created the rules that paid them such meager salaries ? Rich ranchers ! They wanted to keep all those Tejanos -- who had been there much longer than the white settlers, and outnumbered them enormously -- in their place.

[UniteFightBack]

12. Wish I got a COLA increase. nt

[JI7]

13. campaign finance laws (or rather lack of) gives advantage to wealthy people

not the congressional pay.