We ought to have a health care system where no lawmaker

[rurallib]

can get covered for medical until every other citizen in the country is covered.
Then they would bust their hump to get universal health care AND
they would understand why not being covered is such a big deal.

[Vincardog]

1. And every lawmaker should retire solely on Social Security.

[1StrongBlackMan]

6. I agreed ...

or if not SS, the same retirement plan offered to other Federal employees ... with 5 year vesting and subject to the same 3 year income average.

[Cleita]

2. Yep we would have a platinum Medicare system for all that covered all in

an instant if that were so.

[el_bryanto]

3. They wouldn't be allowed to have private care? nt

[rurallib]

12. not until all others are covered.

[SomethingFishy]

4. They should also get minimum wage..

It's not like they work hard, and it's not like they have a full schedule. 2013 they worked a total of 126 days. More than half the year off. $162,000 a year plus health care and benefits. But the person working 60 hours a week at McDonalds or Wal-Mart should only make 7.25 an hour, and be damn happy there is a minimum wage. Oh and good luck affording health insurance let alone health care...

[Cleita]

5. And they should get paid for the hours they work. At $10 an hour

that would be probably a couple of thousand for the year for the House.

[1StrongBlackMan]

8. I disagree ...

elected officials should be compensated at a rate commensurate to a similarly "responsible" private/public sector position. I do not consider $162,000 plus benefits, over-paying for the job of representative.

[SomethingFishy]

9. How can you say that when they work 126 days a year.

And accomplish nothing. Well that's not true, they have made sure we all understand that they are above us, that they deserve that money and those benefits, while we are all just leechers who deserve nothing more than $280 a week to live on.

Sorry $160 grand a year for working 2-3 days a week is overpaid. Especially considering the job they've done and the amount of actual labor involved.

[1StrongBlackMan]

10. I said ...

elected officials should be compensated at a rate commensurate to a similarly "responsible" private/public sector position.

So if they are working at a .33 FTE, that's the rate at which they should be paid ... $162,000/3=$52,000.

Now, the amount of work/lack of accomplishment ... well ... that's what elections are for. Maybe it's my HR background, where a significant segment of our workforce are contract employees, read: stuck with them for the contract term unless we can prove incompetence or willful misconduct.

[SomethingFishy]

11. Ok so we agree on principle just not the amount?

The only reason I said minimum wage is they seem to think that people who are making it are overpaid. Let them have a taste of living on $280 a week and see how fast the minimum wage is raised..

Also what would you consider a "similarly responsible" position? Talk radio host? Hot Air Balloon?

[LanternWaste]

13. I'd hazard that if they did receive minimum wage...

I'd hazard that if they did receive minimum wage, there'd be a helluva lot more kickbacks, hush- and bribe monies given them than currently.

[SomethingFishy]

14. So then you are saying criminal activity is directly

related to level of pay? For some people sure...And the percentage of dishonest people is certainly higher in politicians. However I think forcing them to live on what their constituents do for awhile might wake some of them up. Or at least burst that bubble they live in.

[NCTraveler]

7. No thanks. I don't begrudge them their healthcare in this shitty system.

No need to make them any less than a citizen.

[shenmue]

15. Bingo

I think you win.