Nancy Pelosi's tough new rules

[trogdor]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/reportsfromabroad/champblog/2006/10/nancy_pelosis_tough_new_rules.html

Turn out the lights; the party's over.

Highlights:

No House member may accept any gift of any value from lobbyists, or any firm or association that hires lobbyists.

No free travel, which means an end to the corporate jet line every Friday at Reagan National Airport.

No free tickets to Redskins games; or no meals of any value, even at a McDonalds; no front-row seats at entertainment venues. No, no and no.

[aquart]

1. You mean, they have to live on their large incomes?

Dear me.

[Igel]

15. Mostly no.

Most maintain two residences, one in their district and one in DC; to cut expenses, they usually have stripped down digs in DC. Fortunately, most are fairly wealthy. Downtown DC isn't cheap.

Of course, Pelosi just got a $20k/hr salary increase (ok, $19k) for going from minority leader to speaker. As though she needs it.

[hootinholler]

28. I hope it's not 20K/hr

More like 20K/yr?

-Hoot

[kitkat65]

31. Really! Sheesh! You'd think she works for the oil companies with that

kind of salary!

;)

[unblock]

16. uh, i would not describe their incomes as "large"

ok, sure, they're large compared to, say, a waiter's income.

but anyone who can get elected to congress is capable of earning MUCH more, and pay cuts are painful no matter how "large" your lowered income is. imagine trying to support a very large mortgage on congressional pay. yeah, yeah, i know, wahhh, they can sell their mansion and move to a modest home or apartment. but that shouldn't be a prerequisite for public service.

moreover, these people really do have to shuttle back and forth between washington and home quite a bit, and have a residence in d.c.

it's not cheap to be a congresscritter, and the pay is low enough to make corruption tempting. and guess what? corruption happens, surprise, surprise.

personally, i think congressional pay should be TRIPLED, at LEAST.

SOMEone is going to own congress, and my preference is for we the people.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

20. Uh, are you kidding?

Congressional Salary is currently $165,000/year and last year, Congress was only in session for a little more than 90 days. You're suggesting we should be paying our Congressmen more than $500K per year for three months work? It's freaking public service -- you want to go for the big money, don't serve -- SERVE -- your country in Congress.

That being said, I'll agree that possibly a travel or housing allowance while Congress is in session might be appropriate. But their salary is just fine as is.

[unblock]

24. no, not kidding in the least.

there are a lot of people who would make good public servants who can't stomach the pay cut. there's a reason why so many in congress are rich enough not to need to rely on salary. my own income is in the congressional pay range and i assure you i'm quite far from living it up. i've got a house just big enough for me, my wife, our baby boy, and our basset hound. and we're constantly looking for ways to cut back and save money.

i can't imagine how i'd be able to swing what i have now PLUS an apartment in d.c. and frequent trips back and forth and around my district.

not that i'm ever likely to represent my district, but still.

half a mill or so for salary is at least big enough so that NO ONE has an excuse to bend the rules in the slightest. so i'd combine that nice fat salary with HUGE penalties for corruption.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

35. Reality Time...

Are YOU going to be the congressman who introduces legislation tripling your own salary? Because if you are, you'll be earning one of those juicy private sectory salaries quicker than you think.

The average U.S. salary according to the BLS is $36K -- and so with a congressman currently making more than five times the average, you think voters would believe that tripling their congressman's salary is a good idea? I think you'll find that you're in an astonishingly small minority.

[unblock]

41. i'm well aware of the politics, i said it was my PERSONAL opinion.

though a salary increase could be proposed to take effect only for non-incumbents to escape some of the more unsavory aspects of the politics.

though i agree, my opinion is certainly a minority one and i have little hope but that we will have continued incentives for our representatives to become corrupt.

[lapfog_1]

33. Congressional pay and perks

I think the best idea is for each state to purchase a collection of homes in the Washington area, and dole them out to their congresspeople and senators. Much like we have "mansions" for the governors. States should also pick up all costs related to moving, and travel to and from the district to the Capital. Other travel on government business should be paid for by Congress. And we should increase their pay to $200,000/yr to attract some of the most talented people (rather than just millionaires that seem to be running these days).

[Katzenjammer]

43. There's no need to pay $200K.

Plenty of people would be willing to do the work for $50K, if there was, say, 2 years salary maintenance afterwards, to pay for transition back to corporate life.

[Katzenjammer]

42. "anyone who can get elected to congress is capable of earning MUCH more"

That's a common claim, but never supported. Note that most of them increase their wealth while in office, and exploit their "service" afterwards to become even more wealthy. There's no evidence at all that they're not in it purely for the money and power.

If they were really interested in being "public servants", there's plenty other work that doesn't include top-5% salaries and enormous perqs.

[Rebellious Republican]

2. You go girl!

Tell me I am not having a fantastic dream, somebody pinch me!

It is with great pleasure, that I retire my distress flag gif


And with great pride, hoist my new flag in honor of our new direction

[sce56]

7. Don't belive we are through yet wait untill the rules have been changed officialy

and our constitutional rights have been returned!


October 17, 2006,Will be remembered as the Enabling day of the 21st Century! "The government will make use of these powers only insofar as they are essential for carrying out vitally necessary measures..."
~Adolf Hitler, March 23, 1933, before the German Parliament (Reichstag) as he urged them to pass his "Enabling Act"

http://www.wickedsunshine.com/WagePeace/IraqWar/Images/Protest-SameS

hitDifferentAsshole.gif



Got Fascism Yet?


http://www.georgewalkerbush.net/bush-nazilinkconfirmed.htm





Fascism Accomplished!

[Rebellious Republican]

32. sce56, I was sleeping so nicely, you just had to go and pinch me!

Well it was a nice dream while it lasted. Maybe if I go back to sleep, I will wake up and it will be January. ;)

[gator_in_Ontario]

26. Funny you should mention the flag switch...

I am married to a Canadian, and we have a little thing with both flags...the US one has been upside down until Wednesday...lets hope it stays that way....

[Rebellious Republican]

29. Yes, I have been celebrating the same, all my posts used have the

distress flag and now, I can fly it right side up. Say, ain't it a little cold up there for "GATORS" gator_in_Ontario.

Assuming you are talking about the Florida Gators,

go gators! :hi: from Florida.

[Booster]

34. Very cool post re: the flags - bet that felt really good.

[tk2kewl]

3. That is the way average government employees are expected to behave

why not elected ones?

Hell, I had a gov't job where we had to pitch in to pay for the water-cooler and water if we didn't want to drink tap water.

And even a modest holiday party paid for by the employer is out of the question. $35 per person.

[silverweb]

4. Hope this sails through without being watered down.

It will set a very much needed strict ethical tone in Washington.

[Auggie]

17. This will be a good test

[silverweb]

22. Yes, it will.

Nicetameetcha, Winebrat. Great name and I just love your parts of the state!

:hi:

[Auggie]

25. Thanks silverweb!

[GreenPartyVoter]

5. How about no healthcare either

[mopinko]

6. how about no anything that the average government

employee doesn't have? and no do anything that the average government employee cannot do?
i would say that average american worker, but i wouldn't want to stoop so low.

[GreenPartyVoter]

8. works for me

[gully]

9. You mean she takes "of by and FOR THE PEOPLE" seriously?

Well I'll be damned.

[Vadem]

10. Crack that whip, Mama, crack it!!!! and hit some asses in the...

process!!!!! I love Nancy!!!

[patricia92243]

11. I'm watching a program about her on C-Span right now. The more that I hear, the more I like her.

[williesgirl]

12. She rocks! recommended

[liberal N proud]

13. Hope she gets it passed and forces bu$h to sign into law.

Stop the secrecy and the lobbyist

[Rainscents]

21. This doesn't need bush signature.

[mom cat]

27. Tee hee!

[stevedeshazer]

14. Just some pinko San Francisco liberal.

We're going Communist for sure.

Amerika, we're going down.

[Duke Newcombe]

36. Keep your voice down, Komrade...

...do you not know that the authorities monitor the Inter-nets?

Duke

[MGD]

18. She's coming out of the gate strong. This is exactly what I want to see.

And I would wager that it will go over very well nationally too. Very few Americans sympathize with the plight of Jack Abramoff and his minions.

[philly_bob]

19. Okay, but what about campaign contributions??

Suppose the average reelection campaign costs, say, $10 million, and corporations & lobbyists are allowed to make gifts to campaign fund. Where they going to get it?

Not a stake through the heart of Washington corruption.

On the other hand, like Giuiliani's cracking down on subway turnstile jumping led to a general increase in crime, it may lead to a decline in culture of corruption.

Go Nancy go.

[Rainscents]

23. That need to be in different bill.

What she is talking about, the bill only effect House ethic. For Senate, Reid need to put together bill for Senate.

[philly_bob]

46. Fair enough. NT

[salin]

30. representatives should do the same as the rest of us...

LIVE WITHIN YOUR MEANS. For example: If you can't afford to spend 37K on a golf trip in Scotland, than don't take the trip.

[calimary]

37. This is a good move. Our guys and gals have to be IMMACULATE

while they're running things. Corruption was cited more often in exit polls as a reason not to vote republi-CON than even Iraq. We CANNOT afford to fall into the same traps and be tempted into the same cheating and cronyisms and shenanigans. Otherwise we will feed directly into the stereotype that the bad guys' echo chamber will yap about 24/7 - the "ahhh, they're ALL alike. No difference between the two parties. They're ALL crooks!" We absolutely CANNOT afford to feed that beast. We have to be able to prove that there really IS a better way, and WE'RE it.

[opihimoimoi]

39. I concur....she needs to crack the whip and get the House cleaned with the new BROOM

:kick:

[cali]

45. But what does it look like when Pelosi endorses

Murtha for ML, considering he is on CREW's list of the most corrupt reps?
And there are only 4 dems on the list of 20 most corrupt.

[Raine]

38. Go Nancy go...

some good rules there! :thumbsup:

[Vidar]

40. I don't think it'll work, but my hats off to her for trying.

[Apollo11]

44. Nancy Rocks !!!

It's worth following the link in the OP to read the whole article.

Thanks! :-)