This will bring the total of Congressional salary raises to more than $16,000 since the year 2000. Senate Rank-and-file (members of the legislature who hold no particular positions) salaries will rise from $154,700 to $158,000 which is considerably more than the average middle class citizen or lucky illegal immigrant (who in a really fantastic year, pulls in $10,000). That vote also marks the third time since 9/11 that the Senate has turned back amendments by Senator Russell Feingold to forgo scheduled pay increases for themselves.

Congressional raises have a much bigger impact than assumed. A select group of 2,800 judges, cabinet administrators, former presidents, and other senior officials’ compensation will receive that boost also.

The National Taxpayers Union (NTU) is a non profit, non partisan citizen group working for lower taxes who condemn the pay increase for the legislators. NTU has been involved in congressional pay and perk issues for more than two decades. The vice president of NTU stated that by failing to make a symbolic gesture by holding the line on it’s own salaries, the senate has also failed to meet the straight-face test with taxpayers.

Fear not humble citizen, because at least some legislators have come up with some ways to ease your holiday burdens, even if its only temporary. How about a national sales tax holiday? It would include a 10-day period where consumption taxes would be suspended for tangible personal property between November 23 and December 2.

U.S. Senator Patti Murray and Olympia Snowe introduced this federal legislation . The federal government would reimburse the states for all of the lost revenue estimated at $6.5 billion. Murray is quoted as saying that one of the great benefits to something like this is that it would make us feel better. This idea tends to be supported by some democrats but it has yet to be enacted.

This sounds oddly familiar...

Let’s face it, the US economy is not at its best. Consumer confidence is low. The only thing that has been climbing upward is unemployment. Government efforts to address economic woes has been difficult to interpret.
In the days and weeks following the terrorist attacks of 9/11 president Bush and many Democrat legislators implored Americans to keep spending money. Spending, they told us would show the enemy that we will not be intimidated.

As economic news worsened and the layoffs continued, many political leaders became cheerleaders for consumerism. Remember U.S. Senators being televised saying how shopping is a cure-all that will not only make you feel better, but teach terrorists a thing or two?

It’s hard to understand how being out of work, then going to the mall will really send terrorists a serious message. But then there is that moment in the future to look forward to, when your grandchildren ask you what you did to help out in the war on terror. While wiping away tears you proudly reply, “I paid with a credit card and bought some new shoes.”

With the increase in pay set in motion, it seems that the House Ethics Task Force is the group on the Hill that might make the cut for Santa’s nice (and responsible) list. The Ethics Task Force is reconsidering changing the rules on gifts members can receive. This action is unusual for the ethics panel which government watchdog groups have criticized as being a dormant committee.

Speaker Dennis Haster is said to have been behind a rules modification (earlier this year) permitting lobbyists to cater meals worth hundreds of dollars to lawmakers offices. Majority leader Tom Delay acted upon the same lines. He openly pushed for a loosening of the gift ban allowing charities to reimburse the travel expenses of lawmakers who attend fundraising events, such as golf tournaments (for an event to be deemed a charity event, more than half of each donation given must be tax deductible as a charitable contribution).

Outside groups can deliver $50 worth of food for each member of a House office, an allowance that the leadership refers to as, “the pizza rule.” Even for the most passionate pizza lover, $50 worth, might be a bit much. It seems that despite the label “pizza rule,” Congressional members have considerably more refined tastes. For example, a lobbying firm can send a meal worth $1,100 to the majority whip’s office which has 23 employees (according to a recent chief administrative officer’s report). Before this year, the cost of such meals would not have exceeded 50 bucks for the entire office.

Common Cause is a self-described “good” government group that has pushed unsuccessfully for lawmakers to restore the tighter restraints on gifts. A Common Cause spokesperson stated that after testing the atmosphere on the hill, they determined neither party was interested in going back to older, more restricted ways. I guess Democratic representatives’ understanding and connection to the working class is on all other things and issues except for cuisine.

Who knows, maybe the pay raise will make the perk of lobster lunches and steak dinners less important to our compassionate representatives now. House Ethics Committee Chairman, Joel Hefley, has assembled a four lawmaker task force to review the chamber’s codes of conduct, including the controversial loosening of the gift rule.

Joel Hefley might be the one lone star who does makes Santa’s good boy list this year. He stated that no one is ever on the ethics committee because it allows them to raise funds or get publicity. They do their job for the good of the institution.

I guess Congressional members really don’t need Santa. My, how we have strayed away from the true meaning of Christmas.

Diane Lazic
Politics: A Lighter View Columnist

Questions or concerns about Political issues or gossip? E-mail me about anything you've wanted to know dealing with politics or politicians and the games they play.
diane@enliv.com