Food for thought. There are always ways to play with numbers to make a point. However, this one got my attention. I can only dream.
"The Proposal"
Whena company falls on difficult times, one of the things that seems tohappen is they reduce their staff and workers. The remainingworkers need to find ways to continue to do a good job or risk thattheir job would be eliminated as well. Wall Street, and the medianormally congratulate the CEO for making this type of "toughdecision", and his board of directors gives him a big bonus .
Our government should not be immune from similar risks.
Therefore: Reduce the House of Representatives from the current 435 members to 218 members and Senate members from 100 to 50 (one per State). Also reduce remaining staff by 25%.
Accomplish this over the next 8 years. (two steps / two elections) and of course this would require some redistricting.
SomeYearly Monetary Gains Include:
$44,108,400 for elimination of base pay for congress. (267 members X $165,200 pay /member / yr.)
$97,175,000 for elimination of the above people's staff. (estimate $1.3Million in staff per each member of the House, and $3 Million instaff per each member of the Senate every year)
$240,294 for the reduction in remaining staff by 25%.
$7,500,000,000reduction in pork barrel ear-marks each year. (those memberswhose jobs are gone. Current estimates for total government porkearmarks are at $15Billion / yr )
The remaining representatives would need to work smarter and would needto improve efficiencies. It might even be in their bestinterests to work together for the good of ourcountry?
Wemay also expect that smaller committees might lead to a moreefficient resolution of issues as well. It might evenbe easier to keep track of what your representative is doing.
Congresshas more tools available to do their jobs than it had back in 1911 when the current number of representatives was established.(telephone, computers, cell phones to name a few)
Note:
Congressdid not hesitate to head home when it was a holiday, when the nation needed a real fix to the economic problems. Also, we have 3senators that have not been doing their jobs for the past 18+months (on the campaign trail) and still they all have beenaccepting full pay. These facts alone support a reduction insenators & congress.
Summary of opportunity:
$44,108,400 reduction of congress members.
$282,100,000 for elimination of the reduced house member staff.
$150,000,000 for elimination of reduced senate member staff.
$59,675,000 for 25% reduction of staff for remaining house members.
$37,500,000 for 25% reduction of staff for remaining senate members.
$7,500,000,000 reduction in pork added to bills by the reduction of congress members.
$8,073,383,400 per year , estimated total savings. (that's 8-BILLION just to start!)
Big business does these types of cuts all the time.
If Congresspersons were required to serve 20, 25 or 30 years (likeeveryone else) in order to collect retirement benefits there is notelling how much we would save. Now they get full retirement after serving only ONE term .
IF you are happy how the Congress spends our taxes, well........ IF you are NOT at all happy, then I assume you know whatto do.
P.S. Daschle is going to pay his taxes.
http://www.mlive.com/us-politics/index.ssf/2009/01/daschle_takes_a_bad_firstday_h.html
