CONGRESSMEN SHOULD EARN THEIR PAY
Phil Roe and other members of the House of Representatives are paid $174,000 per year. That’s OUR MONEY. They work for us. We should expect some performance for our money — but we’re not getting it. Consider a few facts.
From January through August, 2012, those of us who have normal jobs worked 185 days. But Congress was in session for less than 100 days.
In a typical week, Congressmen leave Washington on Thursday afternoon and return sometime on Monday. How many working people regularly get 3-4 day weekends.
Congressmen say they have to spend so much time in their home districts to talk to the people and learn what the voters want or need done. If Congressmen don’t already know what the people of their Districts want or need,they should not have been elected in the first place.
The reality is that Congressmen spend their time in their home Districts attending fundraising events and campaigning for re-election. Why are we paying their salary while they are campaigning?
Even when Congress is in session, it’s members are more concerned with looking good than accomplishing anything.
Phil Roe has admitted that much of the legislation the House of Representatives has voted on has no chance of being enacted into law — and is only being voted on to “make a statement”.
We don’t elect Congressmen to make political statements. We elect them to solve national problems. Doesn’t Phil Roe understand this?
And lets not forget the $1,400,000 that Congressmen get to pay staff salaries and run their District offices.
We don’t expect the people we elect to know everything they need to know on every issue. But we do expect them to learn about the issues and become sufficiently informed to cast intelligent votes. That’s what their staff is supposed to help them do. So what does Phil Roe’s staff look like?
Roe’s chief of staff has no subject matter expertize. His job is to follow legislation and tell Roe how to vote.
Roe has a scheduler whose job is to manage his calendar and schedule all those appearances in his District where he is engaging in a perpetual campaign and fundraising.
Roe has a communications coordinator whose job is to write his press releases and constituent letters that promote Roe’s positions but never disclose all the things that are wrong with the legislation Roe supports.
Roe also has staff members who do nothing but answer letters from voters.
Roe does not have any staff members who have experience in economics, tax policy, education policy, regulatory reform, economic development or any of the other things he says represent important national issues.
We are paying Roe $174,000 per year to vote on these issues, and he doesn’t even have staff members who can advise him on them. Instead, he just does whatever the Republican leadership tells him to do, and devotes all his own time to getting re-elected.
If Roe was being paid $174,000 per year by a private corporation and devoted so little time and effort to doing the job be was hired to do,he would be fired.
I have no intention of being in constant “campaign mode.” I will have a staff on subject matter experts who will help me analyze issues and legislation intended to solve problems. I, and all the members of my staff, will devote all of my time to doing the job I am elected to do.
My only concern will be doing my job. Phil Roe’s only concern is getting re-elected.
Comments or questions are welcome.