Why Not Merit-Based Pay For Lawmakers?

The Stimulist:

Pay-for-performance has come up a lot in the halls of Congress lately. The Pay for Performance Act, approved by the House in April, prohibits the payment of "unreasonable or excessive" compensation not based on performance by banks and other firms receiving federal bailout money. The White House wants performance-based pay for teachers; the plan received initial funding in the stimulus package and will be debated this fall. But one group that could perhaps benefit most from a pay-for-performance scheme is not being considered at all: Congress.

Read the whole story: The Stimulist

Comments

[Rog49Thomas]

I'd like to point out that legislators are already paid for performance.

Witness "health reform", witness the prescription drug program for seniors, witness ...

And based on that performance the folks who are paying them clearly should be paying more because they are getting more than their money's worth

[breakfast]

What issue is being raised here? Is someone advocating paying legislators according to the number of pages of legislation they pass? Or would it be better to just pay by the pound? Could there be some extra little bonus if they could prove that they actually read and sorta understand the bills they inflict on us?

[jalowe1957]

Merit pay does not work with elected officials; they will come with new and inventive ways to subvert and pervert the concept.

[lost souls rembrd]

WHY I think this is a totally great idea. Let's see the about face that happens if this was passed. Can you only imagine in your best dreams?! These fat cats with bought off interests will quickly come back to earth and realize THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE IN CHARGE....­Got a petition ready for signatures?

[ohiomark]

They already have merit pay.

They "think" they are doing a wonderful job, so they give themselves raises every year.

They are never going to let anyone else decide their pay, even though they feel the need to decide CEO's pay.

[zizyphus]

I am pretty sure that even if a member of Congress gets thrown in jail, they still get all their benefits. Is that right?

[blisster]

How about performanced based pay for our elected officals? Bet they'd like to legislate under those circumstances.

[CaptD]

I suggest that to make the proposed Health Plan easy to understand, we should demand that Congress should agree to void their current Health Care plans and accept the proposed Health Plan that they want the rest of America to use! That way, we all would get quality care and not just a token plan change!

If Congress won't agree to use "their" new Health Plan why should we have to?

Fair is Fair, All American's would be wise to promote the same idea!

[lost souls rembrd]

I'll second that CaptD

[EmberOfTruth]

Merit-based pay for lawmakers? Pfft! A waste of time and not very effective. Since most law makers only draw a small percentage of their total income from their government salaries, I think most of them wouldn't even notice.

Here's what needs to be done: Make it to where elected officials can only accept campaign contributions from individual registered voters from their own state or congressional district. Problem solved. No more big business/special interest influence.

[Amondale]

Eating the rich begins with a single bite.

[lost souls rembrd]

roflao....­....excell­ent comment Amondale..­....and fanned!

[Amondale]

Throw in Green Elections and I'm all for it.

[singermuse]

Amen! Not only do we need to fire the ones who won't get the job done, we need to make the rest of them understand clearly what the MAJORITY of people want (decent living wage, PUBLIC HEALTH CARE, employment, EDUCATION) and that THEY work for US, not lobbyists or corporations. They should never forget this. We certainly haven't forgotten.

[VOTER]

What's that sound coming from Congress?

WHINING!

How dare voters even discuss Merit Pay for Congress!

[admiralsonasongbird]

If Governor Stanford was working on a hourly basis, He won't have cheated on his wife while flying the state plane. These congressmen, senators and governors find time to cheat and misused public funds because they are working for a salaries.

[admiralsonasongbird]

If you are elected by the people to serve, you're a servant therefore your salary should be based on hourly wages.