And Congress Is Being Paid….WHY?

I just have to ask why the Congress of the United States is getting a paycheck while so many Americans are being laid off. Let’s face it, in the middle of a government shutdown, right now Republican House members are getting a paid vacation! I’ll credit the Democrats for at least being available to meet with Republicans to discuss how to reopen the government. Somehow, it seems far more likely that common ground could be reached (or forced upon them) if both sides were not being paid, just like so many of their constituents.

It is also my opinion that even when at the Capital, Congress is not doing its job. Congress should be demanding the power vested in them (especially that oversight power) by the Constitution instead of ceding much of their Constitutional power to the Executive branch. Our democratic Republic, as everyone knows, is based on the separation of powers to ensure oversight of those in power and to guard against an imbalance of power and the potential rise of a tyrant. Don’t look now, but we are way past “potential”. We citizens need Congress to take back its power from the Executive branch. Is that even possible? Republican lawmakers are quaking with fear of violence from the MAGA base and are well aware that POTUS controls MAGA by merely dropping comments for willing cultists to follow. So the danger is real but cowardice only emboldens the cultists. What’s that old saying, “ If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen”.  Of course there are also a fair share of cultists in Congress. Voting them out would help but other cultists voted them into the job in the first place. So where does that leave us? Not in a good place. Do I think it would help if Congress didn’t get paid if it isn’t working? Most likely! Maybe a little shared economic pain would help to remind our elected leaders who they work for and to whom they owe their allegiance….the American people. Just an afterthought, but how about they don’t control their own salary, too!