Who works for whom?

I believe it is time to start treating our representatives much the same way we and/or our military are treated. We need to start a grassroots movement to take back control of our representatives. I propose:

Starting in year 2012, all members of the House and Senate, no matter seniority, will get a starting salary of $104,000 ($2000 per week) with all applicable taxes taken out. Currently (2009) the rank-and-file members get $174,000 per year with the “leaders” getting $193,400. We will see an immediate savings of over 40 million dollars. They will not need as much money if the other parts of my proposal are implemented. Starting salaries are capped at $104,000 per year for the next 8 years and re-evaluated each census year.

All representatives will live in publicly provided housing. By that I mean that the state, via the Governor’s office, will purchase or rent the housing for the Senators and each district will purchase or rent housing for their representative and pay for utilities and upkeep. This is done through taking a percentage of money from each county/city in the district proportionate to the number of people in the county/city. The mayor of the county/city with the largest population works with the congress person to find the initial housing. After that, it is re-used by each successive representative. If members don’t want to take advantage of the free housing, they are free to pay for housing out of their own pocket. There is no housing allowance. When voted out of office, they leave the public housing provided to them much the same as the President and Vice President do.

I am sure the capital building has a cafeteria. Members of Congress who eat in the cafeteria eat for free; paid for by our tax dollars. It would be run similar to any military cafeteria. They get a choice of a couple of entrees, salad, soup, etc. If they decide to eat someplace else, they pay for it out of pocket. Any reimbursements for “business” meals require the representative to fill out a form for reimbursement to include date, time, reason, who attended (by name and company) along with a copy of the itemized receipt. All requests are posted online for a period of 30 days for constituent review. As long as it is valid, as determined by IRS regulations, it is paid. Questionable receipts are held until Election Day and the sum total is put on the ballot with places to vote 100%, 50%, 25% or 0% and that is what they receive. All unused food from the cafeteria is donated to homeless shelters.

Each year, at 60 days prior to Election Day, the representatives submit, online and in the newspaper, a listing of what they did as well as their request for any pay increase they think they deserve with justification. Much like everyone else has to do during an annual review. If the people feel the representative is doing a good job, they are voted a raise. If not, they don’t. No longer should they automatically receive a pay raise just because they don’t vote against it. How many of us have that option? This is just a rough draft, but the point is that our representatives have ceased to represent us as the framers of the constitution wanted and we need to take control back. The founding fathers didn’t want the representatives to be paid at all. Now the hard part is finding an honorable representative who would champion these ideas. When you have the control to vote your own pay and benefits, why would you take anything less than the best?