cruelchaarms
91993
1908
33
#government #shutdown
They need to give the staffer who came up with this a raise. #mccarthy #handleyourshitdown
Sep 24, 2023 10:20 PM
cruelchaarms
91993
1908
33
#government #shutdown
They need to give the staffer who came up with this a raise. #mccarthy #handleyourshitdown
HUMPTYGUMP
Woo Minnesota!
robertlpurcelljr31415
Agreed! Pass it!
ExpectedDickbuttGotDickbutt
Those cunts shouldn’t get healthcare either during a shutdown. Yeah, lives are the line when you pull this shit, yours should be too
RickTheMarshallSelke
Asked to work without a paycheck? I'd quit and find a new job the first time they tried that shit. Do nothing for anyone for free. Unless it's friends and family and has nothing to do with your self employment.
apLundell
Bills that attack lawmakers' paychecks FEEL like justice, but think about what it would actually do. It just means that the richest lawmakers can do what they want, and the poorest lawmakers have to agree.
colderfish
Unfortunately, the only people this will affect are those members who are probably fighting to stop the shutdown. The rich don't care. The salary is just extra fluff. They probably don't even know how much it is.
Snooj
I would vote for that based on the impressive acronym.
stevekemerer
You think they care about their paychecks when they make millions on other things?
pyaremohan
It is sign of the times that nobody believes that this will pass into law.
VaultGirl69
Another furlough? Can someone just conquer us already? We know we suck. Just get this garbage over with.
GreyKnightTemplar666
I'm so glad I keep voting her back into office.
Whatwhatsomethingbutt
Can the TSA strike? Like, if they were asked to work without pay, could they all just say "nope." And when air travel is shot to shit for a week, they get what they want?
aThingWithTheStufAndTheJunk
They should be able to but IIRC are forbidden from doing so because national security or whatever. What they can do and have done is stage work-to-rule actions. Every person in line gets asked *every* single question in the book, etc.
tgeliot
This is a bad idea. Wealthy representatives who are voting to shut down will be fine, non-wealthy representatives who are voting responsibly will suffer.
northernmt
How about freezing access to all financial instruments, institutions, and assistance.
fantabuloustimewaster
Defeating this bill was not the intention of the 27th Amendment, but it probably has that effect.
Gryphonosiris
Oh honey... they don't make their money from their congressional salary...
Zeddicuszull
Wouldn't do anything, as most members of Congress are independently wealthy. You would only be harming people like AOC with this. This is why we provide salaries for government employees, so they don't feel compelled to be bribed elsewhere.
kojenk
Speaking of which, last year or before AOC did attempt to target the "sponsorship" funds and independent wealth gains and speak very openly about the system and how fked up it was. People tried to say it was more nuanced than that but after all the "nuance" it came down to the same thing but with extra steps.
lockweasel
As long as it only affects the pay of those in the majority at the time of shutdown. This could easily be weaponized against those representatives from more proletariat backgrounds who do not have independent wealth to fall back on.
CosplayComet
It's a great idea, but Republican's make their money off of bribes -oh, sorry, "lobbying." So withholding their paychecks isn't gonna matter
mardukkur
I wish people understood that converting lobbying money into the politician's pocket is 1) not particularly easy to do 2) hugely unpopular with voters if they get caught and 3) totally criminal. Pretending lobby money goes right into their pocket is what normalizes it and lets them get away with it when it does happen.
Clockworkdancerobot
Withhold medical insurance. Let them explain the gap in coverage.
Illithidbane
Though they have infinite greed. They'd kill their mothers barehanded for $0.25. Any pay lost would enrage them.
adrianenspired
would be more effective to require that, if a new budget isn't passed, the old one continues each month. THEN you can start thinking about how to fine members of congress that are blocking it.
adrianenspired
...because it's not all of them. it's not even all republicans, at this point.
tantallous
well they only need 5 to pass something. so if they can't get 5 votes then yeah, it is all republicans. or they are all willing to allow it.
mardukkur
Right, the Republicans in the house could pass a clean CR tomorrow with as many Democratic votes as they need. They refuse because they'd rather burn it all down than stand up to the so-called crazy caucus.
adrianenspired
you can't vote on something that's not put up for a vote. further, this assumes that "something" is all that's needed.
tantallous
okay and why is it not put up for a vote? b/c the person they chose won't do it. so replace him. pretty sure one person had 100% (or very nearly) of the dem votes for each and every vote last year. they could have done something at any time and didn't. b/c party is more important to them than country. has been for a long time, and doesn't seem to be changing any time soon. this shutdown bullshit happening AGAIN is more proof of that.
Starfury42
Not only withhold pay - there is no back pay.
mardukkur
This is funny but it's really just a dumb symbolic gesture, there are only a few members of congress who actually need the paycheck and they're not the wingnuts causing this.
Ricter1439
As a TSA Officer of 21 years, I approve of this.
MisterLemons
Damn, been with it ever since a few years after the thing, huh?
Ricter1439
Yeah, I had just gotten out of the Air Force and moved back home. Got hired in Sep '02.
Ricter1439
Just hit my 25 years of federal service last Friday.
KrebstarCorporation
If we could pass this, we could pass a CR and avoid a shutdown
dixxienormus
Put your money where your fat mouth is to test your principles.
disinformatique
Nothing a few dozen molotov cocktails can't solve when the session is in full swing.
darthstormer
I hope this goes as far as a vote. It will never pass, but each and every member of congress needs to have their "nay" on the record, saying "fuck you and your families, I've got mine"
DVSBSTrD
Why waist time when they already have an (R) next to their name?
tattoogigolo
To show they have the guts to stomach a vote. The intestinal fortitude, as it were.
jesuisgur
When you have a job with the gov, you have a contract; I don't understand how they can stop paying you and you just go 'kay instead of (at best) suing for breacj of contract... If they tried that in France there would be stacks of heads by the next day.
SewerRanger
Someone puts up a bill like this every time there's shutdown. It has so much impact, no-one on imgur remembers and the top comment is always "I hope this goes up for a vote so we can see who votes nay" Here's who does: everyone. Besides, it's actually constitutionally prohibited for them to work and not get paid - Article I, Section 6 of the Constitution states: The Senators and Representatives shall receive a Compensation for their Services, to be ascertained by Law, and paid out of the
SewerRanger
Treasury. That and the 27th amendment profits them from changing their pay until the next session starts so it wouldn't go into effect during this shutdown even if it passed
SpamYarBlockers
Not sure why people are downvoting this. This is the way the constitution is interpreted
Oogibah
Tbh I could see plenty of them voting for it.. their congressional salary is only a fraction of what they get in bribes
Badprenup
But see the problem is as follows: To them anything less than what they think they can get their hands on is unacceptable.
Akurei00
It only hurts the honest, so their opponents are more susceptible.
Oogibah
Yup, the people it would actually affect are those who actually aren't corrupt
Heavenissize17socks
It will pass. If the government workers refuse to work while they are not being paid. Not one labor hour.
OppaGangnamPyle
Big whoop they do it all the time.. have for years.. will continue to do it in the future.
xj4low
Fun part, even with a government shut down, all the trials will proceed. The shut down makes no difference for him.
HighFunctioningAlcoholic
It does. The executive branch / DoJ will have to pick which workers involved are essential, for lack of a better word. Everyone else has to stay home.
xj4low
I'm talking about the trial #45 is in...Any of them. There will be no defunding of any of the investigating committees because once the House votes, it still needs to be signed off on by the senate and signed by Biden. The shut down won't stop the the investigations due to Permanent Indefinite Appropriations which funds the prosecutions. So the whole Put America First is only about Putting Trump First and he is willing to push shutdown that will cost the country hundreds of millions a day.
blaghart
this is a terrible idea because all it will do is allow the independently wealth (read: corrupt, funded by bribes) members of congress to punish those who aren't in on the grift.
CosplayComet
It won't matter to the hardcore dipshits. Republicans routinely vote against things that would help all Americans, and they still get votes.
boomdiddley
Not a bug, yet another feature.
darthstormer
More and more elections are coming down to a handful of votes, every individual who can be made a more informed voter helps. Campaigns are are not about the voters who say "they have my favorite letter so I vote for them"
TsukariYoshi
We were never going to reach those people anyway. But stuff like this matters, because it helps defend the fabled "swing voter" who is somehow disconnected from politics by removing an avenue of misinformation. By putting names on votes like this, it makes it easier to counter people trying to push blame onto the Democrats. There are still lots of people for whom politics is not a matter of life and death and, absent Trump's BS, have gone back to ignoring it. Those are who can be reached.
Shaodyn
Republicans routinely vote against things that would help THEMSELVES. Heard a story from someone about their local library needing a bigger building (the old one was from the 50s when the town was about 1/4 the size). One guy admitted to voting against a new building because he didn't want, quote, "Mexicans using the Wi-Fi." He voted against something that he would have directly benefited from, purely because that would hurt people he hates.
darthstormer
This is exactly why we don't have socialize medicine yet. Sure, I'm going broke with my bills, but if it helped one single person who I view as a lesser, that is 10000% worse.
Shaodyn
Liberals will happily help 1,000 people if only one of them needs it. Conservatives will refuse help to 1,000 people if only one of them DOESN'T need it.
snikpmupgnihsamseht
They should get paid minimum wage too.
hellsgunslinger
I say start em out at GS1. If they get re-elected twice, bump them up to GS2. So forth and so on.
xj4low
Or the average lowest pay of people in their district/state.
dwilson0725
I used to think this, but that would open our governing officials up to even more likely corruption.
Cucumberclouds
Also consider that then the only people who could afford to do that work for that wage would be people with inherited or other pre-existing wealth
snikpmupgnihsamseht
So, just more of the same then?
dwilson0725
No, worse. Hard to imagine, isn't it?
snikpmupgnihsamseht
Not really. The majority of them are taking bribes. Even the supreme court is, but let's pay them more. Maybe that will stop them.
tomthetomcat
Clarence fucking Thomas has enter the chat.
Akurei00
No one's saying wealthy folks can't be corrupt, but if you can barely skate by, you are forced to make decisions that put the honesty of your representation at stake. It also means that only independently wealthy people can feasibly run for office. It enforces a wage barrier. There's a lot of shit we could do to reduce corruption and lowering their salary isn't one of them. But enforcing consequences is a big one.
dwilson0725
Exactly. Very well put.
jargonmon
If you think for one second ANY sitting congress person is depending on their paycheck from government, I have a bridge in Brooklyn I can sell you real cheap.
stevekemerer
Ok boomer, I have an NFT of that bridge for sale.
StillNotYouTube
Yeah, they don't need it. But they will still vote against this, which is really amazing.
mardukkur
There are some, generally first term democratic members of the house of representatives. But the salary while not exorbitant is enough that after a few years nobody's relying on every paycheck being on time to get by.
tzahtman
It isn't about "depending" on it but that many of the people sending us into a shutdown are greedy souls which can never have enough so any loss is anathema to them.
RandomDude74575
yup, just cash some of the stonks that they lobby regulations for.
QuartzPoker
They depend on the job to get them the connections to the people who *really* pay them, the Lobbyists
thrillhousegaming
Do you have the Washington bridge?
MarkySpaceMagnet
It is absolutely symbolic, but it is a first step in holding the pond scum responsible.
GreyKnightTemplar666
There's actually plenty of junior represtatives that either just started their political careers or weren't rich to begin with. like Maxwell Frost from Florida team was couch surfing his first few months until his first paycheck came in so he could get an apartment in DC.
GreyKnightTemplar666
"From Florida team was couch surfing" should say "from Florida who was couch surfing"
KittenVonCatsworth
My first thought when I read the article was that this sadly has the least impact on the most corrupt politicians.
darthstormer
Which is what makes it even more infuriating that they don't make the token gesture of saying "we're totally in this together *giggles* so WE will forgo our pay, too"
adrianontherocks
Of course they aren’t- in which case they should make 30,000 a year and the rest goes to social welfare programs/boosting minimum wage.
mebe21
Trouble with that is then only the independently wealthy will hold office.
adrianontherocks
Or- we could make it possible to live off of that annual salary.
DoctorScoutBobTotoBarkingtonIII
They already are by buying politicians. (SCJ Clarence and his wife, all of the MAGAts, and most of everyone else, including some Dems)
bottledham
I think they need to make much more. We want the best and brightest people running our government. For low pay it's only a hobby for wealthy people.
pandemicmodedad
Until you end the legal bribing and enforce laws against member who break the law. That will not make rich people who trying to get into politics.
unsneakyLurker
Yes, but if you lower the pay to minimum wage, ONLY rich people will be able to get into politics. (As opposed to just the huge advantage they have right now)
toddthewraith
Texas has this exact problem. their state legislature is made up of only richer people b/c a two year term pays around $45k.