Congress just gave them selves a $15 hr raise, should it of gone to our troops instead?

David

it should have gone to domestic problems.

profoundatheist

It should have gone into programs to help the poor and homeless in America and to promote peace. But then again, I am not in Congress. If I was, I would give myself the $15 raise....... AND SO WOULD YOU.

chatara

You're darn right it should have. My son has been in Iraq since September 2005 and the "trailer" they sleep in leaks like a running faucet when or if it rains. They do have an air conditioner but there is such a huge gap between the door and frame they have to try and keep plastic over it to try and keep somewhat cool and to keep the bugs out. We couldn't even get the minimum wage raised and they give themselves a raise. You don't want me to go there!

Heather W

yes, yes, and yes

a military wife

tootsie

yes,yes and yes....that makes me so mad@#!%

icehoundxx

The raise should have gone to the troops ... but then again, we can't have our congressmen suffering by eating second-rate Filet Mignon and room tmeperature red wine ... that would be cruel.

Dan the Man

Something has to be done about Congress giving themselves raises. That's ridiculous. What if everyone had the power to give themselves raises? I'm we'd all keep the same salary we have now...

James

I'm curious as to how you arrived at the figure of $15/hr. The raise is $3,000 per year, which even if you assume they only work 40 hours a week, and they actually work much more, that's about $1.50 an hour.

Incorrectly Political

Soldiers don't get paid by the hour. Just because we wear nametags, (or name tapes, in this case), doesn't mean we're minimum wage workers.

runnergal08

almost anyone deserves it more than congress

NIU HUSKIE FAN

YES!!!!!!!!!

hkfkgsdvfksa

yes, is this a rhetorical question

raynelley

Yeah it should go to our troops. Congress does not need that raise.

cellistbwv75

If you knew anything about how our government works you'd know that when congress raises "their" pay, it dosn't apply until after the next congressional election. You cannot vote to raise your own pay in Congress.

Sarah H

Not to the troops per se, but to better equipment. We need it.

answer lady

Realistically, it would only end up being about a nickel per soldier per hour. (There are only 436 congresspeople, and 120,000 in Iraq alone)

So 436 x $15/hr x 40/wk x 50wk/yr = $13,080,000 total spent, but actually much less since congress is not a year round job.

Then, $13,080,000 / 120,000soldiers in Iraq / 50 weeks / 40 hrs = $0.05

When you reduce the congressional amount, and increase the number of soldiers to all acitve duty, then you are looking at less than a penny and hour.

Maybe $15 / hour is a bit excessive, but when was thier last raise? How often do they travel to thier home districts (at thier own expense)?

Maybe congress could draw down some of the 10,000 nuclear bombs we have that cost us $17,000,000,000 /year? Some of those billions of dollars could be spent on soldier salary, VA benifits (they keep closing them down, yet the need is increasing because there is a WAR!)

Basically, I agree with your intentions, but in reality, that isn't so much money.

angei0809

heck yeah they deserve it more than Congress

2eighty8

Oh, yeah.

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