In their “Moral of the Story” blog, the New York Times takes Congress to task for its extended vacation time and relatively cushy benefits, including a $174,000 median annual salary, comprehensive health care plan, and 3-day work week.
In an egalitarian society, lawmakers do not exploit their office to vote themselves lavish perks but live much like the people they represent. Congress should get the same health coverage enjoyed — can that be the right verb? — by a typical American. Congressional pay should be pegged to the median for a family of four, currently $70,354. And Congress will receive the same vacation time as an average American, which right now is 37 days. No, wait, I’m thinking of France, that terrifying example of all that is to be shunned — attractive clothes, delicious meals, widespread human happiness. American workers average 12 days a year of vacation. O everlasting wearisome attire! Even on Casual Fridays!
Retire Garrett has written about Scott Garrett’s lavish benefits package before. Garrett is at the forefront of Representatives who deny the average American benefits they receive themselves from the government. While there is merit to the argument that the government needs to overly compensate public officials to keep them in office and convince other qualified people to run for office, it does not hold water for someone like Scott Garrett who uses his huge salary and awesome benefits package to vote against nearly every bill that could potentially benefit millions of Americans.
