DO WE PAY TOO MUCH FOR TOO LITTLE?

How many times have we referred to the phrase, “We pay too much for too little” when we describe our Senators and Congressmen, local officials and the media?

Are we getting our money’s worth or are we being taken for the proverbial ride? As of today, the approval ratings of those groups mentioned above are in the low teens. They are battling used car salesmen to see who can generate the most antipathy from the American citizens. No offense to the used car salesmen, but it looks like the Congressmen and Senators have taken over the bottom spot in the poll ratings, and deservedly so. At least the used car salesmen have a product to sell and not their soul.

Look what has happened over the past year or so, a monstrous health care bill was shoved down our throats when all polls indicated that 60% or more of the public didn’t want it. Bribes, back-door deals, threats, and blatant arrogance were all part of that health care debacle. Now, many of the Democrat politicians, who voted for it, are jumping ship because they see the writing on the wall as to the expected outcome of the elections this coming November. Rats always jump off a sinking ship.

These “clowns” in Congress think all their constituents are “Bozo’s” who really don’t care what goes on in the people’s legislature. I think they will be in for a stark awakening when the people rise up and throw the “bums” out of office. Where can you get a job that pays $170,000 per year and you work only 3 ½ days a week for approximately a half a year and get “Cadillac” benefits like full health care benefits at the best hospitals, free travel around the world under the guise of making a “fact finding” trip, and deals made with certain constituents that will insure a big payoff when they leave their office? Are they being paid too much for too little? Unless you are a Kool-Aid drinking “idol worshipper” – like the “Obamamaniacs” – the answer is an obvious “YES”!

How many of the politicians in Congress have come into that office with a modest estate and have left with a sizable estate, all on $170,000 per year (now, but a lot less when they were first elected). Some have been convicted of crimes and are serving or have served time in prison; some should be convicted of crimes and are walking around the halls of Congress licking their chops at the possibility for gaining more largesse in the future. Look at some of the “shady” characters who are making our laws and becoming wealthy doing it. Some good examples are the late John Murtha (D-Pa), who served in Congress for over 35 years, Duke Cunningham (R-Ca) who is now serving time for accepting bribes, William Jefferson (D-La) who’s also serving time for taking payoffs, and the indefatigable Charlie Rangel (D-NY), who, until a few weeks ago, headed the Ways and Means Committee which writes our tax laws, but he somehow forgot to pay his own taxes, not just once but a few times. You could also add to the list, Chris Dodd (D-Ct) who got a sweetheart mortgage deal from Countrywide Bank which none of us were eligible for because we were not on the Senate Finance Committee, and Alan Mollohan (D-WV) who came to Congress with a modest estate of about $500,000, but is now worth over $6 million. The list could go on and on, but you can get my point, I hope?

These are the people we entrust to make the laws of our country which we all must abide by. Are we really getting our money’s worth? I think we “Pay them Too Much for too little”, can we all agree on that? Let us know what you think?

Conservative commentary by Chuck Lehmann