If I woke up tomorrow completely in charge of how Congress is to be remunerated, and I cared even on whit about saving our institutions I would make the following reforms to Congressional pay.
-senate and congressional salary to be limited to whatever current minimum wage is.
-Congress not subject to overtime/exempt status laws until everyone is covered by reasonable overtime/exempt status laws, this includes immigrant labor and their right to organize/recieve benefits.
-Healthcare provided after 6 months service. $15000 deductable, $35 copay for 2 yearly checkups, $400 monthly premium for them and immediate family. All medical services beyond immediate critical care to be denied. This will be in effect until universal free at point of service healthcare is implemented.
-No lobbying on behalf of corporations/guilds/associations or chambers allowed by former members. Lobbying on behalf of labor allowed, however any gifts/renumeration cannot exceed minimum wage for any job held after being elected to Congress/Senate.
members and their families including close relations such as brother and sisters/aunts and uncles to be stripped of all assets. They will instead be given a pension for life equivalent to that of minimum wage. No member or adjacent relative allowed to hold any financial instruments besides CDs and rudimentary interest bearing accounts such as checking or savings accounts. This isn't just for their congressional term, but for life. Shelter and food to be provided.
members and their families to recieve free housing and food. However families to be housed in their hometown of their choosing while serving members must stay in dorms 3 to a room, 2 rooms to a bathroom. Food to be served in cafeteria from 0500-0700, 1100-1300, 1630-1830.
These is just a rudimentary list of things that should probably happen in order to nudge the Congress to make laws that would actually benefit the most people. I feel a bit bad about being so austere with it but it makes my skin crawl that most of these assholes are multimillionaires.
If I woke up tomorrow completely in charge of how Congress is to be remunerated, and I cared even on whit about saving our institutions I would make the following reforms to Congressional pay.
-senate and congressional salary to be limited to whatever current minimum wage is.
-Congress not subject to overtime/exempt status laws until everyone is covered by reasonable overtime/exempt status laws, this includes immigrant labor and their right to organize/recieve benefits.
-Healthcare provided after 6 months service. $15000 deductable, $35 copay for 2 yearly checkups, $400 monthly premium for them and immediate family. All medical services beyond immediate critical care to be denied. This will be in effect until universal free at point of service healthcare is implemented.
-No lobbying on behalf of corporations/guilds/associations or chambers allowed by former members. Lobbying on behalf of labor allowed, however any gifts/renumeration cannot exceed minimum wage for any job held after being elected to Congress/Senate.
members and their families including close relations such as brother and sisters/aunts and uncles to be stripped of all assets. They will instead be given a pension for life equivalent to that of minimum wage. No member or adjacent relative allowed to hold any financial instruments besides CDs and rudimentary interest bearing accounts such as checking or savings accounts. This isn't just for their congressional term, but for life. Shelter and food to be provided.
members and their families to recieve free housing and food. However families to be housed in their hometown of their choosing while serving members must stay in dorms 3 to a room, 2 rooms to a bathroom. Food to be served in cafeteria from 0500-0700, 1100-1300, 1630-1830.
These is just a rudimentary list of things that should probably happen in order to nudge the Congress to make laws that would actually benefit the most people. I feel a bit bad about being so austere with it but it makes my skin crawl that most of these assholes are multimillionaires.
don't forget real time donation reporting where breaches/undisclosed donations are punishable by death