why doesn't congress have to ask for a raise when they want one?

Question

When I want a raise at work I have to go to my boss and plead my case. He makes sure to go through my personel folder and any other info he can get his hands on and it is up to him. When it comes to congress they just vote for their own raise! We voted them in--shouldn't we get to decide weither or not they get a raise?

Answer 1

I do think there is surely a better way. I'd vote to give
them a raise if they'd just stay away from D.C. They
don't even earn what they make now and giving
themselves a raise is a disgrace. People should
uprise this fact and maybe things would change. Let's
throw them all out and start over (at minimum wage).

Answer 2

We do...in a way. The 27th Amendment requires that any Congressional pay raise does not go into effect until AFTER the next Congressional elections are held. Thus, the voters have a way to say, "Hey, you voted yourself a pay raise, but minimum wage hasn't changed for 10 freakin' years?! I'm not voting for you!"

The amendment was proposed in 1789, but did not achieve enough votes (by the States) for ratification until 1992.

Answer 3

We do decide.

27th Amendment. "No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened."

Since Congress controls the federal budget, there is nobody they can ask for permission to pass a law changing the budget with regard to their own salaries (not counting executive veto, but that's not asking permission).

BUT -- the 27th Amendment says that they cannot vote a raise for themselves -- only for the next Congress after the next election. So, if we really don't like them getting a raise, we can vote them out of office and they don't get it.

Answer 4

If it were up to us, it would have been 15 years or more before any of them ever saw a raise. That's why it isn't up to us,.

Answer 5

Because THEY are the ones writing the rules...
If you wrote the rules, would you or would you not favor your team?

Is there anything that we can do about it?
Find out who initiates such legislation, and then call them to task on it.

Answer 6

They keep doing it because nobody stands up to them.

Agreed, what a waste of money. Like they're not making enough already.

Answer 7

I think there are bigger problems than our elected officials getting a couple more grand a year.

Answer 8

They ask. --each other.