New Pay Scale for Congress

Public approval of Congress' performance is very low, still, at 16%, according to a new Washington Post-AP News poll.

I didn't realize it was that high.

Because of their very low rating, I suggest we pay our Senators and Representatives differently.

This should work: continue to give them their already bloated salaries, with these non-performance based reductions to salary:

• each salary reduced 1% for each unfilled judgeship or federal attorney position.
• each salary reduced 2% for each appointment needing Congressional approval not voted up or down within 30 days.
• 5% reduction for any Congressman/Congresswoman inserting an earmark into a bill.
• 5% reduction for any Congresswoman/Congressman for amendments to legislation that have nothing to do with the original bill.
• 2% reduction for any Congressman/Congresswoman for each negative re-election campaign comment, advertisement or media commercial
• 5% reduction for a Congresswoman/Congressman for each unfilled campaign promise
• 1% reduction for the number of staff members over 30.
• if the deduction exceeds 30%, disallow to the specific Congress member all payments for entertainment and travel.
• If the total deduction exceeds 70%, the Congress member will not be allowed to seek re-election.

I believe you see the direction of the new salary program.  If correctly written our Senators and Representatives will earn little or no pay, and perhaps will owe us money at the end of their term.  Very few will qualify to return to Congress, giving us a chance to elect a new bunch of losers.

Of course they could become "Congressional," and do something.