Pay Increases for elected officials?

Letter to Leonard Pitts, columnist for the Miami Herald.

Mr. Pitts-

I have long been an admirer of your writing and read it in the Lake Charles American Press, locally known as the “American Mess.” With this in mind I must tell you that I am amazed at your latest column suggesting that the President and members of Congress should receive major pay increases. You suggested that the president should receive a million a year with Senators and Congressmen paid a half million a year. I would hope that this is tongue in cheek.

If you are trying to say that people run for national office for the money, you forget that none of them retire poor, have huge retirements that they haven’t contributed to, unbelievable perks while in office and offers from companies that boggle the mind thanks to their “connections” and accessibility. Their pay while in office is secondary and wouldn’t change a thing.

Let’s face it, they run for office and re-election only for the power, prestige and everything that I mentioned in the previous paragraph. If that wasn’t so, why is their primary job and interest to have as many terms in office as they can? That is always their number one concern, with party being second and nation being last. Hate to be such a pessimist but I am also a realist.