Tuesday, November 22, 2005
In a previous podcast, I mentioned that Social Security benefits are currently subject to cost-of-living adjustments that allow retirees to receive benefit checks that keep pace with inflation.
Members of Congress also receive such cost-of-living adjustments each year unless they specifically vote to cancel these pay increases. In fact, it seems like the only people who have yet to get such a raise are those earning the federal minimum wage.
It's actually kind of sickening when you think about it.
Those who oppose an increase in the federal minimum wage say that such an action would slow economic growth. Slavery also happened to be pretty good for economic growth, but that didn't make it right.
U.S. Constitution - Amendment XIII
Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.
Section 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
Congress should enact “appropriate legislation” granting federal minimum wage earners the same cost-of-living adjustments that its members currently enjoy.
We must tolerate nothing less from the nation where all men are created equal.
Sources:
CRS Report - Salaries of Members of Congress - Payable Rates (PDF)
CRS Report - Salaries of Federal Officials - Fact Sheet (PDF)
