March 8th, 2013
11:31 AM ET
8 years ago
Congressional bonuses in a time of cuts
Washington (CNN) – A CNN analysis of thousands of pages of Congressional expense reports shows that in the months leading up to the fiscal cliff (and potential, sharp budget cuts), nearly a quarter of the lawmakers in the House of Representatives gave their own office staff bonuses.
That money is itemized as “Other Compensation” in the more than 2000-page report.
Click here to see the list of how much each member of Congress spent and which lawmakers gave their staff what appear to be bonuses, and listen to the full report from CNN Radio here.
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Why shouldn't the staff get bonuses? They aren't the problem.
Cut out bonuses,they should be happy as hell just to be employed,don't push it!!Look what happened to the UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE after bring caught giving special dispensation to supervision and finding out it wasn't approved like buying homes from relocated supervisors or workers and not listing them for sale thus wasting millions ..It'll come to a head soon and no one at this time is above the fray of not getting axes monetarily,wait and see even at the WH as well ...
Non-story. Just more sensationalized controversy manufacture for click-bait.
@Anonymous
Why shouldn't the staff get bonuses? They aren't the problem.
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Civil Service workers are on their third year of pay freezes.
"Look what happened to the UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE"
The USPS is belly-up because the GOP legislated the requirement that it fund its pensions 75 years ahead of time, which essentially means funding it for employees not yet employed and even people not yet born. This is a requirement that no other private or public corporation/organization is saddled with...and a funding scheme that no other corporation/organization voluntarily places upon itself. Wanna guess why?
Why shouldn't the staff get bonuses? They aren't the problem.
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Yes, you're right, they are not the problem yet I can't help but point out that due to sequestration it is their heads that is on the chopping block.
The problem of giving bonuses at this particular period in time and due to sequestration is a problem of appearances. It just doesn't look good that while people are being laid off, others are being given bonuses.
One should take a lpeek at the liist of congressmen giving out bonuses and what percentage of their annual budget they had used up. Who used the least amount of his/her budget a Republican or a Democrat? Who gave out the biggest bonuses? Fiscally conservative might take on a whole new meaning for some. Check it out.
Who cares? It's only your tax dollars.
Cut out bonuses,they should be happy as hell just to be employed,don't push it!!Look what happened to the UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE after bring caught giving special dispensation to supervision and finding out it wasn't approved like buying homes from relocated supervisors or workers and not listing them for sale thus wasting millions ..It'll come to a head soon and no one at this time is above the fray of not getting axed monetarily,wait and see even at the WH its being done with budget cuts as well!!
At least somebody has a job and received a bonus because the number of Americans designated as "not in the labor force" in February was 89,304,000, a record high, up from 89,008,000 in January, according to the Department of Labor. This means that the number of Americans not in the labor force increased 296,000 between January and February.
Well, Don't you know how it works? The peasants are in need of some relief.. SO, they go up to Congrass and complain. Finally the congress relents and passes a bill to relieve the problem. SO, the congress man finally needs an assistant. bUT, lo and behold, the assistant also need an assistant, SO, he hires two assistants, one is never enough to do all the work load. BUT, those two assistants also each need an assistant. Well, things are finally getting into the groove. BUT, all those assistants need a place to live. Now do you think living in Washington is cheap? All those assistants are worknig dirt cheap. So, they need a Bailout. So, bonuses. Got it??
Sniffit
Non-story. Just more sensationalized controversy manufacture for click-bait.
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I have to laugh, Sniffit, because I did do the click-bait (yeah, I know). I am surprised to see Her Royal Highness TeaPerette Michele Bachmann on the list. Apparently her TeaParty opinions and her "on the government dole" actions don't necessarily coincide with one another.
Who would have predicted that?
Oh why dont you just tell me, please, i just love hearing my money get sucked away
They each get $174,000 + in salary plus $1.3 million in expenses? Good God Almighty.
I think I know how to cut out about $700 million per year!!!!
With that income, they shoould not need an expense account. Maybe stay in town an work instead of working 3 days every 3 weeks and then flying home. Fire them all.
Anonymous
Why shouldn't the staff get bonuses? They aren't the problem.
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Because they aren't civil servants. Their jobs are political patronages, and handing out bonuses to friends & family while freezing the pay of everyone else smacks of nepotism.
Ray E. (Georgia)
... all those assistants need a place to live. Now do you think living in Washington is cheap? All those assistants are worknig dirt cheap. So, they need a Bailout. So, bonuses. Got it??
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Except that the majority of their staffs reside in their home districts, and they're all handpicked appointees who got their jobs because they did a favor for their boss (or they're a friend/familymember of someone who did).
They will all be fired along with the rest of the gop trash in the house in 2014!!!!
It's amazing how so many always want to judge federal workers as if what they do doesn't matter. However, all of you think that what you do matters a great and that you should be paid handsomely for it. If I hear one more comment about my tax dollars...guess what federal workers pay taxes too!!!
Gotta love right wing insanity
Why shouldn't the staff get bonuses? They aren't the problem.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Because they aren't civil servants. Their jobs are political patronages
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Is that a fact Malory? Are in fact the offices of our ELECTED representatives and congressmen completely staffed through nepotism?
Pardon my naivete if i that is indeed the case. Why would we allow something like that to go on in perpetuity? Why would we not call out the hypocrisy of said congressmen when they accuse other branches of government of doing the exact same thing that they are doing?
And you thought Hollywood was incompetent .
No difference , over paid , over priced .
This town needs an enema.
I know the corrupt, lying administration will tout the fact that the unemployment rate dropped 0.1%, but what they will not mention is that the number of unemployed and those who have given up trying to find a job in an economy that has been destroyed by the lack of leadership from the White House, its endless tax and regulatory increases and the class warfare tactics it uses, has set an all time record of over 89 million people. Way to go Obozo and the democrat liberals. And now they want to shove a minimum wage increase down our throats.
@GI Joe
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Ditto!!
"I have to laugh, Sniffit, because I did do the click-bait "
Indeed. We all do. And, of course, we do it knowingly, even if it was just to try futiley to shame CNN into cutting the crap. Sigh. Knowing is half the battle? haha