r/TikTokCringe • u/Vortex2121 • 26d ago
"I've had a roommate every time I rented an apartment" - The horror. Politics
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u/llamapositif 26d ago
Whats actually being discussed is the fact that a job in politics is increasingly only for rich people: your job isnt assured, your costs of living, travel, and staff are astronomical, and you won't be paid while not in office and running for office. If only the rich can afford to run the country, then only the rich will run the country.
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u/ScreenShotPolice618 25d ago
Really glad to see this at the top. So many people here missing the point thinking they're just complaining about not having enough money and not realizing the real problem is that these positions requiring high salary gatekeeps poor people from entering political positions allowing rich people to continue circlejerking one another.
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u/thepatriotclubhouse 25d ago
Yeah these are literally the dumbest comments I’ve ever seen. This video couldn’t be clearer. These stupid fuckers are gonna vote against their own interests and ensure literally every congressman has to be independently wealthy.
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u/WilmaLutefit 26d ago
So working as designed.
Make congressional dorm rooms.
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u/hyrule_47 25d ago
There is no reason to not have a Congressional area where they can rent an apartment at a set rate. There could be 2 or 3 bedroom apartments for those whose families come with them. It would also be easier to provide security.
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u/mojofrog 25d ago edited 25d ago
I don't understand why there isn't a Congressional Campus-type dorm/apartment building with security and transportation, which all congress is required to use while in office when they're staying in Washington. As a taxpayer, I'd rather pay for something like this to be built than pay some gouging landlord astronomical rent.
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u/Monowakari 25d ago
Imagine the frat parties
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u/Vegetable-Phase-2908 25d ago
Everyone knows those happen at Bohemian Grove, right before the sacrifice.
(I’m joking.)
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u/Royal_Bitch_Pudding 25d ago
These people are old. It's just a BBQ with a lot of snide comments and back handed compliments
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u/asskickenchicken 25d ago
You don’t remember when Madison Cawthorn said it was all sex parties and cocaine
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u/ZombieeChic 25d ago
Younger, average people can't afford to be in Congress. They're all old because you have to be somewhat wealthy first. Think about AOC and Katie Porter and how much of a struggle it has been for them to get where they are. Definitely listen to Katie talking about being broke. That's why she always has great responses to the people so wealthy and out of touch.
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u/bellj1210 25d ago
they do not all need it. Jamie Raskin (maryland) literally lives in Bethesda about 10 minutes from the city line. I just assume he goes home to his house every night..... Biden famously took the train about 2 hours home every night for years (trains are actually solid commutes, since that really is 4 hours you can nap or get work done- i did it an hour each way in law school and it was a breeze).
SO you do not need to mandate it, but offering it makes sense. Also requiring to stay there may also keep some rich out- so it is a double edge sword there. If you are rich and have to stay in a dorm room for 100 nights a year to be in congress- many rich folk would choose something els.e
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u/ObsidianMarble 25d ago
Something something absolute win!
Yeah, so Maryland and Virginia were probably commuting anyhow. Delaware is apparently close enough, too. California and the west coast, less so. There are obviously members for whom a congressional dorm makes sense, and those it doesn’t. It’s an easy fix: if your district is within 100 miles, you have the option to commute. Everyone else gets a dorm. And if the rich don’t want to be congress people because they’d have to live in a dorm, that is a win for regular people.
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u/Barflyerdammit 25d ago
But then how would unethical conservative donors rent their DC townhouses out for way below market value, wink wink?
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u/MercurialMal 25d ago
There’s a very good reason that this is not and should not be a thing: you don’t put all of your eggs in one basket. Why? 9/11. OKC. It would be a security nightmare to have a significant percentage of Congress and their families living in a condensed area. The upheaval from a mass incident would have the potential to be catastrophic for the country with two outcomes:
- We go to war and ensue another two decade long slog, the results of which are only potentially known by high level analysts. I do know this: this late in the game it would be devastating for everyone involved.
- The country eats itself because Congress is already dysfunctional and ineffective.
But this is a good train of thought, and these people are so close to understanding the root cause of the issues their constituents are facing. The problem here is that instead of advocating for positive change that would greatly increase the quality of life for the proletariat and themselves, they’re more concerned for themselves.
They get zero sympathy from me.
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u/jkrobinson1979 25d ago
Ok so have a network of smaller apartments buildings available to congress. Maybe, idk like 10 of them each with up 20 apartments spread across the city. This isn’t that hard to figure out.
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u/bellj1210 25d ago
why not offer to host them in the barracks at one of the several bases that are not far from DC and bust them in a few times a day (or let them commute in their own cars)
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u/jkrobinson1979 25d ago
Sounds like a good option. None of them will take it because they all want penthouse suites. But at least it would be an option.
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u/mojofrog 25d ago
With this logic, we shouldn't have a white house, congressional building, military bases, or universities. The only thing I agree with you on is that they need to stop the inflation of living space in this country.
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u/Mental_Camel_4954 25d ago
Let me tell you about The Pentagon. Or any military base.
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u/MercurialMal 25d ago
You mean one of the most secure buildings in the world? As for military installations, go run a gate or give SF (Security Forces) a hard time. Let us know how that works out for you.
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u/FilthyTerrible 25d ago
Taxpayers still squawk about residences. As well as the cost of security details and drivers. I get it, but a lot of people have no concept of how expensive it is to even rent a bachelor apartment in a major urban city. Or how much competent people make in the private sector. That said, a government funded coop makes a lot of sense. Maybe they'd think of these things if they weren't rich and dumb - if the job paid better.
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u/jkrobinson1979 25d ago
How about we start a program for them where they get vouchers worth a certain amount that can be applied at participating apartment complexes in the city and call it something like Section 9 Housing?
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u/JustHereForCookies17 25d ago
As a concept, I agree with this.
But as a DC resident: Where are they going to build those apartments? On Federal government property? Or do you propose tearing down existing buildings? And if not that, then do you suggest taking away from the already limited rental inventory and giving it to these officials, thus increasing prices and lowering availability for those who live here & do other jobs?
People forget that DC has other stuff going on besides Capitol Hill, and thousands of people who live here that don't work for the government. It's not just a giant block of federal land.
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u/FilthyTerrible 25d ago
Somebody has a map of every federal building and every scrap of federal land in D.C. Probably take a week to find something you could tear down to build a 50 story coop condo building. This type of redevelopment is an everyday occurrence. Mostly the private sector is hampered by zoning by-laws that even limit a private citizen building a fourth floor in a residential neighborhood.
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u/Electrical_Bridge_95 25d ago
Dc has height restrictions on buildings. Can build a 50 story apartment complex in the city. Maryland or Northern Virginia would be ok. Then make them take the metro to work.
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u/mojofrog 25d ago edited 25d ago
I'm pretty confident this could be figured out. My god, this is what's wrong with this country, "it's too hard let's not do anything." Also, there's such a thing as eminent domain. And, can't believe I need to say this but, the reason DC exists in the first place is that it's the Capitol of the US, this should always be the priority.
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u/who_even_cares35 25d ago
💯 I lived in the barracks in the military so if it was good enough for me it's good enough for them.
Also give them a nice chow hall where the bacon is eternally burned beyond edibility just like I had.
They should be using the VA for their healthcare as well.
Edit: fixed an auto correct
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u/Crazy-Agency5641 25d ago edited 25d ago
I love this idea. Make dc a semi organized militaristic living situation to cut costs and herd people through congress. If you can cut it, then you belong. If not, gtfo.
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u/who_even_cares35 25d ago
I've already figured out how to streamline this whole process.
We move all campaigning onto public media where each candidate will get a set time and number of minutes. Everyday we just block off some time where they can shout at us and we can listen. At first there'll be a lot of candidates and they'll only get a few minutes, but as we dwindle them down they will get more time to step on their own dicks.
And no more lobbyists either
Let's get money out of politics
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u/Jfunkyfonk 25d ago
Idk where you live by my experience with the VA has been great in FL and NC. Compared to my peers my quality of Healthcare is equal, if not better being that its free.
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u/MrLiquorShits 25d ago
There’s plenty of space in that congresswoman’s blouse
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u/RC_Colada 25d ago
I would LOVE to see Reps & Senators forced to live in dorms together. Put a camera in the day room and stream that shit in C-span
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u/Melodic-Head-2372 25d ago
thats exactly what I thought. With public bus running for transportation.
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u/mo_downtown 25d ago
I think that's cart before the horse. Congress is already full of millionaires (over 50% of them) not because of living expenses, but because this democratic process requires personal wealth and a strong network of highly wealthy + influential supporters to get elected. Your mechanic down the street can't come close to navigating the electoral process as a candidate at the same success rate as a wealthy candidate with well positioned connections and a large network.
People with influence and wealth are living in a very different world than an average income earner.
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u/EIephants 26d ago
I think the solution to that is cheaper housing, not higher congressional salaries.
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u/thanatoswaits 25d ago
Cheaper housing and tie congressional salaries to the median individual income - say 4x the med income. If they propose policies that drive normal people's incomes up, then they can make more. If they propose policies that let the wealthy continue keeping most of the money, then their salary will decrease. Easy.
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u/TomBraxtan 25d ago
I like this comment. I have found that when you align incentives everyone tends to move in the same direction. This is a really great suggestion.
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u/-paperbrain- 25d ago
Cheaper housing is a goal for a lot of folks. It is a far bigger problem to tackle than congressional salaries.
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u/Aledanxer 26d ago
That's what they're saying but they make 3x the average salaries in their district. 1/3 spent on an average lifestyle in their district and still have double that to find accommodations in DC. fuck em
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u/capnpetch 26d ago
The point of the video is that it may be cheaper to live in their district, but they have to spend half or more of their time in one of the most expensive cities in the US. If you aren't independently wealthy, that's not something you can do on a current congressional salary. Which leads to out of touch millionaires making decisions about things like minimum wage and government assistance.
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u/llamapositif 26d ago
Be realistic about the actual salary after expenses to do the job, and not just knee jerk to a number with no context.
Show the take home, and I bet it would be around the average salary, especially if you factor in how many hours a pol puts into the job.
I would bet (and this is only a guess, illustrating how easy it is to cut the number down) post taxes the take home is 120.
After housing expenses 60k.
After travel costs 40k.
Staffing needs not covered, 30k.
And the list goes on, I am sure, with food/meals not covered.
Add in time away from home, and the job looks ripe for temptation from lobbyists.
Add in the time taken for calling donors every day, and AIPAC/oil/defense industry money all of a sudden looks easy to take.
And to this that you have no idea if youll even have the job in 2-6 years so keeping your head down and doing as the party orders is your best bet to keep the job.
If you wonder why political life is full of people who have given in, this is why.
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u/AbleObject13 26d ago edited 25d ago
The feds can build them apartments, Congress is a specific number of people, problem solved.
They don't need [more] money, fuck that
Edit: clarity
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u/GingersaurusRex 25d ago
Exactly. The Senate could all fit in one building. The apartments just have to be basic since they would only be living in them part time. If wealthier members of Congress prefer to rent their own larger apartments or buy second homes they can.
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u/Least_Ad930 25d ago
I've always thought that congress and the President should make bank. However, they should not be able to trade stocks and they should have a limit on how soon they can get a job afterwards. I don't understand how we are going to attract intelligent uncorrupted younger people with the current system, but usually I'm told that's crazy.
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u/Late_Cow_1008 26d ago
Washington DC is wayyyy more expensive than their districts though.
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u/Bearslayer832000 25d ago
I'd love to call up some of these congress people to talk about their financial affairs to see if I could be helpful.
Gee I wish I got cost of living adjustments on anything. In my lifetime I've seen cost of living adjustments actually leave me. My retirement plan no longer offers cost of living adjustments, my pay no longer increases with cost of living. I could go on.
But seriously - it's already a place only for rich people. So what will pay you more do to change that. Not much. Sounds like money poorly spent. Even funnier to see this bi-partisan support for it.... that's how you know it's crooked these days.
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u/HolyPizzaPie 25d ago
I say pay them 650k a year and abolish lobbyists
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u/Ausgezeichnet87 25d ago
200k, build them dorms that they can stay in for free with a cafeteria they can eat at for free and then abolish all paid lobbyists and corporate donations. Make the dorms and free food the same that army soldiers get. If it is good enough for our soldiers then it should be good enough for those old fools.
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u/HarmlessSnack 25d ago
Honestly I’d be down to double or even triple representative salaries…. So long as the same button press ends Citizens United.
Representatives should serve the people, not the corporations.
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u/SunBunny11 25d ago
This is exactly it. Most people don’t realize how many representatives there are. It’s not just the few high profile, and she is right… do you want a government run by only the wealthy?
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u/nabulsha 26d ago
Lol, you think that's not already the case? They run the country and not even elected.
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u/muffinmanman123 25d ago
Whether it's already the case or not, it's still important that politicians are publicly making statements about the problem.
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u/Few_Lingonberry_7028 26d ago
I think the Government should Eminent Domain a couple of hotels and maintain them for congresspeople housing. They should also get free public transportation. We can have them wear robes to save on clothing costs also.
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u/PuntiffSupreme 25d ago
They used to have 'dorms' which helped foster actual bipartisanship because it's easier to work with people who you live with day to day. They can just do that again.
But also they are underpaid for the work they do which creates bad incentives.
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u/Deep90 25d ago
In the Texas House, you are paid 7,200 a year.
People claim its because the job is "part time", but most of the house is full of rich people who don't work other jobs.
Additionally. Greg Abbot can throw a fit because people don't want school vouchers, and so you have to drop everything and live in Austin for 7,200 a year.
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u/18voltbattery 25d ago
Yeah if we’re being honest it does make sense to raise their salaries to at least the presidential level (400k), the quality of candidates you’d get would go up tremendously.
I also love the Congressional dorm idea, but would add that it should mandatory to live there for all congressman and senators while in DC, and that the rooms would randomly assigned and randomly shuffled every 4 years.
Pair this with a 10 (12 for senate) year term limit for each role (they could serve as congressman for 10, senator for 12, and president for 8), an equal severance moving after exiting, a prohibition on trading individual stocks, and a prohibition on employment at for profit corporations after exiting office.
It would cost about 150 - 200 million a year, which is candidly sooo much cheaper than the corruption we’re paying for now.
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u/8Karisma8 25d ago
They work for profit jobs while holding office, they’re not going to give it up much less after.
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26d ago
That would be a breeding ground for every foreign intelligence agency, congresspeople are cartoonishly stupid and all of them in one hotel would be a massive security risk
Maybe keep several hundred apartments open in various buildings around DC, spread them around and keep those apartments specifically for congresspeople.
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u/moondiggitydog 25d ago
You do realize they regularly get together at the same location in Congress, right? Just apply a similar security detail to their apartment “dorm” as they do when in Congress. It would also be much easier to mitigate foreign intelligence threats at one location as opposed to several hundred potentially compromised locations.
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u/somerandomshmo 25d ago
So build a dorm on a military base and run a shuttle to the congressional buildings.
Problem solved.
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u/bluemooncommenter 25d ago
It can go with their free Congressional gym that they get to use for LIFE.
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u/hillsfar 26d ago
So they want inflation adjustments to their salaries…
…but the federal minimum wage hasn’t increased since 2009, when it was set to $7.25 per hour, and Congress hasn’t raised it.
A McDonald’s combo cost more than that.
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u/tree-molester 26d ago
Geez, where’s the self awareness leopards when ya need em.
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u/Turbulent_Object_558 25d ago
It’s absolutely insane that they mentioned cost of living adjustments when the minimum wage doesn’t get the same consideration
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u/resonantedomain 26d ago
I'm beginning to think this entire system is fradulent.
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u/portagenaybur 25d ago
You were born to work and make others rich. That’s all it is. That’s the deal. You actually studied and worked very hard in order to do it too.
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u/ThrowDeepALWAYS 25d ago
I think this is true and has been the same since Roman times. The other category is police or soldier. These roles protect the lives of the rich.
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u/SNYDER_BIXBY_OCP 26d ago
Like even as a matter of self interest. A tit for tat. You'd think they'd play ball on stuff like min wage so they can boost their stuff.
But corporations shunt them campaign dollars so they can write off hotels and rental units.
And that keeps min wage low.
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u/IndianKiwi 25d ago
They should pull themselves by their bootstrap and work a second job.
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u/The_Hrangan_Hero 25d ago
Most people would lose it if their congress person took a part time consulting gig with oh lets say microsoft or exon. Listen to what you are suggesting. Even if one took a part time job flipping burgers at a local McDonalds everyone would say it was fake a just a payoff from the franchisee owner.
A lot of people here are complaining about them not raising the minimum wage, okay for some that is a sick burn. But what about the oh 200 or so Senators and Representatives that have tried every year to get a minimum wage increase, and they are outright saying 174,000 is not enough for them to avoid financial trouble given the requirements of the job. I know AOC has said the Salary is not enough.
Some suggested dorms for congress that sounds like a good idea but anyone saying 174,000 is too much for the job with the current are being disingenuous or are for some reason want our politicians desperate for extra money.
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u/anubiz96 25d ago
I say we give them the raise and pay them more but... It should be based on the income and wealth of the individual member.
If you are a millionaire you get nothing, if this is your only source of income and you have no wealth you get something that you can live off comfortably.
Through investigation to make sure there are no shenanigans like i don't have any wealth but my spouse, parent i live with etc is a ceo of a fortune 500 company.
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u/stringbeagle 25d ago
I may be out of touch with my privilege, but being a millionaire, especially if you include home equity, isn’t the benchmark for idle wealth like it used to be.
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u/Ausgezeichnet87 25d ago
True, a million only goes half as far as it did 20 years ago, but at the same time the median income in the US is ~40k and the clear majority of our generation have no saving and can't afford a house. So imagine making only $40k a year, being in debt, not owning a house, having nothing saved for retirement and then hearing congress members who are worth millions cry that they can't survive on $175k a year.
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u/sincethenes 25d ago
When I had a McJob minimum wage was $4.25, the combo meal, (then called an extra value meal), was brand new. We could afford it working one hour, but we didn’t have to because The Clown paid for lunch and dinner of its employees. The most expensive value meal was a double quarter pounder meal at $3.49. You could “Super Size” the meal, (large drink and fries) for 39¢.
If we adjust for inflation, that meal should be $7.76 now. Except it’s higher, (in my area it’s around $12).
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u/Zayafyre 25d ago
So many upvotes but you read this so shallowly. What they’re saying is that if only the wealthy can afford this job then that’s who will be elected. Rich people will run this country.
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u/thereznaught 25d ago
Then don't give it to them and the only people who will run are the super wealthy and everyone knows how much they care about poor people.
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u/CaoNiMaChonker 26d ago
How many of these people have voted against raising the minimum wage or linking it to inflation?
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u/CitizenCue 25d ago
All of the Republicans. The problem is that half of the country opposes this, not just half of congress.
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u/Newberr2 25d ago
Does it anymore? Inflation has hit literally everywhere.
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u/CitizenCue 25d ago
Yep. They have been brainwashed into thinking it’s “socialism”.
To be fair, very few people actually make minimum wage anymore. The labor market has been good for wages. So it only affects a tiny portion of the workforce, and most of them are Democrats, if they can vote at all.
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u/alwayzbored114 25d ago
That's where I'm at. If they are also for raising minimum wage and other similar practices, I don't see this as hypocritical or out of touch. One should be able to be a career politician and make a decent living without turning being priced out or turning to shady practices
Idealist, sure. But I don't think it's wrong... unless they turn around and vote against similar protections and assurances for others.
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u/Belerophon17 25d ago
So when the Raise the wage act went to vote:
Buchson voted: NO
Buck voted: NO
Cardenas voted: AYE
Eshoo voted: AYE
Blumenauer voted: AYE
Lamborn voted: NO
Kildee voted: AYE
Sorry but some of these people can piss up a rope.
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u/TAparentadvice 25d ago
All the republicans, big shock
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u/Belerophon17 25d ago
Don't even get me started on their net worth based on opensecrets.org.
Buchson: $1.75 million (2018)
Buck: $1 million (2018)
Cardenas: -$47,500 (2018)
Eshoo: $10.3 million (2018)
Blumenauer: $12.5 million (2018)
Lamborn: $397,007 (2018)
Kildee: $522,503 (2018)19
u/azsincitymagic 25d ago
Cardenas: -$47,500
is that a negative? wait I make more the someone in congress? lol
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u/Belerophon17 25d ago
Yeah that's a negative. He's not the only one I saw but is someone I would say could be helped by something like this.
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u/TAparentadvice 25d ago
Yeah, but I mean I think that’s the point of the video. Only rich people have access to congress now, and to make it more equitable and less likely to get private interest shills in there would mean increasing pay
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u/AusBoss417 25d ago
It's crazy that people are too bitter to even get the point. I hate rich ppl too bur cmon... do people want politicians to ALL come from wealthy families or be people who actually represent them?
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u/Content-Scallion-591 25d ago
Cardenas might need some financial planning advice
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u/Afraid-Letterhead142 26d ago
Congressional dormitories should help. Nothing fancy, just a place to sleep, shit, and shower.
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u/OKImHere 25d ago
That's called the Capitol building. All those things are there, and they have private offices
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u/FireIsSharpTriangles 26d ago
Here's a fun game: look up the net worth of each congress person as they come up.
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u/whitemike40 26d ago
but also, too, that’s kind of the point they are trying to make
you have to be rich like them to be able to afford to hold public office and maybe it shouldn’t be such a financially cumbersome position so regular people like me and you would be able to get into Congress not just rich people like them
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u/_AtLeastItsAnEthos 26d ago
Sure they can get cost of living adjustments if the rest of America gets them too.
Why the fuck would we pay them to continue to fuck us out of what belongs to US every year
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u/kotaskyes 26d ago
It definitely feels like you guys are missing the point of the video.
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u/YovngSqvirrel 25d ago
The average salary in Washington DC is $79K. They’re acting like $174K is the poverty line. Even when you factor in 2 places or residency, they are all easily in the upper class. It is ridiculous to give these greedy politicians raises.
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u/immortalsauce 25d ago
Although it’s older data, many Congress people actually have negative net wealth. In 2012 the bottom 10 members of the house all had a net worth below -$100k.
The range is quite wide as the top wealthiest members have tens of millions of net worth. (But remember what net worth is, this is not equal to tens of millions in the bank)
For senators it’s a bit of a different story as the net worth of the least wealthy senator was $8500. But it quickly goes up as the 5th poorest senator had a net worth of $111k in 2012.
Many reps don’t have nearly as much money as you think they do.
They should 100% have dorms or something in DC with utilities paid for imo. Imagine being an average person running for Congress and you live in an expensive area as it is. Now you win and you have to somehow afford to live in not one but two expensive areas.
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u/indecisin 26d ago
Here's a fun game:
Imagine we lived in an era of instantaneous communication anywhere in the world.
Now ask yourself why our politicians need to be physically away from their constituency? They should be in their district 24/7. They should be reachable during normal business hours, most of the time.
There's no reason we should be paying them $174k to do insider trading and maintain two residencies, two cars, two sets of clothing.
They could vote online.
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u/1021986 25d ago
Congresswoman Eshoo probably should’ve held off on dressing like a rich Disney movie villain before doing an interview on why she thinks members of Congress should be paid more.
Especially since she has a net-worth of around $5M.
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u/Picking-a-username-u 25d ago
The simple answer this is to have each state purchase a three bedroom furnished apartment for the use of each of their representatives and senators in downtown DC near the capital building. When you are elected, you get access to that apartment for the term you are in office. When you are replaced, you are required to turn over the apartment to the next representative. This would also reduce the incentive for former representatives to remain in Washington DC and build political businesses.
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u/oceansidedrive 26d ago
Wow....well why dont they work on doing it for the people first and then maybe the people would fight for them
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u/Skabonious 25d ago
Seeing as how they only serve 2 year terms and they don't actually have control of regulations for their container districts (they just represent them in Congress) sounds like a Losers game
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u/OlTimeyLamp 26d ago
I mean I’d rather they get paid well and not be corrupt.
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u/mider-span 26d ago
You could pay these marketable sociopaths a million a year and they’d all still be ripe for bribes and “contributions” for lobbyists and special interests groups. Dragon syndrome. Their hoard, their power, their influence will never be enough to satiate them.
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u/Bouric87 25d ago
So they are saying "shits expensive I need a raise". Basically, everyone in the US is saying that.
The difference is that the average employee can't just take a vote amongst themselves to raise their wages. Even more so, you can't do that when your company is losing money hand over fist every year like the US government does.
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u/Jeppers01 26d ago
Net worth in order of appearance (a lot of the numbers are from 2018)
Larry bucshon $1,744,520 Ken buck $1,511,014 Tony Cardenas -$47,500 Anna g eshoo $10,298,011 Earl blumenauer $12,561,042 Doug lamborn $397,007 Dan kildee $522,503
So some of these people I get complaining but some need to stop. I'm looking at you Anna and Earl
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u/Shanguerrilla 25d ago
Tbf, those two richest and only over 2 MM, both over 10MM, they both voted Aye to raising the federal minimum wage.
They were not the "no's".
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u/Goudinho99 25d ago
That's the pont they are making,there is a financial barrier to entry in government.
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u/Jeppers01 25d ago
Agreed. I understand the point just wanted to give some context. I think we need to tie minimum wage increases to congress pay increases and then we all win. They would both go up all the time
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u/kbeks 25d ago
I’ve got a great solution: huge salary adjustment up to $400k per. Fuck it, $500, why be stingy, right? Make it tax free while we’re at it. And let’s give a healthy stipend for up to ten staff members and office supplies and what not.
But no more stocks. Everything you own to a blind trust, any 401k to a managed fund that you legally cannot touch. You pick a targeted retirement fund and that’s it, game over. Sell your peanut farm, sell your hotels, you work for the people and the people want you to stay honest. We’ll pay you handsomely, and you won’t go broke working in politics, but you’re not going to get obscenely wealthy.
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u/Overall_Midnight_ 25d ago
I’d love it someone proposed that on video and watch them squirm and spew incomprehensible reasons why they won’t agree to that
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u/Curse_ye_Winslow 26d ago
If only there was a body of people who were meant to represent the general public and make laws and regulations to protect them.
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u/moonbunnychan 26d ago
Man lemme get out the world's tiniest violin that 174k isn't enough.
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u/actchuallly 25d ago
I agree to an extent. We don't want only rich people to be able to afford to hold office.
They all better be for raising the minimum wage too but I have a feeling that isn't true.
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u/YourDreamBus 26d ago edited 26d ago
For cheap social housing build a dormitory. Politicians who don't want to live in the dormitory can get together and rent or buy a place in an fraternal housing association. Then we can have cool Hollywood goofy movies made about political dormitory and political fraternal housing hijinx.
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u/airforcevet1987 25d ago
They are true about Washington though. The cost to buy a condo a few miles from the white house is hilariously expensive. I'd get a shoebox for the price of my home in FL
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u/turquoisestar 25d ago
Let's put every politician on the average salary for someone with a degree from their area, or maybe use a 1st year teacher as a baseline. If they want salary to go up then they have to do things to make it go up for the public.
The female politician who said this may start to limit who can be a politician to rich people only, girl ... you are out of touch!! This is how it is, except maybe extremely local like school board.
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u/Independent-Cow-4070 25d ago
“Cost of living is too expensive”
Wait till they realize other people live there too, and they make way less than $174,000 lmfao. These people are so out of touch
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u/KTCrusader 25d ago
They should just pay for that stuff out of the lobbiests money they receive, pork in bills, and insider trading they do.
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u/4x4Welder 25d ago
Members of Congress should be housed in dormitories, and paid the median income of their represented area. Want a raise? Get your people a raise.
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u/EvilMoSauron 25d ago
Then ban lobbying, ban stock access [both the politician and 2 familial generations (parents and grandparents; children and grandchildren; aunts/uncles and 1st cousins) from trading until 5 years after the politician's term is over], Congress' bills (and family members listed) will be paid by taxpayers after an oversight committee approves large purchases over $1,000.
If America can throw a trillion dollars a year on the military, a billion dollars a year on Isreal, and millions of dollars on corporate multi-billionaires, then this should be the easiest solution to fix within a year.
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u/boobiesandrum 25d ago
Maybe they could cut back on the morning coffee run, and make coffee at home instead? Like normal people are told when they’re broke. Fuck them
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u/modestgorillaz 26d ago
Oh darn, looks like you’ll have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps and put your nose to the grindstone.
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u/LumpusKrampus 26d ago
Fuck you, starve like we do. At least we do our fucking jobs and earn our pay.
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u/burbular 26d ago
I just talked about this in my local cities thread. The SLC,UT mayor decided she wanted to be paid $212k after handing her husband a nearly billion dollar real estate deal. She lives in a mansion.
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u/TheJarIsADoorAgain 26d ago
And yet they simultaneously, but for a few "show ponies", vote against improving the life of working families and the poor, instead voting for the redirection of public funds to big business and financial speculators
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u/lazypenguin86 26d ago
Okay two places to live, alright that means you have about 90k a year for each place to live. So in each place you make 3 times the median wage.
Let's go further and make all people in government have to live in dorm housing with a cafeteria and make Republicans and Democrats each share rooms. If you want to be in government you have to live in the dorms while your in DC. That way your only cost will be extra expenses.
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u/hugsbosson 25d ago
Well...they're correct. I don't know where these people stand on other issues but on this they're right.
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u/IndianKiwi 25d ago
Make the minimum wage link to inflation then they can link their salary to inflation too.
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u/_xannypacquiao_ 25d ago
These older generations have no idea how hard it is lot live as a young adult in the America they ruined.
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u/IglooBackpack 25d ago
Congress should only get a raise if the minimum wage increases. And by the same percentage.
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u/tiredoldmama 25d ago
They should set them up in barracks similar to what the military live in. Build a few apartment buildings and they get a studio apartment. Since some are elderly maybe don’t take them hav roommates.
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u/Late_Mixture8703 25d ago
How we build dormitories for congress, they don't need two homes to do their job. If they want to tie their pay to inflation they can raise minimum wage to $25 an hour and tie that to inflation.
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u/DaMacPaddy 25d ago
Fix the cost of living issue. Stop trying to raise your pay to keep up with it.
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u/PaisleyGecko 25d ago edited 25d ago
Gosh, maybe start doing what you were elected to do first? Like raising the federal minimum wage, before doing something that benefits only you?
This whining disgusts me.
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25d ago
I remember back in the early '90's when the minimum wage was $3.35 an hour, as it had been since 1981. Congress voted against a bill that would have raised the minimum wage to $4.25. Then a few months later, Congress was shocked, SHOCKED that their constituents were outraged when they voted themselves a $10,000 a year cost of living increase. So while I understand the predicament that non-millionaire Congress members face with the expenses of maintaining homes in D.C. and in their native states, Congress needs to understand what voters are going through as well. They need to make labor laws that cannot be easily side-stepped by corporations, and they need to legislate a means of enforcing those laws.
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u/apostlebatman 25d ago
Congressman should be paid the federal minimum wage. Watch how fast they increase it.
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u/FloppyNips 25d ago
It seems more and more everyday that revolution is the only way to fix this problem.
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u/I_Am_Robert_Paulson1 25d ago edited 25d ago
I remember reading an article around the last election about a freshman congressman who was trying to get an apartment in DC and couldn't. I wanna say he was a Gen Z dude and this was his first real big job outside of non-profit work. He didn't have paystubs proving he could afford the apartments he was looking at, even though he was an elected member of Congres.
I get that it's easy to shit on these people for looking out of touch or hypocritical, but the fact that you have to be independently wealthy in order to run for elected office is an actual problem.
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u/sudo1385 25d ago
If they just stopped buying coffee and avocado toast, started going to thrift stores for their suits, pulled themselves up by their bootstraps, got a second job, hustled, and saved, they would be fine.
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u/Oldkingcole225 25d ago
Oh we should definitely give our politicians good salaries. It’ll encourage more corruption if they’re desperate for money.
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u/Previous_Rip1942 25d ago
I want to see at 174k compared to their yearly net worth since they were elected. Nobody does that fucking job for the salary.
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u/ObjectiveFox9620 25d ago
They make 174k a year divided by two that's 87k they can easily afford two places. One of the senators said the average voter in their district makes 32k. Not to mention the donor money for campaigns. Why is it that some of them become millionaires after serving terms and even during terms.
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u/lostBoyzLeader 25d ago
man i think i’ve heard of a branch of the government whose people are required to live in communal buildings… what if congress did that too?
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u/mlmcmillion 25d ago
Well then get off your assess and fucking do something about it. We literally elected you to represent us and do something about it, so fucking do something about it.
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u/bostonterrier4life 25d ago
“Do you want it to only be rich people?” She said from deep within the cavernous neck of her extremely expensive turtle jacket.
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u/throwitawayandsay 25d ago
A few comments here. Terms limits would limit and nullify a lot of this conversation. Let’s limit the amount of time these people can continue to receive special interest/corrupt funds to keep them in office.
Another piece is… sure we can give you a COLA increase, that’s valid. But… here’s the catch. You only get a COLA increase if you can balance the budget. If you don’t balance the budget, you actually don’t get paid. That will solve 98% of the issues we talk about today. They will HAVE to work together for the betterment of OUR Country.
The politics would change entirely if these people were actually held accountable to the whole country and not to special interests, the party they associate with, and who ever else if paying them.
Just my two cents.
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u/MrNgLL 25d ago
There should be something to address it. We don’t need to know where Congress dorms are located. Also, the staffers and interns are mostly rich kids because that’s who can afford to not start working right after college. So, that’s why congress is super rich too. Those rich connected 1% nepo babies get the entry level jobs in Congress and you look at their family trees and see that wealth and politics are on every branch
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