The Republican's latest approach to the debt ceiling sounds like a sensible first step in trying to get the government's financial house in order, but when the details are examined, it's patently clear that the Grand Old Party's latest scheme is nothing more than smoke and mirrors. The proposal I'm referring to grants the federal government a three-month extension on the government's debt limit, but ties Congressional pay to the passing of a federal budget. There are two very good reasons why this proposal won't work: (1) it is unconstitutional, and (2) at least half the members of Congress wouldn't miss a paycheck.
Article I, Section 6, Paragraph 1 of the Constitution of the United States directs that "Senators and Representatives shall receive a compensation for their services…" That means the members of Congress are entitled to be paid for their work, regardless of whether legislation is enacted or not, and any law passed to deny Congressional compensation runs afoul of the expressed wording of our federal Constitution. Denying members of Congress compensation might be a feel-good proposition for taxpayers, but it's just as unconstitutional as, let's say, banning handguns.
Moreover, it's highly unlikely that many members of Congress would miss their paycheck. The Center for Responsive Politics examined the financial disclosure statements of all members of Congress and found that almost half were millionaires. Two-thirds of the Senate fit in that category. The Center reported that the average net worth of all Senators was $2.63 million dollars in 2011, whereas the average American household income during that same year was about $50,000 dollars. The average Joe living hand-to-mouth might miss a paycheck, but not the average Senator.
A much more effective proposal than the G.O.P. advocates would be one that banned members of Congress from campaigning, conducting fundraisers and accepting political contributions during any yearly quarter where the government is running without a budget. Of course, such a plan would be just as unconstitutional as the one Republicans are now advancing, but Mr. and Mrs. John Q. Public would get some satisfaction out of thinking that members of Congress had their backs against the wall too.
Nothing talks in Congress like political contributions. Shut off that spigot and Congress would surely take notice!
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