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Title: A Look At Congress Post by: Howey on December 27, 2012, 06:44:00 pm Congressional approval ratings are in the dump, but boy...do they ever have it made! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBAKTuEf6aI) Quote This year, the 112th US Congress has had an approval rating in single digits. Dumping toxic nuclear waste in your backyard had higher positive numbers. So I thought it would be interesting to get a better idea of why the public has a more affirmative opinion on something that will positively kill you than on its guardians and leaders, elected to protect you. So let’s look at Congress as a whole and some statistics. Members: Representatives: 435 Senators: 100 Total: 535 Annual Salary: Speaker: (1) $223,500. Leaders: (4) $193,400. Members: (530) $174,000. Total Congressional cost: $93,217,100. Congressional working breakdown for 2012: Days in session: 145 Average hours/day: 4 Total Hrs. in session: 580 Ave. Days absent: 25 Ave. hours attended 480 Ave. pay/Hrs. attended: individual $362.50/hr. Ave. cost/hr congressional session $194,202.25/hr. (above does NOT incl. per diem/benefits) Federal Minimum Wage : $7.25(no benefits) 2011 Median US household earnings: $29,451. (Roughly 2 weeks Congressional pay) 2012 Total Bills passed: 210 Congressional cost/bill passed: $443,890.10 (NOT including staff) Bills read entirely by representatives: Average: 4 or 2% So the next time you consider Congress, consider this: At best it’s a part-time job and like most part-time jobs in the real world, you would be earning minimum wage or slightly higher. |