PA Congressional Pay Hike Raises Eyebrows

While many Pennsylvanians are struggling to figure out how they can pay their real estate taxes before the end-of-the-year deadline, the PA congress not only votes an extra $11,403 onto their base pay, but those on committee chairs receive an additional $4,050. Speaking in terms of percentage, the pay hikes ranged from 16% - 34%, while most of their constituents are lucky to see a 3% raise. At least the past congressional bodies, in their wisdom, made a congressman's pay increase not take affect until the following election term. But like any enterprising citizen would attempt, lawmakers looked for---and found---loopholes in the law that allows them to take "unvouchered expenses" and thus have access to the piles of tax dollars being shoveled into their waiting accounts.

No one would argue that being a state legislator is a huge responsibility. Nor would many argue that pay raises are acceptable. As a matter of fact, according to columnist John Grogan of the Philadelphia Inquirer, lawmakers have received a cost of living pay raise every year for the past decade. It is just difficult to swallow when their latest raise exceeds some citizen's gross annual salary. It is really sticky business when a governing body is responsible for approving its own raises. Rather an awkward position, don't you think? But cheer up. Many of these legislators have businesses or investments back home bringing in plenty of cash for the family. For those individuals, you might call the legislative salary "pin money".

Grogan reported that the salary deal was "hammered out behind closed doors without public airing or input and passed without discussion at 2 a.m., moments before lawmakers fled the Capitol for summer recess."

Supreme Court Justice Ralph J. Cappy, the state's top jurist, called the raises "reasonable and responsible" as part of a spirited public defense he led against the public outcry. Oh yeah, he forgot to mention that he benefited an additional $22,300 out of the deal cut by congressional leaders. Most of us could get a little spirited if our boss offered that kind of pay jump!

Mr. H. William DeWeese, (D) PA House Minority Leader defended the move by saying it would attract "high minded and intelligent" young people into politics. That almost sounds plausible. But the aftermath of this midnight move will resonate with even the most stupid citizen and remind them that politics is a dirty game; anyone who doesn't conform to the lead players are stripped of power and hung out to dry. Read on.

Every day, some bureaucratic government group blows a few million too much?..on a program, a dumb idea, a failing project, or yes, even on their own pay raises. The public is "ripped up" for awhile, being again reminded of the fiscal irresponsibility, the fatness of government agencies, and the desperate struggle for each group to justify why they should continue to sit at the office desk each day. But it always blows over, because citizens have greater things to worry about: the roof is leaking, the wife's car needs new tires, and the husband's boss just told him that there is going to be a layoff next month. Any one of these problems may be all that your monthly budget can bear, and so in focusing on our own realities, the "unreality show" in Harrisburg soon takes a back seat in the thoughts of the day.

There is a larger travesty taking place with this pocket-filling that stinks worse than the dead groundhog your neighbor left lying in the fencerow. And the opportunity for corrupt actions as a result of these raises looms fierce before the faces of lead politicians.

It is the House Minority Leader's responsibility to oversee the assignment of committee leadership positions. These positions often provide additional power to a legislator, giving him the opportunity to push his/her own agenda forward with more tenacity. It also comes with a significant salary increase. After the vote was tallied for the salary hike, a number of committee leadership positions went through a major shuffle. Fifteen House Democrats were stripped of their committee leadership positions (12 subcommittee chairmen and 3 committee vice chairmen)? AND their pay for those positions. Quite coincidentally, ALL 15 DEMOCRATS that received these demotions were members who had voted against the pay raises!

To borrow Mr. Grogan's line, "oil on ice doesn't get this slimy."

When questioned about the event, DeWeese's spokesman said it was just a "shuffling of positions" and that the reassignments were purely coincidental. The spokesman said that Mr. DeWeese has the discretion to act as he sees fit.

Wow. We're not sure if that is really "seeing fit". It appears more to be "taking a fit".

All of this brings us back to those bright young people that congressional leaders are trying to attract. Well, if you're greedy, and you can play dirty, then politics might be in the cards. But the lesson here is to follow the leader, or be assigned to choosing paint colors for the state's sign posts. Now that sounds like representative government at its finest.

Rep. Richard T. Grucela, D-Northhampton, was one member who was stripped of his vice chairman's post on the agriculture and rural affairs committee after voting against the raise. When questioned by a reporter, Grucela said, "It was probably to be expected. I understand how the institution works."

On the opposite side of the aisle, a spokesman for House Majority Leader Sam Smith stated that the House Republicans had no plans to make similar committee and subcommittee reassignments.

State representative Kerry Benninghoff, R-College Township, Centre County, and representative Mike Hanna, Centre/Clinton counties, both voted against the pay raise. Hanna was one of the casualties who was demoted. Representative Lynn Herman, R-Phillipsburg, and State Senators Jake Corman, R-Benner Township and John Wozniak, D-Johnstown, all voted in favor of the raise.

Mr. DeWeese has certainly received his share of media pressure from the huge coincidence, in his endeavor to do "what he sees fit". It comes with a perk though; DeWeese's salary rose from $100,911 to $134,771 annually.

Perhaps the public needs to follow DeWeese's statements, and do what WE see fit; contact your congressmen and Governor Rendell to express your concerns. Only by becoming active in the business of democracy will people remain in a democracy. The Governor can be reached at 225 Main Capitol Building, Harrisburg, 17120. Phone him at (717) 787-2500; or email his office at governor@state.pa.us .

Internet users can find information for their own (or any other) PA representative by logging onto www.legis.state.pa.us/ . Learn how your representative voted at www.pacleansweep.com/. Log onto the Trees 'n' Turf web pages and view our bulletin board for updates to the story, or email us for additional contact information such as addresses for your representative. Our website is http://www.clouserfarm.net/ .

Tell them you're watching. Tell them you're not impressed. And tell them that after you're done working overtime to pay for the kids' school shoes, you're gonna vote them out of more than just their committee chair.

Tom Clouser is a 38 year old farmer in Pennsylvania. In addition to farming, he and his father publish a monthly 16-page newspaper called "Trees 'n' Turf", which targets subjects of interest to those in land use industries and activities. View their website at http://www.clouserfarm.net

Wood Dale Chicago prom limo .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare
In The News:

Fueled by artificial intelligence, CyberDog the robotic dog is designed specifically locate fire ant nests, which are endangering ecosystems.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents
Internet browsers are useful, but they can be dangerous. Clicking on malicious links can direct you to dangerous websites that steal information or infect your device.
Apple's latest iOS update introduces advanced artificial intelligence capabilities, which may be capturing and analyzing sensitive information.
Breach site confirmed 56,904,909 Hot Topic users' data leaked online. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says the company's silence makes matters even worse.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson discusses how an innovative Easy-Way kit turns standard strollers electric, simplifying navigation for parents.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about T-Mobile being hacked in broad cyberattack on global phone and internet companies.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson shows you how to add, customize and manage widgets for quick access to apps and info from your iPhone home screen.
Wrong Google searches can not only compromise your device and personal data. They can also bring law enforcement to your doorstep. Hackers are targeting Google searches.
China's Shanghai Kepler Robotics has developed a new humanoid robot that can carry up to 35 pounds per hand for commercial applications across various industries
Checking your hearing has gotten easier with the new hearing test feature in AirPods Pro 2. You can take reliable hearing tests using your iPhone or iPad.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains how a VPN — virtual private network — works and how running it can slow down the operation of your device.
The WalkON Suit F1, an exoskeleton developed to help people with disabilities, can actually walk over to a person in a wheelchair, solving a major problem.
ClickFix, a new scam targeting computer users, is on the rise in the U.S. The scam prompts its targets to click on a link to fix a problem.
Skydweller is the world's largest unmanned solar-powered aircraft that can stay airborne for weeks, and even months, without refueling.
The U.S. government said it is investigating after People's Republic of China hackers targeted commercial telecommunications service providers in the U.S.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Scammers are using increasingly sophisticated ways to lure unsuspecting victims, and some are impersonating an email help desk or support team.
You can unsend or edit your iMessages with the latest iOS updates. Kurt the CyberGuy explains how you can save yourself some potential embarrassment.
Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says there’s been a rise in cybercriminal services using hacked police and government emails to send subpoenas and data requests to U.S. companies.
Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson discusses how Axiom Space and luxury designer Prada are collaborating on NASA's Artemis III spacesuit design.
Voice assistants may cause confusion across devices. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson offers some solutions to fix it.
Shameless scammers trick veterans into giving personal info or cash. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson explores five common scams.

The Criminality of Transition

Lecture given at the Netherlands Economic Institute (NEI) on 18/4/2001Human... Read More

Free Markets, Farmers, and GM Crops

Many are condemning the latest GM Terminator seeds. Yet there... Read More

Ex-CIA Folks are Problematic

Those who are above the law or act as such... Read More

Gone With the Wind Almost Did Not Make It

Corporate America has been shaken recently by lawsuits and criminal... Read More

Rants by Lance: BRAC Committee Talks Irrelevant Completely

It is amazing we have so many men, who belong... Read More

The Distributive Justice of the Market

(1) Each person is to have an equal right to... Read More

To Grow Out Of Unemployment

There is a connection between economic growth and unemployment. There... Read More

Tax Dollars and Transparency of Government Agencies

As we watch fewer Americans voting it is no wonder... Read More

Clearing Land Mine Fields from the Air

You know we have sent many, many army tanks with... Read More

Plastics In Our Nations Dumps and Landfills

Long Term Environmental Effect of Plastics, Composites and Other Materials... Read More

Federal Trade Commission Franchising Website Needs Updating

Many times our government regulatory over embellish problems in the... Read More

Screening Trucks and Containers Coming Into Our Country

We presently have adequate sniffer devices in this country to... Read More

Mr. Bin Laden: Tear this Wall Down

You say, you want to help the Palestinians, but most... Read More

Boston Bankers

Many people make a lot of money in war. In... Read More

Protecting Our Buses from International Terrorists

We know that the International Terrorists like the idea of... Read More

Farming Human Clones

If someone wanted to farm future clones they would need... Read More

Where have all the Heroes gone

America is filled with standouts and perserverance; our nation has... Read More

World Moving from Socialism to Capitalism

The recent Jakarta summit of Asia and Africa brought remembrance... Read More

Another Round of EU-Iran Talks Starts April 10 - Will Iran Be Referred To The UN Security Council?

Iran's objection to ratifying the International Atomic Energy Agency's Additional... Read More

Elliot Spitzer Sued By Feds

It appears the Feds are suing Elliot Spitzer over his... Read More

The Internet Right ? Are They Doing It Right

It looks overall like the liberals are advocating for no... Read More

Treasury Department Falls Short on Blocked Persons List

I would like to discuss the blocked persons list of... Read More

Abu Ghraib: Our Surprise is the only Surprise

As pictures and videos surface showing young American soldiers humiliating... Read More

National Archives Needs to Embed RFID Tags in Ink

Perhaps we should have printers with ink which has metallic... Read More

The Gay Male Agenda for Political Dominance

I would like to pose a question. I am unsure... Read More

Antigo wedding limo ..