“I think the American people should know that the members of Congress are underpaid,” he said. “I understand that it’s widely felt that they underperform, but the fact is that this is the board of directors for the largest economic entity in the world.”   

He added that some members sleep in their offices or in “small little apartment units” when they are in Washington, D.C.

You may be surprised to learn that the President is getting paid less than when George Washington was in office (adjusted for inflation).  Congress only started getting an annual salary since the Civil War (before that it was on a per diem basis) and while it is less than it was 100 years ago when adjusted, it’s still higher than it’s been some years.

There is an argument to be made that if the salaries are too small, qualified people just won’t seek the job.  The best example I can think of locally is here in Pennsylvania, where we elect District Magistrates.   These judges do not have to be lawyers.  They mostly sign warrants and handle traffic tickets and other small claims, but over the years have been given more and more responsibilities for criminal cases, too.  In exchange, the salaries and benefits have increased and now lawyers often run for and win these positions, because previously the salary was so low it wasn’t worth giving up your practice.  (Mind you, I’m talking about salaries in the $70,000 range, not the $174,000 range.)  Most lawyers like me are still paying off huge student debts and I don’t think many people would say a $70,000 salary is unreasonable for that job.

Congress, however, has many perks we don’t get, and they’re getting paid a lot more than $70,000.  Yes, they have to do lots of travel back and forth to their districts but there are expense accounts for that.  And there doesn’t seem to be a dearth of people running for their positions.  Do we really think people who believe the salary is too low are our best representatives?

Meanwhile, the divide between Congress and the people they represent keeps growing, with more than half of Congress made up of millionaires.   While the average American watches their earning power dwindle as the economy putters along, the rich just keep getting richer, and that includes the millionaires in Congress.  No wonder so many of them don’t understand what we are going through.

So no, Congressman Moran, I don’t think Congress is underpaid.   Maybe if some of the very rich aren’t interested in running for office because it doesn’t pay enough, we might get more average Americans running.

And that could be a good thing…