Congressional Hypocrisy: Congressional Aides Receive Bonuses

Guest Commntary

By Former US Senate Candidate Christopher Reed

United States House of Representatives Congressional Aides took bonuses for the fourth quarter 2008 totaling over $9.1 Million. Talk about hypocrisy. Our Democrat-majority-laden US House excoriates AIG for handing out bonuses to their employees (with Democrat approval mind you). Then when the heat hit the skillet from the American people, Congress immediately needed a handy scapegoat; they found their victim in AIG.

Democrat lawmakers across the board went on record saying AIG was “beyond the pale” for handing out bonuses. After all, AIG is a failing company that needed tax money to survive. Our elected leaders talk out of both sides of their mouths. Isn’t the US Government failing? Doesn’t Washington need a bail out? What have the Congressional aides done to warrant a fourth quarter bonus? At least the AIG employees were contractually promised those bonuses, not to mention being approved by Chris Dodd and his ilk.

Lest we overlook the small fact that Congressional Aides also got a $4300 raise each in January, 2009. I don’t know about your job and your economic situation, but apparently our Government is running so smoothly everyone that works on Capital Hill deserves raises and bonuses. Congressional grandstanders are clamoring for AIG employees to give the bonuses back or risk being taxed at 90% on those bonuses. Therefore, should we, as the tax paying public, demand the Congressional Aides give back their bonuses and rescind their raises until the US Government is in the black and functioning fiscally responsible?

President Obama promised transparency in Washington. How many of you reading this now, are just hearing about it for the first time? A “scandal” like AIG bonuses hits and it is front-page fodder for newspapers and lead story on the drive-by media. But the same government that approved said bonuses pulls the exact same tactic and mum’s the word. Real leaders stand up and admit when they are wrong. Real leaders are willing to take lumps and lashes when warranted. Cowards and Grandstanders hide behind the mistakes of others and point fingers to cast blame away from them selves. I ask you, which do you believe we have running the show in D.C.?

It is high time “We the People” begin holding those culprits liable. It is high time that we don’t reward bad behavior by reelecting these people. It is high time we all start to realize that elections have consequences. I’m not saying the Congressional Aides are bad people. I’m not saying they don’t work hard. What I am saying is that you can’t deride one entity for doing something that you yourself just got done doing.