Dear Sir,

Good day, Sir, I trust you are well. I am writing to you regarding an article from the September 5 edition of the Times-Dispatch.

The article, on page A2 titled, “House OKs 2.2 percent pay raise for itself”, left me enraged. The fact that our nation has moved away from “Citizen Legislators” to “Professional Politicians” is never more apparent than when congress votes itself a pay-raise in the face of the dire fiscal picture they continue to paint for the rest of us.

The citizenry is told that the government cannot afford tax-cuts. The deficit is destroying our nation. Congress simply cannot curtail its spending. How will we fund all of those oh so necessary social programs? We must all tighten our fiscal belts and do what is right for the country. And yet, congress always seems to find enough money to give themselves a pay-raise when they so desire. True leadership would be exhibited by refusing to accept such a raise given that congress is already paid entirely too much for what they do.

Given all the other stipends that our elected servants receive (housing, transportation, health-care, etc.) it is the height of chutzpah for them to increase their pay while at the same time clamoring about the “bad” economy. If they would only show the same consideration for the private sector and stay out of our business perhaps their self-indulgence would be a bit more tolerable.

Instead of giving themselves an underserved raise perhaps they could take that 2.2 percent and give a much-needed pay-raise to our military personnel. Now that would be an expenditure that I could accept.

Sincerely,

Floyd C. Bayne