Freshman Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said in March that she'd like a taxpayer-funded pay raise.
"Members are paid more than avg - but job reqs 2 residences + we can’t take tax deductions for work costs," she said on Twitter, arguing that U.S. Representatives deserve a higher salary.
Now it looks like she might be getting her wish!
House Democrats proposed this week to end the freeze on pay increases for members of Congress, which would raise their pay next year from $174,000 per year to $178,500 -- a $4,500 increase.
But while some members of Congress have vowed not to take the money, AOC is sticking to her guns.
“I think that all people in the country should get cost-of-living adjustments,” Ocasio-Cortez told The Hill this week. “I think the entire country should have the health care that we have. I think the entire country should have cost-of-living adjustments. Which is why I’m comfortable with it because I fight for those consistently across my platform.”
Considering members of Congress enjoy a 20 percent approval rating and a net worth over ten times the average American, it's safe to say that most people don't share AOC's perspective.
Pennsylvania Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick explained the reason for Americans' frustrations with Congress.
"Congress has failed to pass a budget, failed to pass appropriations bills, repeatedly shut down the government, and allows our immigration and heath care systems to continue to deteriorate. Members of Congress don't deserve a pay raise while failing to do their job as hardworking Americans show up to work every day, complete their work, and still live paycheck to paycheck," Fitzpatrick said in a statement.
Fitzpatrick gets it, but many members of Congress don't. And even though Democrats appear to be backing off the issue, the problem remains. Representatives like Ocasio-Cortez don't see their jobs as a service to the American people, and they don't care about the ballooning national debt or the massive, wasteful bureaucratic system.
They care about enriching themselves, growing their "brand," and getting Twitter famous.
The children in Congress have been in charge long enough. It's time for the American people to take control, and they can do it with an Article V Convention of States.
A Convention of States is called and controlled by the states under Article V of the Constitution and has the power to propose constitutional amendments. These amendments can force Congress to do its job -- balance the budget, reduce the deficit and debt, and get out of the daily lives of American citizens.
Millions of patriots have joined the fight, and you can too! Sign the Petition below to tell your state legislators that you want them to call for the first-ever Convention of States.
