-Caveat Lector- ------- Forwarded message follows ------- Date sent: Wed, 21 Mar 2001 17:40:34 -0500 (EST) To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Release: Congressional pay raise From: Libertarian Party Announcements <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Send reply to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- =============================== NEWS FROM THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY 2600 Virginia Avenue, NW, Suite 100 Washington DC 20037 World Wide Web: http://www.LP.org =============================== For release: March 22, 2001 =============================== For additional information: George Getz, Press Secretary Phone: (202) 333-0008 Ext. 222 E-Mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] =============================== U.S. House planning "sneakiest pay raise in history," Libertarians warn Americans WASHINGTON, DC -- The U.S. House is planning to give itself "the sneakiest pay raise in history," Libertarians warn: a tax-free, $165-per-day payment that would be activated the moment an obscure House panel declares their colleagues are "eligible." "These devious politicians have hatched another scheme to get rich quick at your expense, without accepting any blame," said Steve Dasbach, Libertarian Party national director. "And if we don't speak out immediately, expect this raise to be approved faster than you can say 'pickpocket.' " Just two months after accepting a raise to an exorbitant $145,100 a year, House representatives are working behind the scenes to enact a "per diem" expense allowance of $165 per working day. With about 151 legislative days per year, the raise would amount to a $25,000-a-year, tax-exempt pay hike. But as the public finds out about the maneuver, House leaders "are getting nervous," according to Capitol Hill sources, and the proposal could be shelved -- or enacted -- at any time. "This episode demonstrates that the one word that should strike fear into the hearts of every American is 'bipartisan.' After all, there's nothing more dangerous, or expensive, than Democrats and Republicans working in harmony to funnel your money into their pockets," Dasbach said. As for the amount -- $165 per working day -- he quipped: "How much would we have to pay them just to stay home?" Dasbach predicted that taxpayers would have difficulty deciding what to dislike most about "the sneakiest pay raise in history": the sneakiness itself, the greed, or the hypocrisy. * The Sneakiness: "To avoid publicity, Congressional leaders agreed to delegate the power to approve the raise to the House Administration Committee, a low-profile panel that administers payroll and accounting," Dasbach said. "The panel of six Republicans and three Democrats can trigger the $165 per diem by simply declaring that their House colleagues are 'eligible' for it. "Why are politicians trying so hard to cover their tracks? Because they remember the public outcry over their last salary grab of $3,800 a year, which was opposed by 71 percent of the voters. But don't let them get away with delegating their dirty work to their cronies on the committee. There may be only nine conspirators, but there are 426 co-conspirators in the 435-member House -- and all of them should be held accountable." * The Greed: "If they pile a tax-free $25,000 raise on top of their lavish salaries, they will be raking in the equivalent of a $190,000 taxable salary, not including their lucrative pensions, a $3,000 tax exemption for a second home, and other benefits," Dasbach said. "And if this raise goes through, Congressional salaries will have risen an astronomical $80,600 over the last decade, meaning their raises alone will dwarf the median American family's income. It's time to stand up and say, 'Enough is Enough!' " * The Hypocrisy: "A $25,000 raise isn't enough for these money-grubbing politicians; they want a $25,000 tax-free raise!" Dasbach said. "It's obvious that House politicians have a love-hate relationship with the income tax: They love it when you pay yours, but hate having to pay theirs. You know the government is corrupt when an activity that can make politicians rich -- in this case, income tax evasion -- can get ordinary Americans thrown in jail. "That's why every American should help us combat Congress's latest salary grab. Think of it as preventing a Capitol crime." -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 2.6.2 iQCVAwUBOrlVONCSe1KnQG7RAQGyLgP8CikVtxnULdSbc54haNDnSzxbXwAsxLda N5sZJCFDgkxLiYpzk2xhWC5NNSnzicrp+hDpAf+T0E9yXa3r4N6eMwU/KU4JDZiD HbosOiYrlEMh7efeD4zlnkuXFJhNhjPTdCyjG9vX6II6Jqz5SnQ0sdjdaGc98Bfe Ty0khu2WnAk= =B+G2 -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- The Libertarian Party http://www.lp.org/ 2600 Virginia Ave. NW, Suite 100 voice: 202-333-0008 Washington DC 20037 fax: 202-333-0072 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- For subscription changes, please use the WWW form at: http://www.lp.org/action/email.html Alternatively, you may also send a message to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> with just the word "subscribe" or "unsubscribe" in the subject line. ------- End of forwarded message ------- T' A<>E<>R Forwarded as information only; no endorsement to be presumed + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without charge or profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this type of information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + Integrity has no need of rules. -Albert Camus (1913-1960) + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + The only real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes. -Marcel Proust ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The libertarian therefore considers one of his prime educational tasks is to spread the demystification and desanctification of the State among its hapless subjects. His task is to demonstrate repeatedly and in depth that not only the emperor but even the "democratic" State has no clothes; that all governments subsist by exploitive rule over the public; and that such rule is the reverse of objective necessity. He strives to show that the existence of taxation and the State necessarily sets up a class division between the exploiting rulers and the exploited ruled. He seeks to show that the task of the court intellectuals who have always supported the State has ever been to weave mystification in order to induce the public to accept State rule and that these intellectuals obtain, in return, a share in the power and pelf extracted by the rulers from their deluded subjects. [[For a New Liberty: The Libertarian Manifesto, Murray N. Rothbard, Fox & Wilkes, 1973, 1978, p. 25]] <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html">Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
