Bogus Memes and Those Who Believe Them

There’s no shortage of incomplete knowledge driven and disseminated by partisan zealots. The meme below is a wonderful example of both.

This originally showed itself on a Facebook post. I responded:

You really have no idea, do you? Congress has had no pay raise since 2009. They are supposed to get a COLA every year and have refused it for the last 10. Meanwhile the CPI has increased by 19.59% over that period so, in essence, Congress has had a salary cut of almost 20 percent from 2009-2019. Have you seen a 20% decrease in your spending power? Did you turn down the annual Social security COLA? Even If all 535 members of Congress got no pay whatsoever until the current 22 trillion debt was paid off, it would take 236 years!

Social security isn't a "pot" of money and would take too long to explain.

The meme to the left shows the lack of understanding exhibited by those too quick to post and too slow to do the work to discern the truth.

The Congressional pay raise if accepted, would amount to a percentage (in the 2% range) based on the same index as Social Security COLAs. In other words, the legislation was passed years ago and is completely out of any individual’s hands. Meanwhile the CPI has risen 19% over the period since Congress refused the raises beginning in 2009.

As for the debt, the deficit adds to it every year. Indeed, Obama had large deficits due to the great recession. Remember, his first year was the last Bush budget with almost half a trillion of the TARP included. (not criticizing Bush, just making the point). Adjusted for inflation it is similar to the FDR issues during terms 3 and part of four. 

       It (the initial huge Obama deficit) was driven by much lower tax receipts ($400 billion less in 2009!) due to Bush 43 tax cuts and epidemic home-owner defaults and bankruptcies while spending on wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which Obama also inherited, the deficit steadily decreased through the Obama last five years.

       What is far more difficult to grasp is why, in what Trump, himself, brags on as a "booming economy" The deficit is on track to be, in just one four-year term, 91% of Obama's total for two terms during a huge recession. Imagine, doing all this while giving huge tax cuts to the wealthy, gutting environmental protection and playing more golf in 2 1/2 years than Obama did in 8 years. In fact, Trump's golf has cost (so far) more than a year of Congressional salaries.

       Perhaps you might look elsewhere to vent? The best Trump quote on his huge "prosperity “deficit?" “We won't be here by then!" This is the same Trump who campaigned that he would "Balance the Federal budget fairly quickly". Instead he cut taxes and increased spending, aided by a Congress dominated by his own party. Tell me again why he's even marginally competent?

Not unexpectedly, the response by the original poster was:

“I think some of the additional benefits they get has helped them survive.”

       It was at this point that I realized that I was dealing with the “Congressmen get all their shit free!” fallacy as well as general lack of information.

So, being me, I leapt back into the fray:

       Not my point at all, the meme is a lie, pure and simple, and as for the "additional benefits", I suspect you don't really know what they are. They (Members of Congress) are required to pay for their own health care insurance and most are part of a federal employees group, just like a clerk in the Patent Office,  unless they buy private coverage. They can't use Walter Reed or any other hospital "free" as some have suggested. They don’t get free haircuts. Their retirement plan isn't vested until five years. A two term Representative gets no retirement at all! Under no circumstances can their retirement be more than 80 % of their "high five." They get no free housing or even housing allowance. In fact, some junior members actually sleep in their office while in DC. A USN retiree at 30 years, maybe 52 years old, gets 75% of high five and health care insurance for life, a Congressman draws nothing until 62, and it isn't portable.

         I don't love Congress either, but crap like this meme are simply lies and some are willing to believe it. In fact, compared to civilian sector individuals with comparative responsibility and authority, members of Congress are barely comparably paid. Why are you angry at Congress when football coaches are paid millions?

      As a Floridian, if you really want a righteous cause, consider that your taxes pay our 31 members of Congress (in salary) $5.4 million annually. On the other hand, your Florida state sales taxes and/or children’s exorbitant tuition, pay the top five football coaches (just football, not including all the other high-profile sports) out of more than 40 state schools, a total of just short of $15 million annually. What has a football coach done for you lately?