Former Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz plans to formally resign from office on Friday, but on the way out the door he's calling for more federal largess.
Chaffotz participated in the interview with The Hill in which he called for providing members of Congress with a monthly housing stipend.
“I really do believe Congress would be much better served if there was a housing allowance for members of Congress,” Chaffetz told The Hill in an interview in his Capitol office, where he sleeps whenever he’s in Washington. “In today’s climate, nobody’s going to suggest or vote for a pay raise. But you shouldn’t have to be among the wealthiest of Americans to serve properly in Congress.” [...]
“Washington, D.C., is one of the most expensive places in the world, and I flat-out cannot afford a mortgage in Utah, kids in college and a second place here in Washington, D.C.,” Chaffetz said. “I think a $2,500 housing allowance would be appropriate and a real help to have at least a decent quality of life in Washington if you’re going to expect people to spend hundreds of nights a year here. ...
“There are dozens upon dozens of members living in their offices, and I don’t know how healthy that is long term.”
If Chaffetz is having trouble balancing his finances, maybe he should sell his iPhone.
That is what he told people who can't afford health care, isn't it? Chaffetz is fortunate in that he doesn't have to worry about the cost of health care as a member of Congress, but most Americans do.
Maybe Chaffetz should display some personal responsibility. Maybe his children should pay for their own education. Maybe he should refinance his mortgage. Maybe he should, you know, grab his bootstraps and yank them.
That's what Republican would say to average people having financial difficulty, isn't it?
Congressional salaries of over $170,000 put members of Congress in the top 10 percent of earners in the country, but that apparently isn't enough for conservatives who regularly blast poor people.