Do members of Congress buy their own gasoline?

[KansDem]

Don't members of Congress have cars and drivers for their use in DC? Don't these same members have an expense allowances that would enable them to buy gasoline while home "to meet with and work among their constituents?"

Just how far removed from the reality of higher-gas prices are members of Congress? After all, could it be that "if it doesn't really hit home, it doesn't really matter" with these people?

By asking Congress to look into or investigate the sudden spike in gas prices, aren't we asking them to do something they believe there is no need to do?

[DrGonzoLives]

1. They make six figures a year

Even if they buy their own gas, they don't feel the pinch.

[Debi]

5. take that and cut it in half

as members of Congress have to maintain two homes - one in DC and one in their Districts.

I'm not saying members are poor (they are not by any means), but there are real live members who are not millionaires (probably more Democrats than republicans on that front).

[RaleighNCDUer]

17. In the House, maybe.

There's no such critter as a poor Senator.

[Debi]

21. Okay n/t

[xxqqqzme]

37. not in half - that maintain 2 house is pure BS

my house non-representaive dana whorbacher, 'rents' his local townhouse from his sister. It is about 5 blocks from the beach and should rent for at least $3500/mo. bet he doesn't pay that.

[Debi]

40. Okay, well there's one out of 535 members who abuses the system

Do you think every member has a relative that they 'rent' their house from?

[Debi]

2. Most members use public transportation

as D.C. driving is horrendus. They DO NOT have 'expense accounts' to purchase gas while at home - it's money out of their pockets or their campaign funds.

[Ready4Change]

7. Are you claiming most of them ride the bus or Metro?

I live near DC, and I find that hard to believe.

My guess would be that the ones who do regularly use public transport are few and far between.

[LA lady]

8. not in G'Town

Also there's no Metro in Georgetown

[Debi]

10. You'd know better than me, then since you live there and I don't

All I did was ask a former member of Congress - he said that most members used public transportation.

[Ready4Change]

18. Ask him what it costs him.

Ask him what stops, what lines, he uses, and how often.

Here are my guesses:

- Your congressman has no clue what public transportation fare cost.
- He is using a statement most congressmen use, and they'll point to a few, most likely Democrats, who do use it if asked to provide an example.
- And they cover their lie, ("mistatement" if you prefer) with this logic: "They pay limos or drivers for their high end automobiles with their own salaries, which come from public taxes. So in a way, that IS public transport."

I'd be happy if you can prove any or all of that wrong. Good luck.

[Debi]

25. Okay, I'll ask him

I hope that, as my husband, he's a little more honest with his responses than you give him credit for. But, since he's a former member of Congress, he must be a lying piece of shit who lived off the fatted calf of tax-payer dollars and high-rolling donors. :eyes:


On Edit:

If you are willing to believe my husband, he says that only the House and Senate Leadership had cars and drivers (and the Executive Branch). He did not own a car while living out in DC and he said that it was 50/50 to members who did own cars.

But I guess you'll have to take that with a grain of salt.

[Ready4Change]

39. Good source (grin)

Explains why you are so responsive to this topic, as well. I'll take your info as stated.

I'm curious, for those members without cars, how many used the subway or buses, and how many mostly used taxis? I used to ride the subway daily (for a couple of years) and never saw a personage of note. The subway line I used passed through some of the usual housing locations for people on the Hill. About the only equal or better odds would be the lines that come over from VA.

I also used to work for a contracting company who did some promotional work for (WAMTA? Wash. Area Metro Transit Authority?) We struggled to get government officials to promote, much less ride it. I recall a coworker lamenting about how leaders can't expect people to use mass transit if their leaders won't use it themselves.

[Debi]

44. Obviously I only have the one source, so I can't answer for the others

and he's a pretty down to earth guy, so maybe he's the exception and not the rule.

Cabs cost a bundle out there - I can't imagine a typical member spending that kind of out-of-pocket cash each day. (but I'm sure many members have the money and don't think about the expense).

[KansDem]

9. Campaign funds = "war chest"

DeLay's war chest grows to $1.4 million
He raised nearly $500,000 in the six weeks before announcing his resignation

By MICHAEL HEDGES
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay raised campaign money at a relatively high rate in the six weeks before revealing that he planned to give up his congressional seat, according to disclosures made available Monday.

The $484,475 received by his campaign from Feb. 15 to March 31 helped bring his total cash reserve to $1.4 million, which can be used for legal expenses or political activities.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/3800125.html

Of course, much of that "war chest" will go to legal fees. But can't what's left over can be spent on just about anything, including gasoline?

[Debi]

11. Sure it can.

That would equal the regular expenses of driving around the member's district to meet w/constituents - no different than any person who is reimbursed expenses incurred by travel for their jobs (just that WE aren't paying the bill - the people who contribute to the candidate are).

I'm sure there are some candidates that don't request reimbursement for every time they fill the car up w/gas to travel - I'm sure there are some who keep every freaking receipt and request reimbursement.

Either way, it's not our tax dollars paying for their district-wide travels. (Now, I think we do pay for their Congressional travels however).

[sam sarrha]

3. they just gave themselves a big raise

[WePurrsevere]

WTH? Link please. I'm not finding anything recent on an increase for them

and would appreciate a link if you have one.

TIA B-)

[Ready4Change]

20. Technically, they failed to deny themselves raises.

A while back they arranged things so that they automatically get raises unless they vote as a group against them.

Each year, somehow, that vote fails. But it gives almost 50% of them the chance to claim they were against the raise, but those greedy (liberals, conservatives) outvoted them.

Welcome to DC.

[WePurrsevere]

32. Thank you.. I remember that now that you mention it. If I remember they

also can individually turn down the increase although I don't know who has... I think Feingold may have at least once but not sure who else.

Anyway... I didn't think they had voted on a raise already this year but I miss more news then I'd like to sometimes.

Thanks for the input. B-)

[phantom power]

4. Sure, very similar to health care: Congressmen get a great health plan.

They have no personal experience what it's like to live with the crappy or nonexistent health care most Americans live with. Most Congressmen are well-off, if not independently wealthy, so they aren't directly in touch with American issues, in general. Relatively few of them have any immediate family in the military, either.

I assume there are exceptions, but for the most part they're pretty out of touch. Even if they take the time to speak with their constituents, they aren't living the same reality on a day-to-day basis.

[Debi]

6. Members of Congress are insured by Wellmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield

just like every other federal employee and have to pay a premium for insurace coverage and deductibles (no one, not even the highest elected official gets free health care).


I agree than many are independently wealthy - but it's not because they are members of Congress. That does not make a person wealthy.

[Clovis Sangrail]

15. do you work for congress or something?

While members of congress aren't getting $398 million severence packages, they are paid far far more than the average income of their constituents.

In 2005 base pay for members of the US congress was $158,000.
Extra pay is given for members of comittees, ranked positions, etc. etc.

I'm sure if we dig around we can find a plethora of "perks" like discounted flights back home, tax breaks, etc. .. but it's not needed.

With as BASE pay of $158k they are already making more than enough to not feel much of a pinch from $3/gallon gas.

...and making far far more than the vast majority of their constituents.

[Debi]

22. No, I don't work for Congress

I agree that over $150,000 makes members better off than most of us, However, they do have to maintain two homes with that income.

I don't know what other 'perks' are offered - do they get tax breaks just for serving?

[KansDem]

16. I remember a "town hall" forum with Dick Armey

Before I knew that the media was corrupt and these "town halls" were nothing more than an opportunity to use shills in "getting the GOP propaganda out."

One shill complained about his health-care insurance, about having to pay for services he would never use (forerunner to family planning exclusions? Argument for "individual health accounts?"). Anyway, Armey agrees with the shill and said something to the effect that there are services in his government-issued health insurance (which he said by law he's required to have) that he doesn't need and highlights maternity care. He said he and his wife are paying for something they won't use (kids are grown--want no more children or are past child-rearing stage). I thought "what the hell is insurance for?" To spread the cost of risk. If we all started paying for only what we needed, then expectant parents would be paying for other expectant parents. Cancer patients would be paying for other cancer patients, etc. I thought as I listened to Armey bitch and moan about his health insurance, something that 40+ million Americans don't have, why would younger members of Congress would want to be paying for services that are used more by older members like Armey and his wife? It became evident that Armey and the GOP were using these "town hall forums" to spread disinformation in order to bolster their agenda.

I began to realize then that the myth of the liberal media was just that--a myth.

[in_cog_ni_to]

23. The "perks of the job" DO make them wealthy!

Otherwise...Congress critters who have been in office for a gazillion years would have left after 1 or 2 terms in office. They leave Congress as very wealthy people and it's because of the perks they get.

[Debi]

27. Could you go into detail about these 'perks'

Only because I feel that my husband has been cheated - he served in Congress for three terms and didn't get any 'perks' when he left office. Maybe we can apply for these perks retroactively?

[in_cog_ni_to]

34. Ah, your husband must not have played their games.

Was he a republican?

Perks...think Jack Abramoff.

[Debi]

36. My husband IS a Democrat - and did a damn good job while in office

and this is getting old.

The Jack Abramoff 'perks' were not paid for by tax-payer dollars. (And the crooks that took his bribes don't deserve to be in office).

Not all members are pieces of garbage - many believe that they are in office to serve the over 500,000 people they represent.

No all members are there to sit on their asses and live off of us, they work for their earnings and try to make this a better place.

But we don't see them on CNN or in the tabloid press.

Yet we'll demonize all of them.

[in_cog_ni_to]

47. Not ALL members of Congress are garbage, just ALL REPUKE members.

What's getting old? Knowing that our congress people don't give a rats ass about us? I agree. Lets see...the bankruptcy bill. Joe Biden's son is connected to MBNA and Biden (DEMOCRAT) was instrumental in stopping that bill from being killed.

http://www.pnionline.com/dnblog/attytood/archives/001551.html

Perk...you donate so much to MY CAMPAIGN and I'll do this for you in congress. OR, give me this amount of $$$$ for my own personal bank acct and I will take your idea to the floor of Congress.

You want a new bridge in your city? Pay up, buddy. perks, perks, perks.

How about Cunningham who was just sent to prison? Do you actually believe he's the only member of Congress who did those things? He just got caught. I would say the majority of Congress critters have "perks" just like Cunningham's. They're a bunch of crooks.

Shall I mention all the money they've wasted on the illegal invasion of Iraq? I wonder how many members of Congress own defense company stocks? Their "perks" may look legal, but they're indeed shady.

[Sammy Pepys]

12. I've seen Barney Frank many times...

...cruising around in the Chrysler something or other he drives.

[Mrspeeker]

13. Its a tax write off for them

Or a lobbyist gas card if you support the right people!

[mtnsnake]

14. I doubt they have to pay for squat, including gasoline, hotels, meals, etc

Most likely, even their vacations are paid for like those handy little conventions in Hawaii which are 2 days of meetings and 12 days of golf.

Put it on my tab!

[Debi]

28. Do you think every member of Congress is like that? n/t

[mtnsnake]

48. If I had to guess I'd say yes. See post #26, too.

[newportdadde]

19. They don't live in our world. Bush I - grocery scanner? McCain - lettuce?

They have staff or 'people' who take care of the mundane things like food. Bush I when campaigning had no idea what a freakin grocery scanner was... McCain thinks 50 bucks an hour is a 'crap wage' that Americans wouldn't take to pick lettuce.

Hell these guys didn't even live in our world before they were Senators.

[Debi]

29. Although I agree that there are members like that

I doubt every member lives like a king. Don't you think some are regular people?

[in_cog_ni_to]

24. I just learned the other day, here on DU, that Congress has it's OWN

UNDERGROUND SUBWAY SYSTEM! I'm sure they don't buy gas while in DC. They probably have an expense account and NEVER pay for their own gas...WE probably buy their fuel.:grr:

[Debi]

30. No we don't

They don't have 'expense accounts' for gas. They have to pay for it either out of their own pockets or their campaign funds.

And the Subway system is public - it just conects the office buildings and the Capitol.

[in_cog_ni_to]

33. Do they have expense accts for other things?

Who do you work for?

The subway connects the office buildings and the Capitol...SOOOOOOO, they have an underground subway system, like I said.

[Debi]

35. I don't work for anybody in Congress

My husband is a former member.

Yes, the subway system connects the office buildings and the Capitol - BUT it is a public system- anyone can use it and members of Congress don't get special passes or anything to use it - they pay just like everybody else.

[KansDem]

43. "My husband is a former member"

Well, I wondered who the "We" was in post no. 30...

[Debi]

45. The 'we' in post no. 30 was

We tax payers. We don't reimburse members of Congress for their fuel expenses.

[dchill]

26. Ever hear of an expense account? n/t

[Debi]

31. Yes - but not for gasoline n/t

[Atman]

38. I don't even think they buy their own bullshit anymore!

Just sayin.

[BurtWorm]

41. JD Hayworth buys his own gas.

As a gasbag, he's got a lot of it, too.

;)

[Freddie Stubbs]

42. Most members do not have drivers

They have a finite office budget, and money spent on a driver is money they can't spend on a legislative assistant in DC or a caseworker in the district.

[Debi]

46. Stop being logical

It's not proper on this thread.

[Kansas Wyatt]

49. It comes out of their Congressional expense accounts

So, they do not care about the crybaby citizens, who only want to hurt Corporate America.

A few weeks back, there was an article about Members of Congress getting luxury autos (Lincoln Towncars, Hummers, Suburbans, Cadillacs) for Congressional use at taxpayers expense. If their luxury autos are covered, their gas bill would be certainly included. Members of Congress are smarter than they act, and have a good scam going.