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At a time when America is struggling to stay afloat, members of Congress are paying themselves increased salaries with extraodinary benefits. Their salaries for the last three years are:

2007: $165,200
2008: $169,300
2009: $174,000

Their benefit package is nothing short of spectacular:

Lucrative Retirement Package
Personal Staff Allowances (staffers can be paid 6-figure salaries)
Huge Expense Allowances
The "Franking Privilege" (free postage)
Domestic and Foreign Travel
Outside Employment Income (as, for example, a real estate broker)
Health Care ($35 a month in 2007 for unlimited doctor visits, no deductibles, and no co-pays!)

This arrangement for compensation and benefits makes it pretty obvious that their pay and privilege is not contingent on their performance. This sets a horrible example for rest of the country.

Unfortunately, despite all the rhetoric you hear to the contrary, these circumstances make it virtually impossible for a member of Congress to relate to the average American consumer and taxpayer - and it is quite obvious that they don't.

The bottom line is that they are taking care of themselves, not you, first.

- Ed Smith, Publisher
The EHS Letter Manual