Skip to main content

Corwin calls on Congress to forego paychecks if budget not passed

By Howard B. Owens

Press release from Jane Corwin's campaign:

WILLIAMSVILLE – Jane Corwin, successful businesswoman and the unanimously endorsed Republican, Conservative, and Independence Party candidate for New York’s 26th Congressional District, today called on Members of Congress to forego receiving their paychecks if they fail to avert a government shutdown.

If Congress and President Obama do not reach an agreement on how to fund the government by midnight on Friday, essential federal services will be halted. While the House has now passed two funding bills to keep the government operational and protect essential services, the Senate and the White House have both failed to act on this issue.

“The failure of Washington politicians to do their job and pass a budget that supports our military and protects our seniors represents exactly what’s wrong with Washington,” Corwin said. “The numbers are complex but the facts are simple – last year House Democrats did not even produce a budget and now as a result of Senate Democrats’ failure to act, we are on the brink of a government shutdown.”

Corwin added that Members of Congress have a responsibility to their constituents to make the difficult decisions that come with their position, and used the current situation to highlight why Washington needs to take more cues from the private sector.

“In the private sector, we face challenging situations every day. The difference is, we solve those challenges by making tough decisions, which the politicians in Washington can't seem to do or don’t want to do. And in the private sector, if you don’t get the job done, you don't get paid,” Corwin added. “If our military families will not receive their benefits during a government shutdown, then Members of Congress who have failed to act should not receive theirs.”

Brandon Burger

Forty-four-percent of members of Congress are millionaires. The median net-worth of Congressional Reps is over $600,000 in the House and $1.7 Million in the Senate.

I won't even bother to look up the percentage of millionaires in the military or their median net-worth.

Vapid. Hollow. Shallow. Corwin.

Apr 7, 2011, 6:23pm Permalink
Lisa Falkowski

Hold off Congress paychecks -YES! At what their making, they may not miss it, but they should receive the same treatment the working class does when they don't work.

Apr 7, 2011, 6:47pm Permalink
James Renfrew

I wonder if Corwin also believes that Congressional representatives should forego their government health care plans in solidarity with the people who would lose coverage if her Republican pals get their way in gutting the President's Affordable Health Care plan?

Apr 8, 2011, 12:02am Permalink
Kyle Couchman

Brandon....

I hate to enlighten you but, since most members of the military are in the enlisted ranks your gonna find very few millionaires there, at least until you reach the leadership thats more political than martial.

Apr 8, 2011, 6:07am Permalink
Ed Gentner

FYI in order for the members of congress to forego their pay they would have to pass an amendmentto do just that....where was Ms. Corwin last week when her friend House Speaker John Boehner and his friends were effectively gutting safety measure for the flying public...busy scheduling a fundraiser with John Boehner that's where...

Apr 8, 2011, 8:52am Permalink
Wayne Speed

If the democrats had done their jobs last year when they were in charge of all three branches of government - we wouldn't be having this discussion now. They could have passed any budget they wanted to at any time during that year. They knew that cuts have to be made and were unwilling to take the heat for doing so.

The writing was on the wall that the republicans would be taking the house and maybe even the senate. What a wonderful opportunity they foresaw for placing the blame for desperately needed cuts on the republicans.

Left on the path the democrats have established over the last two years - the country would be facing bankruptcy, unable to pay the interest on the debt. Then what happens to all those government programs? The money being spent is not our own. Our creditors shut off their loans to the U.S. and our entire economy fails. To include everyone - Soc. Security, medicare, medicaid and the whole shebang!

Apr 8, 2011, 9:36am Permalink
Dave Olsen

The whole thing is disingenuous as Ms Corwin or at least someone in her organization knows, that it's not possible to not pay Congress. The only way to change Congress's pay is by passing an amendment and then waiting until after the next election for it to take effect. That's so if they vote themselves a raise they supposedly would have to face their constituents before collecting. That's not working so well. Those toads keep getting re-elected. They need to acquire some sense of urgency about keeping government going, which they do not have.

Apr 8, 2011, 9:55am Permalink
Ed Gentner

Wayne, your point about the Dems having all three branches ignores the fact that Republicans in the Seanate blocked most efforts to pass a timely budget.

Apr 8, 2011, 10:08am Permalink
Brandon Burger

Kyle, I figured it was rather self-evident that there were pretty much no millionaires in the military - that's why I said I wouldn't even bother to look it up.

Apr 8, 2011, 10:10am Permalink
John Roach

Edmund,
While the Republicans blocked, or tried to block many things in the Senate, the budget was not one of them.

The Democrats in the House, where they had a clear majority to pass anything, and where the budget has to start, did not submit one. They could have, but failed.

Apr 8, 2011, 10:26am Permalink

Authentically Local