Raise the pay rate to attract better politicians?

[Black Irish]

Here's a link from Freakonomics where they examine the idea of getting a better grade of politicians if you raise their pay scale.

Freakonomics » Would Paying Politicians More Attract Better Politicians?

I'm skeptical of this really working. I don't think too many people get into politics for the money. So many of them are actually taking a pay cut when they take office. This may make sense on the local level, where a lot of city/county council members are part time and don't make much. But on the national level, you've basically guaranteed yourself a 6 or 7 figure lobbyist job after only serving a few terms in Congress. Yet so many of them don't cash out, but just hang around for 20-30-40 years. I'd say the power and the prestige is more attractive for most politicians. Thoughts? Opinions?

 

[DSully1995]

I think increased pay along with voters holding politicians accountable for their actions could really have an effect. No one wants to serve for 2 or 3 terms, especially with more pay youd need less corporate support so you could make decisions based on the good of the people and not have to worry about the money (as much).

 

[adsnorri]

I say pay them minimum wage....I bet they start helping some of the broke folks then, which is approximately the whole country. Pay them commission on the impacts they have on the community and the world. How many ppl have you saved, helped or hurt? There is some accountability! Prestige should be given to those who make a difference, not the millionaire who wins a popularity contest. This post may sound way out but I dont think this country has seen the worst yet and we need some policies changed.

 

[TDHeysus]

Top level salaries in the public school district I work in make this same claim. They say their salaries need to 'competitive' in order to attract good talent.

a few years ago the cabinet in the district I work in voted themselves a 7-10% percent pay raise, while laying off over 140 classified people. Cabinet members making 150-185K per a year voting themselves a raise, while they lay off over 140 people, the majority of which made less than 40k/yr

the raise was voted in the previous year, and didnt take effect until months later. By then lay-offs were imminent. it was said that it was just bad timing, and that it looked bad publicly, but it was necessary to keep 'the best talent' in those cabinet positions.

I dont buy it...if that argument is true for top level salaries then I think it should remain true for the lowest paid employee, as well as everything in between.

 

[Rhode Irish]

I've long held that congresspeople should be paid much more (as much as $1M/yr), but limited to one term, possibly as long as 10 years for Senators and 5 years for Reps. I think you would take a lot of the pressure off of the legislators if they were not constantly running for reelection and having to worry about funding their campaign and defending every vote they ever made to a rabid political base. You'd get legislators voting their conscience more than along strict party lines, and they would be less likely to be indebted to special interests. The increased pay would likely attract more qualified people to the office, and would have the additional benefit of providing some financial security that could make politicians further emboldened to eschew special interests.

There would probably have to be a recall function, where the voters could vote to have a mid-term election if 60% of the total number of votes in the election in which the legislator was elected vote in a recall vote to have such a mid-term election. Otherwise, everyone would get one long term to make their impact, and the elections of members would be staggered so that no single election totally changes the makeup of the legislative body.

That has been my proposal for years now.

 

[irishpat183]

This would only work if term limits were in the deal.

And I"m not for giving these crooks a pay raise. Especially with the economy the way it is now.

 

[Irish Houstonian]

"Better politicians?" Politics already attracts those Americans who are the very best at running for office. And it will always be that way in a direct democracy, winner-take-all district format.

So to say that there are a bunch of "great politicians" just sitting on the sidelines, getting their haircut everday, making speeches, dodging questions, but not running for office because of low pay, is absurd. Raise their salaries to millions and you'll just get washed-up celebrities.

In any event, they don't want money. Most of them have enough. They want attention and power.