St. Cloud Times Op-Ed: Washington Must Cut, Just As America Has

Op-Ed

As you struggle to make you car or mortgage payments and watch your retirement and college savings dwindle, Congress shouldn't be spending your money to pad our own paychecks or fund our own pet projects.

That's why I voted Wednesday to stop members of Congress — including myself — from receiving a pay raise.

Some Americans have been affected more than others, but belt tightening has become almost universal — with the obvious exception being Washington. Your representatives in Congress should be tightening belts too. The last Americans who should be receiving a pay raise right now are members of Congress who are here in Washington to serve you.

That's why in addition to voting against the pay raise, I am also a co-sponsor of the Stop the congressional Pay Raise Act.

Washington is asking Americans to bear down and make sacrifices as our country finds its way out of our economic rut, and Washington would be wise to heed that advice and do the same. While stopping this pay raise from taking effect is only one small step compared to the trillions in spending we've already spent, at least it's a step in the right direction.

Washington should not expect you to make sacrifices we're not willing to make ourselves, and I hope the bipartisan action displayed in support of stopping the pay raise will continue and we'll work together to put taxpayers first in the future. It's not our money; it's your money — and at times like this, you need as much of it as you can get.

If you've cut back your spending, it's only fair that we cut back ours. Taxpayers are struggling enough in this weakened economy and it is time Congress started to show respect for the American people and stop increasing the weight of their financial burdens. The spending spree has to stop.

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