5 ms·

Members of Congress make $174,000 a year. Some people here make significantly more, but I don't think it's most.

by chc 7y ago

PudgePacket 7y ago
There are only 535 members of congress. If you're good enough to be top 500~ in the country at something you could _probably_ make more money (lobbying/extra curricular excluded...) doing something else.
- Tostino 7y ago
  Probably very true for the laughable amounts of money I generally see in news stories about political corruption. It really seems like it should take more to buy a politician than a 20k bribe for a pardon for example (https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/ky-governor/2019/12/13/bevin-pardons-kentucky-lawmaker-calls-new-ag-investigate/2636713001/ https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/ky-gover...)
- pbhjpbhj 7y ago
  Well if you want the top 500 people at benefiting society then if they earn much more than the median societal income they're almost certainly then not in the top 500 people at benefiting society. If you want the top 500 people at benefiting you, and only people like you, and making sure that society as a whole doesn't benefit, even by preserving the planet for them ... yeah, sure, pay oodles.
Silhouette 7y ago
Members of Congress make $174,000 a year. That might be their official salary (I'm assuming?) but unless senior politicians in the US are different to almost everywhere else, that will likely only represent a proportion of their total income as a result of their political career. Between the perks that come with the job while it's happening and the consultancies and board positions and speaking engagements that come afterwards or even during, a politician who reaches that kind of level is probably going to make far more money from it than just their salary.
- nullc 7y ago
  People who are at the top of whatever they do also have many other forms of income-- consultancies, speaking engagement, board positions, but also often get paid better. ...and except for media celebs are usually not in the public limelight. Being in the public limelight frequently stinks.
  - Silhouette 7y ago
    That depends very much on what they do and what "at the top" means. There are few professions where those in the upper levels can command the kind of auxiliary income that a high profile former politician can. Even in fields like tech, it's not usually the case except for in the US.
- fragmede 7y ago
  Very explictly: everyone should try and become a member of congress - they are exempt from SEC insider trading laws. Your friend at a FAANG who has the quarterly results early? Take their info and short TSLA and face no repercussions from the SEC!

Members of Congress make $174,000 a year. Some people here make significantly more, but I don't think it's most.

by chc 7y ago

Members of Congress make $174,000 a year. Some people here make significantly more, but I don't think it's most.

There are only 535 members of congress. If you're good enough to be top 500~ in the country at something you could _probably_ make more money (lobbying/extra curricular excluded...) doing something else.

Tostino 7y ago
Probably very true for the laughable amounts of money I generally see in news stories about political corruption. It really seems like it should take more to buy a politician than a 20k bribe for a pardon for example (https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/ky-governor/2019/12/13/bevin-pardons-kentucky-lawmaker-calls-new-ag-investigate/2636713001/ https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/ky-gover...)
pbhjpbhj 7y ago
Well if you want the top 500 people at benefiting society then if they earn much more than the median societal income they're almost certainly then not in the top 500 people at benefiting society. If you want the top 500 people at benefiting you, and only people like you, and making sure that society as a whole doesn't benefit, even by preserving the planet for them ... yeah, sure, pay oodles.

Silhouette 7y ago

Members of Congress make $174,000 a year. That might be their official salary (I'm assuming?) but unless senior politicians in the US are different to almost everywhere else, that will likely only represent a proportion of their total income as a result of their political career. Between the perks that come with the job while it's happening and the consultancies and board positions and speaking engagements that come afterwards or even during, a politician who reaches that kind of level is probably going to make far more money from it than just their salary.

nullc 7y ago
People who are at the top of whatever they do also have many other forms of income-- consultancies, speaking engagement, board positions, but also often get paid better. ...and except for media celebs are usually not in the public limelight. Being in the public limelight frequently stinks.
- Silhouette 7y ago
  That depends very much on what they do and what "at the top" means. There are few professions where those in the upper levels can command the kind of auxiliary income that a high profile former politician can. Even in fields like tech, it's not usually the case except for in the US.
fragmede 7y ago
Very explictly: everyone should try and become a member of congress - they are exempt from SEC insider trading laws. Your friend at a FAANG who has the quarterly results early? Take their info and short TSLA and face no repercussions from the SEC!