How much should politicians be paid?

What we pay each politician is mere monopoly money when compared to the expenses that go above and beyond what anyone in the private sector gets. I don't mind them getting a good salary for what the do but check this report out on Nancy Pelosi:

Since Nancy Pelosi took over as Speaker in 2006, she's rung up millions in military travel expenses

Worse still, she also appears to have requisitioned entire flights for the personal use of her children and grandchildren. That is, unaccompanied by any member of Congress, her kids, in-laws and grandchildren are utilizing entire military passenger jets for their routine travel needs.

Using the documents obtained by Judicial Watch's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, I have discovered the following manifests and travel requests.

22-Feb-2007: A military jet is requisitioned for the sole travel needs of the Speaker's son, Paul Jr.

13-Apr-2007: A military jet is utilized for the unaccompanied travel of the Speaker's daughter, son-in-law and grandson.

30-Oct-2008: A military jet is requisitioned for the Speaker's daughter and a son-in-law, Peter Kaufman. to commute between San Francisco and Washington.

Military flights cost between $5-$20 thousand dollars per hour to operate. Pelosi only reimburses the government between $120-$400 per flight. You and I pick up the rest of the tab with our tax dollars.

Whatever the National average is these days, which I think is about $50k for a household of 4. And since Congresscritters have to maintain a household in their home State, the US taxpayers should provide a dormitory for them in Washington DC where they can sleep for free. Not an open bay, but one-person rooms with their own bathroom. And they should get a company car from the motor pool so they can drive themselves to work. Maybe one of those Chevy Volts which burst into flames when the battery cables get damaged ;-)

I mean, We The People DO own GM mostly still, right?

Ron Paul said he would Accept 39,000.00 a year. And he would not seek a second term. I realize there are expenses and some smaller time Politicians are dependent on their salaries and DC is Expensive however I think that the Inside Trading in Congress Should stop. People have no values anymore and only care about their wallet. How can you care for the common good and your wallet at the same time?

They should be paid the salary of an average American and get the benefits they currently have, meaning they won't spend too much of their own money. After they retire from office, they lose those benefits and can go write their books and speeches and make millions from those rather than the American people.

They should get paid what they earn. Take the average earnings of everyone and that's what they get. They are in office because of all who voted for them...

Let them live on the $$$$ they save the American people! Right now, that would be a deficit!

twice the national median, payable after they have been shown to have done their public duty

min wage

I hate politics....