Has there ever been a pay rise for elected officials that elected officials didn't like? Elected officials in the British government just got themselves a nice rise, well above the rate of inflation, through a system that is linked to the wages for senior civil servants. You see, they raise the wages for the bureaucrats because they do such a great job keeping the country running then tie their own salaries to those of the bureaucrats. Cute system.
Anyway, the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, will now get about $330,000 a year, his cabinet ministers will be paid $240,000 which includes their salaries as Members of Parliament (remember, in Old Europe, we ask that the glorious leader's closest cronies actually be democratically elected too!) and normal MP's from all parties will bank just over $100,000 a year.
Compare this with the USA (figures accurate at 1st Jan 2003).
President -- $400,000
Vice President -- $202,900
Speaker of the House -- $203,000
House Majority & Minority Leaders -- $175,600
House / Senate Members & Delegates -- $158,100
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court -- $202,900
Associate Justices of the Supreme Court -- $194,200
It all seems like a lot of money when you consider how pathetically useless some of these people are. Then there's the baksheesh ...oops, I meant "contributions"... that so many seem to end up pocketing. At least in the UK it is remotely possible for a common chump to actually get elected, as opposed to the system of representation by millionaires the US has now.
Maybe these salaries should be tied to some measure of efficiency and hard work? Or even actually turning up for work?
It's little wonder that voter turnout is lowest amongst the poorest portion of society in both countries.
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