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' y*^yt)tfZtOfZ The Daily Collegian • October 25,1991 A I Ylhe Daily Collegian Editor in Chief farm Ballinger Managing Editor Shannon Wentworth News Editor s\ Krista Lemos l*- Copy Editor Debbie Richards Graphics Editor Claire Anselmo Sports Editor Lori Ash Staff Writers I Lourie Armstrong, Heidi Burkhardt, Brian Cuttone, Stacey Dennehy, Manny Fernandez, Aimee Fisher, Yu Ting Huang, Michelle Martin, Renee Ruelas,J. Scott Walker, Kimberly Wright, Syed Zaheer Sports Writers Chris Cocoles, Dave Donnelly, Dan Evans, Richard fames Staff Photographer Angel de Jesus, Kyndra Gean News Aide ReneeAhAos Columnists Frank Aviles, Bruce Brenna, Michael S. Handorf Contributors Catherine Jiguet-Jiglaire, Hu Sin, Erin Yasuda ArtSpeak Editors Jason Terada Todd Heth Business Manager Khalid Rashid Advertising Manager Brenda Marie Whitla Advertising Production Manager Lance Jackson Published since 1922 by THE ASSOCIATED STUDENTS, INC. Editorial Headquarters Keats Campus Building Newsroom 278-2486 Sports 278-5733 Advertising 278-5734 Congressional privilege? By Bruce Brenna I'm sure that you've heard by now that the Congress has been writing a few bad checks lately. The members of the House of Representative have been taking advantage of the privileges accorded their offices. The members have bounced thousands of checks at the house run bank and have not been paying their bills at the institution's private restaurant. The question in my mind is not whether there is a lack of respon¬ sibility by the congressman, but if they desire special treatment at all. Does the congress need to have a special bank just for house members and a private restaurant? No, they are supposed to be just like us, average everyday citizens who are representing us. If we don't get them, neither should they. But if you think those special privileges were bad let me tell you what else they receive from their title. They get free medical care and prescription drugs as well as a private health club and pool facilities; both of which will help them maintain good health. These are things they won't even consider giving us, the backbone of the tax-base. They receive unlimited mail to constituents and special one-day delivery, free use of radio- television studio production and satellite service for radio- television transmissions. These comeifi handy during reelection time and allow them a greater advantage over challeng¬ ers who are traditionally upder- services, a tax-free subsidized " general store, and borrowing privileges from the National Gallery of Art. What the hell for? Do these special perks help them to do their job better? No way. They gave themselves these advantages so to make their life comfortable and easy. I wish I With these added perks te^efi-^ not hard to understand why^^uidbea .■ • ■ rw-%. , .. lot easier too. the House of Representatives But the worst has a reelection rate of 96%^;^ spent just to run the legislative branch is $2 for the past ten years. funded. Congressmen have a disparity in money raised, over their rivals, by a number close to $200,000 to $20,000. With these added perks its not hard to understand why the House of Representatives has a reelection rate of 96% for the past ten years. Some democracy. These members get discount VIP lodging at national parks, special outdoor recreational facilities, foreign travel aboard military aircraft, a motor home for use in their home district, free automobile leases, a hand carwash for S3, cut rate haircuts and shoe repair, private catering billion, or an average of more than $3.5 million per congress¬ man. All this at a time when the yearly deficit is averaging $300 million and the total deficit is almost $4 trillion. The sum includes their $120,800 salary. .Which, by the way is increased at 4% a year for inflation. Not to mention the pension plan which will pay most members more than $1 million dollars upon retirement. If you doubt the figures, get a copy of Wednesdays L.A. Times. Don't get me wrong, I think that congress should get some advantages, but only those things which help them get the job done. After all the job requires a person to be in Washington and their district at the same time. Some privileges I do agree with is the free parking at the National Airport in Washington, private elevators, free parking anywhere in Washington, a $3000 tax deduction for living in Washington, and a free copy of Webster's unabridged dictionary (to hopefully look up words like; undemocratic, stealing, rip off, unmoral, etc.). These things help them da the job better and more smoothly. But most items they have granted themselves are well beyond what is needed for the . job and makes Congress closer to an elite society. When I look at the congress of the United States I see something similar to what the Soviet people have revolted against: officials who work the system to assure themselves reelection and take exorbitant extra rights from the office with no concern for, and at great cost to, the average citizen. The congress is not democracy at work, but just another en¬ trenched Soviet-style commu¬ nist-like system. If these 'representatives', on both sides of the political aisle, don't get their act together soon, we should start our own 'Russian'revolution. Spectru m needs avant garde photography 'lease call 278-2486, ask lor I •
Object Description
Title | 1991_10 The Daily Collegian October 1991 |
Alternative Title | Daily Collegian (California State University, Fresno) |
Publisher | Associated Students of Fresno State, Fresno, Calif. |
Publication Date | 1991 |
Description | Daily (except weedends) during the school year. Microfilm. Palo Alto, Calif.: BMI Library Microfilms, 1986- microfilm reels; 35 mm. Vol.1, no.1 (Feb 8, 1922)- |
Subject | California State University, Fresno -- Periodicals. |
Contributors | Associated Students of Fresno State. |
Coverage | Vol.1 no.1 (Feb 8, 1922)- to present |
Format | Microfilm reels, 35 mm. |
Technical Information | Scanned at 600 dpi; TIFF; Microfilm ScanPro 2000 "E-image data" |
Language | eng |
Description
Title | October 25, 1991, Page 2 |
Alternative Title | Daily Collegian (California State University, Fresno) |
Publisher | Associated Students of Fresno State, Fresno, Calif. |
Publication Date | 1991 |
Description | Daily (except weedends) during the school year. Microfilm. Palo Alto, Calif.: BMI Library Microfilms, 1986- microfilm reels; 35 mm. Vol.1, no.1 (Feb 8, 1922)- |
Subject | California State University, Fresno -- Periodicals. |
Contributors | Associated Students of Fresno State. |
Coverage | Vol.1 no.1 (Feb 8, 1922)- to present |
Format | Microfilm reels, 35 mm. |
Technical Information | Scanned at 600 dpi; TIFF; Microfilm ScanPro 2000 "E-image data" |
Language | eng |
Full-Text-Search | ' y*^yt)tfZtOfZ The Daily Collegian • October 25,1991 A I Ylhe Daily Collegian Editor in Chief farm Ballinger Managing Editor Shannon Wentworth News Editor s\ Krista Lemos l*- Copy Editor Debbie Richards Graphics Editor Claire Anselmo Sports Editor Lori Ash Staff Writers I Lourie Armstrong, Heidi Burkhardt, Brian Cuttone, Stacey Dennehy, Manny Fernandez, Aimee Fisher, Yu Ting Huang, Michelle Martin, Renee Ruelas,J. Scott Walker, Kimberly Wright, Syed Zaheer Sports Writers Chris Cocoles, Dave Donnelly, Dan Evans, Richard fames Staff Photographer Angel de Jesus, Kyndra Gean News Aide ReneeAhAos Columnists Frank Aviles, Bruce Brenna, Michael S. Handorf Contributors Catherine Jiguet-Jiglaire, Hu Sin, Erin Yasuda ArtSpeak Editors Jason Terada Todd Heth Business Manager Khalid Rashid Advertising Manager Brenda Marie Whitla Advertising Production Manager Lance Jackson Published since 1922 by THE ASSOCIATED STUDENTS, INC. Editorial Headquarters Keats Campus Building Newsroom 278-2486 Sports 278-5733 Advertising 278-5734 Congressional privilege? By Bruce Brenna I'm sure that you've heard by now that the Congress has been writing a few bad checks lately. The members of the House of Representative have been taking advantage of the privileges accorded their offices. The members have bounced thousands of checks at the house run bank and have not been paying their bills at the institution's private restaurant. The question in my mind is not whether there is a lack of respon¬ sibility by the congressman, but if they desire special treatment at all. Does the congress need to have a special bank just for house members and a private restaurant? No, they are supposed to be just like us, average everyday citizens who are representing us. If we don't get them, neither should they. But if you think those special privileges were bad let me tell you what else they receive from their title. They get free medical care and prescription drugs as well as a private health club and pool facilities; both of which will help them maintain good health. These are things they won't even consider giving us, the backbone of the tax-base. They receive unlimited mail to constituents and special one-day delivery, free use of radio- television studio production and satellite service for radio- television transmissions. These comeifi handy during reelection time and allow them a greater advantage over challeng¬ ers who are traditionally upder- services, a tax-free subsidized " general store, and borrowing privileges from the National Gallery of Art. What the hell for? Do these special perks help them to do their job better? No way. They gave themselves these advantages so to make their life comfortable and easy. I wish I With these added perks te^efi-^ not hard to understand why^^uidbea .■ • ■ rw-%. , .. lot easier too. the House of Representatives But the worst has a reelection rate of 96%^;^ spent just to run the legislative branch is $2 for the past ten years. funded. Congressmen have a disparity in money raised, over their rivals, by a number close to $200,000 to $20,000. With these added perks its not hard to understand why the House of Representatives has a reelection rate of 96% for the past ten years. Some democracy. These members get discount VIP lodging at national parks, special outdoor recreational facilities, foreign travel aboard military aircraft, a motor home for use in their home district, free automobile leases, a hand carwash for S3, cut rate haircuts and shoe repair, private catering billion, or an average of more than $3.5 million per congress¬ man. All this at a time when the yearly deficit is averaging $300 million and the total deficit is almost $4 trillion. The sum includes their $120,800 salary. .Which, by the way is increased at 4% a year for inflation. Not to mention the pension plan which will pay most members more than $1 million dollars upon retirement. If you doubt the figures, get a copy of Wednesdays L.A. Times. Don't get me wrong, I think that congress should get some advantages, but only those things which help them get the job done. After all the job requires a person to be in Washington and their district at the same time. Some privileges I do agree with is the free parking at the National Airport in Washington, private elevators, free parking anywhere in Washington, a $3000 tax deduction for living in Washington, and a free copy of Webster's unabridged dictionary (to hopefully look up words like; undemocratic, stealing, rip off, unmoral, etc.). These things help them da the job better and more smoothly. But most items they have granted themselves are well beyond what is needed for the . job and makes Congress closer to an elite society. When I look at the congress of the United States I see something similar to what the Soviet people have revolted against: officials who work the system to assure themselves reelection and take exorbitant extra rights from the office with no concern for, and at great cost to, the average citizen. The congress is not democracy at work, but just another en¬ trenched Soviet-style commu¬ nist-like system. If these 'representatives', on both sides of the political aisle, don't get their act together soon, we should start our own 'Russian'revolution. Spectru m needs avant garde photography 'lease call 278-2486, ask lor I • |