If congressional wages were set to the 1985 level, the money could be used to as follows, 1/4 health and social needs, 1/4 blue collar and job development, and the remaining 1/2 would have 2/3 going toward national debt and 1/3 toward establishing a new budget. People need to see that congress serves the people and does not function on greed.
A little unknown fact is that congress was unpaid until 1833. Ben Franklin suggested that congresss go unpaid. Who was he addressing major landowners or common people? Congress voted for $6.00 a day and within a a voted for an annual wage of $3000. The common citizen was lucky to make a quarter a day.
Taking a paycut in congress will show unity with the American plight in this economy. Congressional people are servants of a State .