Presidential Administrations and both Houses of Congress have abused taxpayer money for decades. Enacting pay raises for themselves when taxpayers are barely making it from paycheck to paycheck. Taking multi-million dollar vacations paid for by tax payers; raising taxes to pay for special or pet programs; using Social Security as a slush fund has all but depleted it. Raising taxes to address the deficit without a reduction in expenditures will have no impact on the deficit, but, it WILL have a real impact on REAL people.
It's time to limit the pay of all persons holding public office to no more than $65,000 per year. Staff and interns between $18,000 to $35,000. All members and employees must pay for their own health benefits and contribute to Social Security.