Members of Congress will be paid average of $477 a day even in shut down

Here's a great update for you.

ANGRY REACTION

Many U.S. troops live paycheck to paycheck, with the average junior enlisted member -- typically with just a high school degree -- drawing a salary of about $43,000 per year.

Troops are political dynamite in budget battle
By Phil Stewart
WASHINGTON | Fri Apr 8, 2011 3:07pm EDT
(Reuters) - A looming government shutdown would be felt thousands of miles away by U.S. troops in Afghanistan and Iraq and there could be a high political cost for the lawmakers who let it happen.

Soldiers will not get their paychecks for the duration of the shutdown, leaving their families at home struggling to pay the bills.

Some relatives are already furious.

"Thanks for sending my husband to war and not paying him in return," the wife of one soldier exclaimed on a website, fearing delayed pay in the case of a shutdown.

The sharp reaction among military families underscores the political dangers for Republicans and Democrats if they fail to reach agreement on funding the government for the remainder of fiscal 2011 by midnight on Friday.
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Troops are political dynamite in budget battle

Bachmann, along with other members of congress, are saying they will give up their paychecks during a shutdown. Bachmann went so far as to say that her pay will go to organizations serving military families. While this is a great publicity stunt, she does not mention which charities she plans on giving to any more than she says which ones she normally donates to in the first place. Remember she is the same person wanting to make huge cuts in the VA and stop disabled veterans from getting Social Security along with disability benefits from the VA. This could very well be another stunt to redeem herself in their eyes, but it won't work. Add up the number of days the troops won't be paid and then ask yourself if her pay or the pay of any of them is worth what they will have to go through. Try telling them that this is just a "slowdown" and not a shutdown when they don't get to slow down in Afghanistan, slow down dying, slow down being wounded and their families don't get to slow down worrying. This all adds to the burden they have to carry because people like Bachmann want to have it all their own way.

While she is at it, maybe she could even explain it to the wounded veterans waiting to have their claim processed that they have to slowdown eating and paying their bills so what little money they do have left lasts longer.

Bachmann would skip pay during shutdown
12:03 AM, Apr. 8, 2011
Written by
Larry Bivins
Times Washington correspondent

WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann announced Thursday that she would forgo her congressional pay if the federal government is forced to shut down because of a failure by lawmakers and the White House to reach a spending agreement.

Bachmann’s statement came as President Barack Obama continued to meet with House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., to find enough common ground to keep the government from shutting down at midnight tonight.

“I have serious reservations about the fact that Congress and the president will continue to receive a timely paycheck during a government slowdown,” Bachmann said. “Unfortunately, current law prevents our military men and women from receiving their pay on time if government services are interrupted. Because of this discrepancy between the troops and members of Congress, I will personally be donating my pay to a nonprofit organization serving our military families.”

The annual salary for members of Congress is $174,000, meaning Bachmann, R-Stillwater, would give up roughly $477 for each day the shutdown is in effect.
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Bachmann would skip pay during shutdown