The attitude of our elected representatives, on both the state and federal level, is talk-talk-talk while digging their heels in and throwing a tantrum to get their own way. Solutions addressing critical problems never get beyond the talking stage. These do-nothing representatives who consider themselves privileged need an incentive to finding middle ground, accomplishing required tasks and addressing issues critical to the state and country.
The best incentive is to make representation in state and federal government a part-time job. Our Founding Fathers never intended representation to be a full-time job. The cushy benefits, for what little is accomplished, are not justified.
An alternative incentive is to structure representatives’ salaries based on the average income of all constituents in their areas. They would be in the Social Security pool and health-care programs of the working class. They would be free to create their own supplemental retirement accounts.
Time is long overdue to send a message to those who think and act privileged that they are our employees — that we expect them to stop the childish bickering and address the serious issues facing our state and country and find solutions that are in the best interest of the majority. In other words, be productive.
Claude Frantz
Greensburg