To: The Minnesota State House, The Minnesota State Senate, The United States House of Representatives, The United States Senate, and President Donald Trump
End lifetime salary and/or health-care benefits for members of congress.
Did you know the President and members of Congress are paid for life, even after they are out of office? Unlike the rest of us, these people earn a yearly salary until they die. The salary of retired U.S. Presidents are $180,000 FOR LIFE; salary of House/Senate members $174,000 FOR LIFE; salary of Speaker of the House $223,500 FOR LIFE and salary of Majority / Minority Leaders $193,400 FOR LIFE. They also get health care and other benefits for life. Why should retired Congress members earn money off the backs of hard working, tax paying American's for doing nothing once they are no longer in office, serving our country. This is not the case for retired military officers, public school teachers or firefighters, so why do we treat members of Congress any differently? It is time for this to change. Once their term in office is over - regardless of the reason it ends (voted out, retire by choice, etc.,) - their salary and benefits should end too.
Why is this important?
As a tax paying citizen, who has been paying into the system since I was 14-years-old, I feel strongly that it is time for this financial madness to end. Like Warren Buffet pointed out, if we stop paying Congress and the President lifetime benefits and salary these funds can go towards other important things our country needs, like paying down the deficit, helping families in need, improving our roads, etc., No other job or profession provides this kind of "lifetime" benefit and it's time members of congress learn how to live like the rest of us. NO MORE LIFETIME SALARIES OR BENEFITS FOR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS OR THE PRESIDENT!