To: The United States House of Representatives and The United States Senate

Reduce Congress's Pay!

Effective immediately, the Congress should enact 25% across-the-board pay and benefits costs for themselves, their staff and travel, and all supporting resources in both chambers, for their collective failure to accomplish so little that was important--no passed annual 2011 budget; no grand bargain to make substantial forward progress on deficit reduction; the failure of the "Super Committee" to reach any accord on how to pay for added deficit reductions; failure to extend the payroll tax cut for another year; and failure by the Senate to approve so many executive appointments, causing significant parts of the Executive Branch to have to run without adequate leadership.

Why is this important?

Reduce 2012 pay and benefits for all members of the U.S. House and Senate, plus corresponding reductions in costs for staff, travel and the like. In 2011, they accomplished so little that was important. No passed FY 2011 budget. No grand bargain on deficit reduction. Failure of "Super Committee" to come to any accord. Failure to extend payroll tax cut another year. Widespread failure to approve executive appointments, so that the Government could run with a full managerical complement.