(06-05-2019, 10:19 PM)MalabarJag Wrote:

(06-05-2019, 04:24 PM)mikesez Wrote: The problem is it costs so much to get elected.
If people actually did their own research on every candidate before voting, that'd be one thing, but they don't.  A candidate needs to spend much more on advertising to win a seat than they'll ever earn from the salary if they win.

A truism for anyone: you answer to the one who signs your checks.  The bigger the checks, the more control the signer has.

It'd be nice if legislators answered to the Treasury, but they answer to big donors, foreign and domestic.

For most politicians, campaign funds are separate from personal wealth. Very few use their own money to run for office, and those who have were already very rich. Congressional salary is not a factor in getting elected.

The real problem is when one gains office and sells influence in order to become wealthy. Most career politicians who started out with no significant bankroll are much wealthier than their salary would imply, even with an aggressive investment strategy. Keeping congressional salaries down does nothing to solve this problem.