It Most Certainly IS Constitutional To Withhold Congressional Pay

By J.J. Jackson

There are a lot of fools who fancy themselves smart. Sometimes these fools even exist within the Conservative and Libertarian movement. Seriously, if I hear one more of these yo-yos whine about how it is “unconstitutional” for Congressional pay to be withheld pending the passage of an actual budget, I am going to scream. And if I hear one more supposedly Constitutionally literate talking head on the right claim this, I am going to demand that they permanently turn in their membership in the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy.

It is so utterly incompressible that people can be so dumb. To claim that withholding Congressional pay when Congress is not doing its job is impossible? Especially when all one has to do is pull out their handy dandy pocket Constitution and turn to Article I, Section 6.

Here is what is said, verbatim, about Congressional pay:

“The Senators and Representatives shall receive a Compensation for their Services, to be ascertained by Law, and paid out of the Treasury of the United States.”

That’s it. It doesn’t say how much they should get or how that amount is ascertained, except that such pay is to be determined, by law.

So, if a law is passed saying that Congress gets paid $0 if they don’t do their job and pass a budget then there is no Constitutional conflict. After all, $0 is an amount of compensation.

So let’s stop with the lies. Let’s stick to the truth. And let’s all just be happy and do the right things.

Look, if you’re like me, and work in the private sector, and don’t do your job, you don’t get paid. Congress should be held to the same standards. And it is perfectly Constitutional to hold them to said standards.

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J.J. Jackson is a libertarian conservative author from Pittsburgh, PA who has been writing and promoting individual liberty since 1993 and is President of Land of the Free Studios, Inc. He is the Pittsburgh Conservative Examiner for Examiner.com. He is also the owner of The Right Things - Conservative T-shirts & Gifts The Right Things. His weekly commentary along with exclusives not available anywhere else can be found at Liberty Reborn