Above The Law.

       I don't know if you've noticed, but with all the talk about the sequester and budget cuts and cuts to entitlements and cuts to defense and cuts to just about everything in sight, there's no talk of cuts to Congress and the President. Well, it turns out the president's salary can't be cut by Congress, period. Government workers pay can't be cut too easily, if at all, but they can be furloughed for a while or a day a week, without pay.
       But you won't be seeing Congress take a pay cut or be asked to lose a day's pay every week. There's an article in the Washington Post today that tries to explain this situation. The article mentions the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act from 20 years ago, it mentions the 27th Amendment and a lot of other suggestions for Congress not losing any pay. But even the OMB (Office of Management and Budget) says you can't touch Congressional pay. They just don't say why.
       Did you know that even when a Senator or Congressman tries to pass a law to cut their pay, it's illegal? You know, when they're grandstanding. So you can't even say that it would take an act of Congress. It would take more than that. At least that's the opinion of the OMB. Apparently it would take a constitutional convention and a new amendment or something.
       So, even though the Senate and the House of Representatives don't seem to be able to accomplish anything, or to be more exact, Senators and Representatives don't seem to be able to accomplish anything, they're still gonna get paid. In full. With no furloughs and no grandstanding about how this one or that one wants to cut their own salary. It looks like the only way they can do that would be to donate their salaries back to the government. Now you could hold your breath waiting for them to do that, but frankly, they have important work to do and just can't take the time off. That is until they want to schmooze some wealthy donors.
       It's a sorry state of affairs when you can't abuse Congress financially. I say that because Congress seems to be able to financially abuse nearly every other department and facet of government. I don't think they understand the ramifications of their actions. Or maybe they do, but think they're teaching a lesson.