Controlling one's own pay structure

Controlling one's own pay structure

In order to more accurately reflect our country's citizen's socio-economic position, I suggest that we need a new "class" distinction.

We have the Lower Class, sometimes referred to as the working poor. We have the Middle Class, this has many subclasses however, this would refer to those that have a reasonable, comfortable, salary. Then we have the Upper Class, sometimes just called The Rich. Forgotten is the Government Class, they work for the federal, state or local governments.

Many years ago these jobs did not pay all that well, however, they were very sought after because they were very steady, almost impossible to be fired, had many holidays and super benefits. Once they were allowed to unionize, compliments of JFK, the workers realized that can have a huge influence on who will be their congressional representatives, by giving big union money, votes and workers for their election campaigns.

The elected officials control the pay structures, by proving to be invaluable to the senators and representative, they can control their own pay structures.

In Illinois, they even had it written into the state constitution. The state cannot make any changes to the union's pension payouts and they get a 3 percent inflation raise each year, even though the official rate of inflation has been near flat for several years. Has your Social Security been rising at 3 percent a year? I don't think so. Recent talk of changing this law has been met with the union's screams and the gnashing of teeth.

Everyone pursues their own interest. It is about time that the citizens who pay for all this do the same. There is much to learn. Find where your representative stands and monitor what he is doing about it. Do nothing and you get nothing.

Dushan Lipensky

Wheaton