Congressman Gresham Barrett Gives His Unmerited Raise to Charity

On the 18th, I wrote about the $4,700 raise Congress was giving itself when 1 out of 5 people thought they were doing a good job.  For the record, I thought it was a crock.

Well, so did one of the members of Congress: 

COLUMBIA, S.C. — U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett says he is donating his new congressional raise to an Anderson charity.

Barrett says he will donate the $4,700 salary increase that begins in 2009 to Anderson Interfaith Ministries – an organization of churches and individuals who provide assistance to the needy and helps them become self-sufficient.

Barrett says lawmakers should not be earning more during these poor economic times. He says he voted against the automatic pay raise and all increases should have to be voted on individually.

Now that is a novel idea.  I’d love to have a say in whether or not my representatives got a raise.  But think about how much pork they would pile on us if that were the case.

Kudos to Rep. Gresham Barrett.  More Congressmen and women should follow his lead.  In fact, they could vote to repeal the raise completely.  But this is a good start.