Congress should lead by example when government grinds to a halt

In the post of mine you quoted I stated that I think they should lose pay if they are not present. If they don't show up to vote. 

Of course they can vote however they wish. Hopefully in a way that represents their constituents. 

If Congress is in session and they are not present they shouldn't be paid that for that day. Especially if there is a vote that day.  

But "pass a budget" isn't their individual job. "Vote" is their individual job. Punishing them for voting is at the very least, counterproductive.

I agree that they shouldn't be paid for not showing up BEYOND WHATEVER PAID ABSENCE TIME THEY HAVE. Like any other job.

Not paying individual legislators for the collective body not passing legislation is like not paying individual workers for what a company fails to do. Miller's stupid crap was just another "blame the Dems for the shutdown" diatribe.

I feel compelled to reiterate that passing this or any other legislation is not, repeat NOT, the job of Congress or of any individual legislator. Considering it carefully and with due deliberation, and then voting on it IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE WISHES OF THEIR CONSTITUENTS, is their job.

I think the Dems, given the strong opposition of their constituents to the actions of ICE, as well as the Republipigs, given the rabid unthinking approval of their constituents for whatever horrible things Trump does, are all doing their jobs.

Any issue on which the nation does not agree probably SHOULDN'T become law. So not passing such a bill is, far from what the Miller rhetoric is barfing, our government fulfilling its function and duty.

It is really hard to get Kevin to agree to the government not paying somebody for just about anything.  He is, after all, a teacher.  

You really sound stupid sometimes. You hate teachers. That suggests that your education is/was, er, lacking somehow. As do your posts.

The government should pay its employees for doing their jobs. Legislators voting either for or against a bill are doing their jobs, whether the bill passes or not. This concept is beyond Millerscum.

But is it really beyond you?

The 27th amendment says you can not increase or decrease a congressperson's salary until after an election to the house has occurred.   Reducing a salary during any two year congress for failure to appear, or vote, or because of a shutdown, or any other reason would appear to be unconstitutional.  

I 100% agree that passing any particular bill is not their job.

It isn't about "punishing" them for not passing a bill. 

I just don't think Congress should expect other federal employees to work without pay if they are still being paid.

 If a park ranger or a CDC employee has to wait until a budget is passed in order to get back pay then so should congress. 

On a side note: Congress could pass a budget to pay workers but withhold funding or projects or operations.

Nobody should be expected to show up to work not knowing when or if their paycheck will arrive. 

That's an excellent point. Any change would likely require a constitutional amendment. 

But withholding pay isn't reducing salary as such. If the pay is forfeited, perhaps so. But I'm sure that Congresspersons and Senators have ample leave of absence provisions. They can take personal days, get "sick," etc.

Now, if there was such a thing as absentee voting, proxy voting, etc., then physical presence wouldn't be needed in the first place. In fact, why DO we need a physical chamber in Washington at all?

Withholding pay might have other repurcussions, specifically loss of health insurance coverage.   When I was working there was a certain type of situation whereby if a number of 'days' went by where there were no earnings, no annual leave, no sick leave, a zero paycheck, then insurance premiums weren't being paid and therefore your insurance could lapse. 

I may be nutso here, but there was something like that.  I don't know if the employee could lapse into COBRA which is expensive but keeps health insurance going.  

And I don't know how that works for furloughed employees going weeks and months with no pay, which is the worst.

Just some thoughts.

Candy

I think the primary criterion is "employed," not "paid." Congressman or janitor, your health insurance remains in force as long as you're employed, regardless of whether or not you're paid, or whether you're working any hours at all in a given period, for that matter. Unpaid leave, for example, doesn't kill your health insurance.