Getting The Lawsmakers You Pay For

 
   There's a scheme afoot to reduce Legislative pay.
     It's part of the continued effort to eliminate the 62% pay hike approved by the legislators themselves a few years ago after thirteen years with no increase.
     It sounds good...and who's going to vote against reducing the cost of government, right? It would require a constitutional amendment and would tie their salaries to the median salary in the state. The story linked above quotes one legislator as saying it will be an incentive for legislators to improve the state's economy.
     Forgive my cynicism, but really?
     This is mostly populist political theater to convince poor but proud Alabama voters to rush to the ballot box in November and vote against the fat cat lawmakers and show them a thing or two. Take that!
     Keeping legislators' salaries low also ensures that the average Alabamian can't afford to be a legislator, since only someone like an attorney or accountant can afford to hold the part-time position. Would your employeer let you take all of that time off from your job to go to Montgomery?
     And speaking of public employee salaries, a North Alabama legislator wants to keep teacher salaries low too because higher salaries would attract people doing it for the money. Shocking! He also justified it by quoting the bible.
     Yet that same lawmaker--Shadrick McGill-- loved the 62%pay hike!
     The legislative session began today, and Democrats have shown up to once again have their faces shoved into their lockers by the GOP Super-Majority.
     The last session produced the widly satirized Alabama Immigration Law.
     What can they possibly come up with this time around?