Congress Should Work on a Commission Basis

In the real world, workers are compensated based upon merit. Good performers get better raises while poor performers get lower raises and are sometimes laid off. Management and salespeople are often compensated based upon meeting specific business goals such as company revenue or profit. People respond to incentives, and companies set up incentives that are based upon a company’s goals.
Members of Congress, on the other hand, are doing the worst job in the history of this country; yet they are being paid sizable salaries just for showing up for work. Members of Congress today do not share the same goals as their employer, we the people. Their goals are to get reelected and to strengthen their own political party. Other than the noble desire to do good for the country, which apparently is not a motivator for today’s Congress, they have little incentive to do what is good for the country.
What I propose is that we cut Congress’s base salary to 50% of its current amount and pay them a portion or all of the additional 50% based upon their ability to meet clearly defined objectives. For example, for every percentage point drop in unemployment, they receive 10%. And for every trillion dollars they eliminate from the deficit, they receive 10%. So if they reduce unemployment by 3% and reduce the deficit by two trillion dollars, they earn a full 50% of their incentive income. That combined with their 50% base salary equals their original salary.
What if they reduce unemployment by 5% and they reduce the deficit by three trillion dollars? Then they come out 30% ahead of their current salary, and I think the American people would be happy to pay the extra.
One might argue that this isn’t fair because each individual member cannot effect change. Each member’s salary would be based upon the actions of the entire Congress. And I argue, that’s exactly the point. Congress is dysfunctional. They vote along party lines and as a result they are accomplishing very little. It’s time that they figure out how to work together for the greater good. And what better way to get them to do it than by paying them based upon their collective accomplishments or lack thereof.
It’s all about carrots and sticks. You try to lead them to do well with a carrot (more money). But if they don’t, you beat them with a stick (pay them less). And if they do badly enough, we vote them out. I personally think we should vote them all out and start from scratch. But since that is unlikely, let’s appeal to their wallets and see what happens.

What if they reduce unemployment by 5% and they reduce the deficit by three trillion dollars. Then they come out 30% ahead of their current salary, and I think the American people would be happy to pay the extra.
One might argue that this isn’t fair because each individual member cannot effect change. Each member’s salary is based upon the actions of the entire Congress. And I argue, that’s exactly the point. Congress is dysfunctional. They vote along party lines and as a result they are accomplishing very little. It’s time that they figured out how to work together for the greater good. And what better way to get them to do it than by paying them based upon their collective accomplishments or lack thereof.
It’s all about carrots and sticks. You try to lead them to do well with a carrot (more money). But if they don’t, you beat them with a stick (pay them less). And if they do badly enough, we vote them out. I personally think we should vote them all out and start from scratch. But since that is unlikely, let’s appeal to their wallets and see what happens.

Tags: Congress, Deficit