The blatant hypocrisy, indifference, and arrogance possessed by the white folks in the United States Congress are unbelievable. Below is a list of privileges afforded to the members of Congress - already wealthy individuals - while average working people pay for each of these privileges and services out of daily hard earned dollars.

Special Benefits
Members of Congress benefit in many ways from belonging to a select group. They have access to private Capitol Hill gymnasium facilities; get low-cost haircuts; receive free, close-in parking at the National and Dulles airports near Washington; and get six free parking spaces per member in Capitol Hill garages-plus one free outdoor Capitol parking slot.

They also avoid parking tickets because of their congressional license plates and, until 1994, were not required to comply with most labor laws in dealing with their staffs. They eat in a subsidized dining room and take advantage of free plants from the Botanical Gardens for their offices, free medical care, an inexpensive but generous pension plan, liberal travel allowances, and special tax considerations.

Each of the above services cost the average person an extensive amount. Ironically, they suppose that the economy is doing well so they cut public funding for social programs that assist the under-privileged, and impose taxes, fees, and criminal threats to anyone who does not pay them. Yet while real people live and work each day, "In the nearly 10 years since the minimum was raised, Congress has voted itself nine pay hikes totaling nearly $35,000 a year, while a full-time minimum wage worker's annual pay has not budged from $10,712."

Furthermore, while average citizens are suspect by local, state and federal policing agencies, these spoiled, white people enjoy amnesty from prosecution in many areas. Ain't this a bitch? Is this not inequality, hypocrisy, and white privilege or what? One can bet that some of these privileges do not necessarily extend only to members of Congress, but to other political figures such as governors, mayors (Black and white), as well as judges, federal agency workers, and anyone living among the governing forces of America.

Privileges and Immunities under the Law
Members of Congress also benefit from a number of special constitutional protections. Under Article I, Section 6, of the Constitution, they "shall in all Cases, except Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace, be privileged from Arrest during their Attendance at the Session of their respective Houses, and in going I and returning from the same; and for any Speech or Debate in either House, the -shall not be questioned in any other Place." The arrest immunity clause is really an important provision today.

Why do the America people accept such inequality and indifference? Because we have been indoctrinated to believe that people who do special jobs such as this should have special rights and privileges, but if they make it harder for the rest of us to live, how can anyone justify the supposition they have earned those privileges?

STOP BLATANT INEQUALITY - DEMAND RESPECT!!!

Sources from: http://blog.aflcio.org/?p=871

© Aug 2007 by CR Hamilton