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Greg Evans
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As you may have noticed the US government has been partially shut down over disagreements on who should pay for president Trump's controversial border wall.
There has been much fallout and debate about this topic as Democrats and Republicans can't decide who to blame for the shut down (hint: it's Trump saying that Mexico would pay for the wall), which could last until January.
However, in an unlikely turn of events, both sides of the political divide in America have found themselves agreeing with the consistently interesting, charismatic and representative-elect, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez who came up with a unique suggestion on how to combat future shutdowns.
On Saturday, she said on Twitter that members of Congress should be forced to give up their salaries during any future shutdowns, as they aren't doing their jobs and most of them are already very wealthy. She also told them to "have some integrity."
Next time we have a gov shutdown, Congressional salaries should be furloughed as well. It’s completely unacceptabl… https://t.co/grK5s4fJIh— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) 1545494876
She added that she believed that it would make members of Congress reconsider what a shutdown actually means and the implications for their peers and how it affects the US as a whole.
(Spoiler alert: most members of Congress are already wealthy!) Speaking as a working class member-elect, I think i… https://t.co/0Zc5RYX9jD— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) 1545509528
As it stands, members of Congress are still paid during a shutdown but those working in lower tiers of the US government have to work but without assurances that they will be paid.
Ocasio-Cortez has become a figure for derision from conservatives in the US due to her rapid ascension to government and socialist views.
However, her message in the above tweet has earned praise from her supporters, and also from some of those that would usually oppose her.
Credit where due @Ocasio2018 is spot on here https://t.co/bRZX5cnmmF— John - Psst, I know the motive - Cardillo (@John - Psst, I know the motive - Cardillo) 1545505020
Members of both the House and the Senate earn a salary of $174,000-a-year, which is a permanent law but a shutdown would only affect agencies and employees who are funded through annual appropriations. Those working in 'non-essential' government roles are prevented from going to work during a shutdown.
According to The Hill, Congress has previously acted to ensure that any workers who were affected during a shutdown once the government reopened. Should the current shutdown last longer than January 5, then federal workers are likely to miss out on a payment.
Also at the weekend, Catherine Cortez Masto, a Democrat Senator from Nevada announced that should would be donating her salary to a charity during every day of Trump's shutdown.
I cannot take a salary during a government shutdown knowing that so many federal workers in Nevada and across the c… https://t.co/8zmIKFmGW0— Senator Cortez Masto (@Senator Cortez Masto) 1545455603
HT Daily Dot
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