Message to Congress: "Live like the rest of us, pay your own way"
Albany, N.Y. – Today, Darius Shahinfar, the Democratic candidate for New York's 21st Congressional District, continued his call for members of Congress to live like the people they represent.
"Today, there are nearly 47 million Americans living without access to affordable health care, yet our representatives in Congress get top-of-the-line medical care paid for by the taxpayers. These are the same people who, year after year, vote to increase their salaries while millions of Americans lose their jobs," said Shahinfar. Last year, the average representative's taxpayer-financed salary was $169,300.
"As millions of Americans dig deeper into their pockets to make ends meet, I cannot, in good conscience, take more money out of their pockets for my own healthcare until an affordable healthcare plan that covers everyone is created," said Shahinfar. "Members of Congress need to start living like the rest of us and pay their own way."
"With an affordable system of coverage, we can give health care to the 25 million underinsured and 47 million uninsured Americans and reduce the burden placed on property taxpayers, seniors and our families. If we want to change Washington, we need to start by changing the type of people we send there," concluded Shahinfar.
This is the latest stand Shahinfar has taken in his campaign to Renew America's Promise to working Americans. Earlier this year, Shahinfar pledged to reject any congressional pay increase, citing the crippling budget deficits already being racked up by the Bush administration.
