Congress

In this day of weekly “No Kings” rallies, the real Kings (and Queens) of the United States seem to go unnoticed. I’m referring to the career politicians in Congress who have been in power for generations.

Chuck Grassley of Nebraska, now 92 years old, is about to begin his 50th year in office. There are currently 10 members of Congress who have been in office more than 40 years, and more in the 30-40 year-range.

Our own Sen. Edward Markey has spent 44 years at the public trough in the House and the Senate combined. He is running for reelection in 2026, and about to turn 80 years old.

A few more notable elders include Sen. Chuck Schumer, 75, Sen. Ron Wyden, 76, Representatives Hal Rogers 87, Steny Hoyer 86, and Chris Smith 72, are all approaching 45 years in the House and/or Senate.  Sen. Mitch McConnell, 83, has 40 years in but is finally stepping down, and Rep. Nancy Pelosi 85, is creeping up on 39 years in office.

The annual base salary for a member of Congress is $174,000. which is unchanged since 2009. What’s shocking is how so many of these career politicians have massive multi-million-dollar net worth figures.  Apparently, the benefit of power, influence, and alleged insider trading far outweigh the paycheck. Just hanging around in Congress appears to provide a person with considerable wealth.

These are the “leaders” in the United States that should be more highly scrutinized than President Trump who has just started his second term in office and donates his salary. They should be facing term limits but we know that will never happen because barring a Term Limits Convention by the states, Congress itself would need to make it happen. So, the old foxes guarding the henhouse will continue.

Davis Sullivan

Rochester

Federal employees

In 2009, when Barack Obama came in to power, there were 2.73 million federal employees, today there are around 2.93 million.  And over the course of the four Biden years, illegal immigrants in the tens of millions entered our country. Today, under President Donald Trump, Democrats tell us we cannot lay off a single federal employee, nor deport a single illegal immigrant because of the “human cost.”

Meanwhile, the “human cost” to most Americans is that our cities and highways are not safe for legal citizens and people cannot buy homes because the inflation from hyperfunding the federal government has driven mortgage rates through the roof on top of making gas and groceries far more expensive. Stop electing Democrats, the human cost for legal Americans is far too high.

Nick McNulty

Windham, NH