27th Amendment

Originally proposed Sept. 25, 1789. Ratified May 7, 1992.

No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of representatives shall have intervened.

Breakdown...


The 27th Amendment:

• Prohibits any law that increases or decreases the salary of members of Congress from taking effect until the start of the next set of terms of office for Representatives. 
• Most recent amendment to the United States Constitution.

Additional Information on this Amendment:

• This amendment was part of the original Twelve amendments in the 1789 Bill of Rights. This amendment was only ratified by seven states, thus prohibiting it from making it into the Constitution. Only ten of the original twelve amendments made it into what we know as the current Bill of Rights.

This is a funny image that depicts the common view that members of congress are only concerned about their well-being. During the Governmental shutdown Congressman continued to receive pay. They used the 27th Amendment to justify this. I believe the 27th Amendment is good because it prohibits Congress from voting themselves a raise.

This image depicts the view that Congress is basically selfish. Due to the fact that even if we cut or suspended their pay, they make so much income that they would not really suffer, although their would be an uproar. Why does Congress make so much income? I believe it is because they want to be viewed as upper class people, it generates more respect in their eyes and in other upper class citizens eyes. Would an upper class citizen have more or less respect for Congress if they made minimum wage? I personally would have more respect if they chose to be in Congress to make a positive change, and they constantly were proactive regardless of the pay.