Not feeling your pain

Legislators hate it when people talk about how much money they get in "per diem" -- tax-free, walking-around-money they get every day they are in Madison. Unless they live in Dane County, they get $88 a day; Dane County members get half that. (Plus mileage to and from Madison and for driving around their districts, of course.)

This week, as Republicans in both houses were busily voting against increasing the minimum wage, and trying to prevent local governments from raising it either, it was pointed out that at least 43 of them got more expense money than a minimum wage worker would earn in a year.

(Full-time, all year at $5.15 an hour equals $10,712 -- before taxes.)

State Rep. Mark Pocan did the honors in the Assembly, pointing out that 35 of his colleagues had received more than that in per diem in either 2003 or 2004. If he had added on mileage, there would have been several more. Pocan release.

The Greater Wisconsin Committee, an issue advocacy group which has been pushing the minimum wage hike to $6.50, found eight GOP state senators who hauled down more than $10,712 in expenses in 2004 alone. (Disclaimer: I am a consultant to Greater Wisconsin.) GWC release.

What's the point? Pocan called it hypocrisy. Greater Wis. pointed out that it may be a little hard for those leggies to relate to minimum wage workers when they are getting all of that free money on top of a $45,569 salary.

When will the GOP figure out this issue is a loser and do the right thing?