Congressional Honorariums

What is it that compels our congressional representatives to take all the honorariums they can get their hands on (Part I, May 23)? Isn’t it enough that they receive a very generous salary ($89,000 a year), but also dozens of other perks, such as office space both in Washington and at home, office staffs in Washington and at home, air transportation to their home districts every two weeks, a generous stationery allowance, reduced medical care and a fine pension plan after only 10 years of service?

If you translate all the benefits into cash terms, they would amount to well over another $89,000 per person. Yet, because of greed, they still grab the brass ring on the honorariums merry-go-round. Don’t tell me there’s not a quid pro quo in there somewhere!

NICK NEWTON

Laguna Hills