Congressional staffers rewarded with higher salaries.

Here are reasons some members of congress gave for paying more money to people on their staff.  When Rep. Kildee was asked if spending more money on salaries was justified during the worst financial crisis since the great depression, he said it was, especially because his constituents are in more need of help.  According to the government, our school children are more in need of help than ever before, so using Rep. Kildee's reasoning,  teachers should be paid more, not be asked to take pay cuts.  Erin Donor thinks more money is due to staffers who are have been around a long time and have much experience because there are few issues they haven't dealt with.  Again, that is a good argument for not capping teachers' salaries, but having those who stick around for long time continue to earn more because their experience is so valuable.  Donar also said the hours are long, the work is hard and his staff should be rewarded.  Teaching is hard work, and the hours are long with much time spent on the work of school beyond the work day, so would Donar agree that teachers should be rewarded with higher pay?  Rep. Dingell defends spending more money on staffers' salaries because the goal is to have qualified staff that is hardworking, experienced and stays with the office.  If school districts would like to have qualified, hardworking teachers who will remain in the district shouldn't they pay for that?  Brad Fitch, who heads the Congressional Management Foundation, said most staffers could earn more in the private sector and the work load has increased while staff sizes have capped.  Most teachers have advanced degrees and would certainly find higher paying jobs in the private sector, and the work load and class sizes have increased yet there is no pay raise in sight.  Retired Rep. Bart Stupak said people "have no idea how many hours staffers work."  I can say the same thing, people "have no idea how many hours teachers work.  But there are benefits for the hard work and long hours of the staffers.  This is often a stepping stone to a more lucrative career, their pension and health care are as secure as any in the U.S. and overtime pay is required under federal labor law.  Unfortunately, none of this is true for teachers who are in the fight of their lives to simply keep what they have.  I don't get it, do you?