Durant Received Significant Money From Outside Special Interests

Ken O’Brien

State representative Peter Durant is among a number of freshman House Republicans who have been the beneficiaries of an informal network of political donors that have helped keep the conservative lawmakers competitive as they try to retain the seats they won just two years ago, according to a report by Matt Murphy of the State House News Service

The freshman lawmaker is facing a challenge from Democrat Kathleen Walker of Charlton. 

Who Owns Your Government?

Free Market Economy in Government

Kenneth M. O’Brien

There are 435 members of the
U. S. House of Representatives.

There are 100 U.S. Senators.

The base salary of either member of Congress is $174,000 per year. There are stipends that depend on chairmanships and leadership positions.

But let’s deal with the base of the rank and file.

The average population of a Congressional district is about 647,000. That means that, on average each congressman is beholden to the taxpayers in their district for about 27 cents of their salary per year.

On the Senate side we have state populations that vary widely. In fact, Wyoming has two Senators like every other state, but only one congressman.

As a result, the tax contribution by the public to senatorial salaries ranges from about 35 cents per Senator in Wyoming to about ½ cent per Senator in California.

There’s an old saying that “He who pays the piper calls the tune.”