Iran Supreme Leader Targeted, Believed Killed, in Sweeping US-Israeli Strikes

Watch: Possibly His Fieriest Yet - Sen. Kennedy Absolutely Whales on Fed Vice Chair Over Banks Persecuting Customers With Conservative Politics

Epstein Fallout Continues to Hollow Out the Leftist Elite as WEF President Resigns in Disgrace

Frozen Yogurt Store Near Spokane Gets Death Threats Over Touching Tribute to Charlie Kirk

Republican NeverTrumpers Tried Throwing a Conference and the Results Were Less Than Stellar

Hegseth Announces the Woke Organization Formerly Known as the Boy Scouts Will Drop DEI – But the Damage Is Already Done

NFL Coach Fired Just Hours After Team Was 'Gathering Information' on Disturbing Allegations

Typical: Virginia Democrats Are Addressing Affordability Issues by Nearly Tripling Their Own Pay

As sure as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, if there’s one thing you can set your watch to, it’s the political elite lining their own pockets.

While this is undoubtedly an issue infesting a chunk of American politics, it does seem to be an issue that’s a little more closely intertwined with the Democratic Party (See: Pelosi, Nancy).

That ugly reputation resurfaced again this week when Virginia’s Democrat-controlled Senate and House of Delegates passed the former’s version of the state budget on Thursday, according to WJLA-TV.

Included in this budget? A tidy, near-300 percent pay raise for the state’s lawmakers.

Now, to be completely fair, the actual numbers aren’t eye-watering. Nobody is suddenly making six figures, or even coming close to it.

Delegates will now go from making $17,640 to $45,000 annually, while senators will go from making $18,000 to also $45,000 annually, according to WTVF-FM, a public radio station in Roanoke.

Still, that will obviously add up once you start adding up the total number of lawmakers. And considering the official session of the legislature is only 60 days (though lawmakers obviously do work outside the session, too), it’s not bad pay for a supposedly part-time job.

Legislators will also receive $237 per diem, $300 to attend a meeting — $400 for two meetings in a day — and $1,250 per month to maintain their offices. So, yeah, it’ll add up.

The optics of this already aren’t great given the general squeeze many Americans are feeling, especially around tax season. But those optics got exponentially worse when that same budget allotted a whopping 3 percent pay raise for teachers. Is it even an argument as to what’s more important: America’s educators or bureaucratic fat cats?

Now, while this budget will have to be signed by the Old Dominion’s hyper-progressive Democratic governor, Abigail Spanberger, it seems all but assured that she will go along, given the way the budget passed along party lines.

And that’s really the rub here. Democrats — in Virginia and nationally — have made “affordability” their North Star message, warning about grocery bills, housing costs and the everyday squeeze on working families.

In fact, Spanberger delivered the official Democratic response to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday — made the “affordability” theme a dominant part of it.

Yet when handed the pen, the Virginia Democratic Party’s first instinct wasn’t to meaningfully boost the people shaping the next generation, but to triple their own salaries in one fell swoop.

You can dress it up as modernization or argue that lawmakers deserve competitive pay to attract “qualified” candidates. Fine. Have that debate.

But don’t expect voters to ignore the glaring contrast between a near-300 percent raise for politicians and a 3 percent nod to teachers who are actually in the trenches every day.

When politicians award themselves a windfall while preaching fiscal empathy to everyone else, it reinforces every cynical suspicion Americans already harbor about government.

“We feel your pain” rings hollow when the relief seems to start at the Capitol and trickle down in pennies.

If Democrats truly want to own the affordability mantle, they might consider leading with restraint instead of self-reward.

Because nothing undercuts a cost-of-living crusade faster than voting to pad your own paycheck — and expecting voters not to notice.

We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.

Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.

Typical: Virginia Democrats Are Addressing Affordability Issues by Nearly Tripling Their Own Pay

NFL Coach Fired Just Hours After Team Was 'Gathering Information' on Disturbing Allegations

Kamala Harris Intervenes at Last Second in TX Dem Senate Race, Endorses Jasmine Crockett

'I Love Trump': Viral Videos Show Iranians Praising Trump, Dancing in the Street Following US Strikes

'Bloodthirsty Thugs': Trump Celebrates Killing of Iranian Regime Leader in Lengthy Post

Hegseth Announces the Woke Organization Formerly Known as the Boy Scouts Will Drop DEI – But the Damage Is Already Done

Republican NeverTrumpers Tried Throwing a Conference and the Results Were Less Than Stellar

Frozen Yogurt Store Near Spokane Gets Death Threats Over Touching Tribute to Charlie Kirk

Epstein Fallout Continues to Hollow Out the Leftist Elite as WEF President Resigns in Disgrace

Watch: Possibly His Fieriest Yet - Sen. Kennedy Absolutely Whales on Fed Vice Chair Over Banks Persecuting Customers With Conservative Politics

Get the latest news delivered right to your email.

News, Politics, Culture, and more in realtime.

Subscribe to get the latest news delivered right to your email

Subscribe to get WJ’s daily email newsletter.

Log in to your account

Email has been sent to with a login link. Simply click this link to login. You will not need your password.

If you don't see the email immediately, please check your spam and mark it as not spam. If you entered an incorrect email, restart your login.

Lifestyle & Human Interest

About Ethics and Editorial Standards Donate Membership

Ethics and Editorial Standards

Work With Us Partnership Advertise With Us WJ Wire Content Syndication Contact Us

WJ Wire Content Syndication

Find Us Become a Member Subscribe to the Newsletter Download the WJ App Watch WJ Movies

Subscribe to the Newsletter

Explore The Western Journal

Lifestyle & Human Interest

© Western Journalism