Quick thought that I feel needs to be considered and answered…

Why does it seem perfectly okay for lawmakers to set aside around a million dollars to help settle personal cases of sexual harassment or assault, but NOT rollback taxes for the American people?

To put this into perspective, the standard deduction under the new GOP tax bill is $12,700 if you’re single and $24,800 if you’re married. A pretty good chunk of your own money you get to keep. Over the course of a couple decades, you’ll be able to keep over $200,000 to $400,000 of your own money depending on your status. If it pleases the crown, perhaps we could get those tax deductions even juicier, and I can keep the vast majority of what I make.

But I digress.

Now let’s look at the amount of your money spent by lawmakers over the course of twenty years.

According to a congressional office compliance report that surfaced after the Al Franken controversy began, the Treasury has paid out over $17 million in settlements since 1997 to people who have filed sexual harassment or assault claims against lawmakers or staff members.

Just this year, nearly a million dollars in settlements have been racked up, and that’s actually lower than some years. In 2002, the Treasury paid out $4 million in settlements. As of now, 2007 holds the record with $4.05 million paid to protect politicians and their underlings with settlements from the Treasury.

Allow me to remind you that the money in the Treasury IS OUR MONEY.

WE are paying for the sexual misconduct of elected officials and their (not a euphemism) staff. However, us wanting to keep more of our money is “apocalyptic” according to Nancy Pelosi.

Apocalyptic for who?

As far as I’m concerned — and I’m willing to bet the vast majority of you agree with me — the politicians and state workers who step out of bounds can pay for their own follies with money out of their already bloated wallets. We shouldn’t be having to pony up the dough every time sexual deviancy occurs.

Furthermore, the money that is set aside to settle harassment charges can be given back to the people where it belongs.