Explain to a non-American why it makes sense to change Congress every two years!

Another discussion for another time.

 

And handguns.

 

Nope. Legal to own - all its takes is time and money.

 

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/10/4/16412910/automatic-guns-las-vegas-shooting

 

The Las Vegas shooter's gun wasn't an automatic.

 

And don't you consider that an infringement on the right to bear arms?

 

Yeah, but isn't your point that rifles and shotguns are not "common use for legal purposes?"

 

Why another time?

 

Yes, but surely they had to justify it to the American people.

 

I suppose it is usually done quietly on a slow news day Friday........

 

Do we know when the pay rises began happening?

 

If congress passes a pay raise for themselves it cannot become effective before the next congress.

 

So as to not lose track of the current discussion.

 

I mean the year or decade that it began.

 

You asked if full-autos are banned. The answer is no.

 

Read better.

 

I'm not sure if I follow you, but the Constitution says that any pay increase of congress people voted on cannot take effect until after the next election of Representatives.

 

Presumably in the few years after Congress was founded there wasn't a pay increase. So I'm wondering when it started.

 

I read FINE. You said this:

 

Sure, but I thought that you considered the procedure involved in being allowed to bear arms an infringement on the right to bear arms.

 

Google says the first congressional pay increase was in 1816 when it was increased from $6 per day to $1500 per year. (Congress routinely was in session 5 months a year back then.)

 

Would you say that at some point, the increase in pay was a major reason that people remained in Congress for longer than the founders expected?

 

Yep. And thing there should lead you to the conclusion you drew.

 

When did I say this?

 

I don't know but can speculate. I think the longer terms came first from a drive for power which is a stronger drive than for money. With longer terms and a greater chance of being re-elected came the realization that they could pay themselves more. The first significant pay change is 1817 caused such a public outcry it was repealed a couple of years later. The next massive increase came in 1855, though this was for congress and president, staff and civil officers.. It too caused a public outcry but this was greatly overshadowed by the slavery issue that predominated the following elections. This is probably when congress realized that if they could hide or camouflage it sufficiently they could vote themselves pay increases without affecting their electability.

But what do I know............