Why Congress Fails to Represent the People

The American government was designed to be a democracy, a representative body that acts in the interests of the people. Yet, when we examine the stark economic divide between legislators and the citizens they govern, it becomes clear that Congress has become anything but representative. The financial and occupational realities of U.S. senators and representatives stand in sharp contrast to those of the average American, making it no surprise that they routinely fail to craft policies that actually address the economic struggles of everyday people.

A Profession That Guarantees Financial Security

The annual salary of a U.S. senator or representative has been $174,000 since 2009, more than twice the median household income, which hovers around $80,610 as of 2023. And while congressional salaries have remained stagnant for over a decade, let’s not pretend that these public servants are suffering along with the rest of us. Unlike the majority of Americans, they receive comprehensive healthcare coverage, pensions, per diem stipends, and access to elite financial networks that ensure they will never struggle to pay rent or medical bills.

Meanwhile, the average American is navigating an increasingly untenable economic landscape: wages remain stagnant, the cost of living keeps climbing, and homeownership is an impossible dream for many. For the millions who earn barely enough to cover basic necessities, the idea of a $174,000 salary—plus benefits—is unfathomable. The problem isn’t just the pay gap; it’s that this kind of financial security insulates our so-called representatives from the policies they enact, creating a ruling class that governs without ever truly experiencing the consequences of its own decisions.

Long Tenure, Increasing Detachment

Another glaring issue is the length of time these lawmakers stay in office. As of 2023, the average tenure for a House member is 8.5 years, while a senator typically serves 11.2 years, and that’s just the average. Some politicians make an entire career out of Congress, remaining in office for decades, living in a completely different reality than the people they supposedly represent.

How does someone who has spent 20, 30, or even 40 years in Congress understand what it means to live paycheck to paycheck? How can they grasp the weight of medical debt, rising rents, or predatory student loans when they themselves have never had to worry about them? The longer they stay in office, the more removed they become from the struggles of ordinary Americans, yet they continue to position themselves as public servants. But servants of whom? The people—or the corporate donors who bankroll their campaigns?

The Consequences of Detachment

This disconnect is not without consequences. It is directly responsible for the government’s inaction on key issues that impact millions of Americans. The rising cost of housing? Congress will talk about it endlessly but do nothing substantive because most of them own multiple properties and will never have to worry about rent hikes or eviction. Healthcare reform? Why would they care when they already have top-tier, government-funded healthcare that the rest of us can’t access? The stagnation of the minimum wage? When was the last time a sitting senator or representative had to live off $7.25 an hour?

We’ve built a system where the people who make the rules are exempt from the hardships those rules create. The result? A government that does not govern for the people, it governs for itself.

What Would Change If Congress Lived Like the Rest of Us?

Imagine if congressional salaries were tied to the median American wage. Imagine if legislators had to rely on the same public healthcare system, the same social security programs, the same job market that their constituents do. Would they be so quick to cut funding for food assistance programs if they had to rely on them? Would they allow corporate landlords to run unchecked if they had to fight for affordable housing themselves?

It’s easy to ignore a crisis when you never have to live through it. The structure of our political system ensures that members of Congress are shielded from the very struggles they are elected to solve. Until that changes, they will continue to legislate from a place of privilege and detachment, governing a nation whose hardships they will never truly understand.