Inspired by the plan of Rep. Scott Dieckhaus (R-Washington)—which would link public-school teachers’ pay and job security to their students’ performance—here’s a proposal to assure that legislators practice what they preach:
Let’s link legislators’ pay and job security to testing.
A four-tiered system would be established to rank lawmakers’ pay based on the following measures:
• Results of standardized sixth-grade civics tests to be administered individually to legislators without notice in private settings;
• Ranking of Missouri’s performance in comparison to other states based upon student test scores;
• Attendance at committee meetings and floor votes;
• Number of bills introduced that are successfully passed. This will be based upon a scoring system in which points are deducted for bills introduced that do not make it out of committee;
• Travel and lobbyist expenses, also based on a yet-to-be-announced scoring system;
• Opinion polling of constituents to assure that subjectivity is a key component to their employment future.
Under the new system, a small number of legislators will see substantial pay increases and will have term limits waived. Many in the middle will see little change in pay or election rules, but will feel the accountability of the new system.
A substantial number of bad legislators, as defined by the new yardsticks, will have their pay reduced to the minimum wage and will be subject to dismissal between election cycles.
One representative, insisting on anonymity, said he was suspicious of any legislation based on Dieckhaus’ bill because he heard Dieckhaus was from Washington.
Informed that Dieckhaus was from Washington, Mo., and not the nation’s capitol, the legislator said his Tea Party principles still did not allow him to trust the word of someone who sounded like he was from Washington.
“I’ll believe it when he passes a polyester test.”
SLM co-owner Ray Hartmann is a panelist on KETC Channel 9’s Donnybrook, which airs Thursdays at 7 p.m.
