They also make a very healthy 6 figure income with transportation and housing. They also have a separate pension (no SS) and health plans. (They are not worried about us)

They are in it for the perks: higher wages, Cadillac health plans, insider trading, lobbyist pay offs, security, payoffs for sexual transgressions handled in secret, a sit down job, accountable to no one, “fact finding” trips around the world. I rest my case! In addition to having August and October off, they have 5-10 additional days, not counting weekends, off each month. Pretty sweet. Oh, I forgot to add, they vote their own pay raise no matter how miserable a job they do, accountable to no one, except those who blackmail them and place them, not elect them, back into office to do it over and over again.