Bob Haueter (left), explains to a young cancer patient why the insurance companies should be allowed to discontinue his coverage.

During my photo safari at the Santa Clarita tea party on April 15, 2010, I happened to meet Bob Haueter, Deputy Chief of Staff for Congressman Howard P. “Buck” McKeon.

Although I was only planning to take pictures and not speak to anyone at the rally, since someone kindly introduced me to him, I decided to be sociable and ask a few questions.

Haueter was cordial, courteous and well-spoken.

After inquiring in vain as to why McKeon keeps lying about healthcare in his emails, I asked if it were true that McKeon’s wife, Patricia, is paid $110,000 from PAC contributions to work in his campaign office.  

Haueter said it was “absolutely true.”  He then told me the reason she got the job was that “anyone else with the same experience would cost 10-15% more.”  He actually said that. With a straight face, he looked me in the eyes and told me that McKeon’s hiring of his wife at $110,000 a year was – yes, folks – a cost-cutting measure.

How noble a spouse to sacrifice so much for her husband’s endeavors. (“Not only will I work for less than those other bimbos, I’ll let you deposit my paychecks into our joint account.”)

The trade-off with a $110,000 bargain-basement employee, of course, is they sometimes make mistakes, like failing to disclose transfers of funds going into the boss’s campaign account to the Federal Elections Commisssion.  Oops. It’s okay, Pat (may we call you Pat?), with a few more years of on-the-job experience, you’ll catch up to the learning curve, and might even be able to get a better paying job somewhere.

Nevertheless, I’m sure Buck’s corporate contributors are happy the congressman’s being so frugal with their money (perhaps they’ll even take 10-15% less in government kickbacks – er, contracts).

And before your face gets red with pride at the thriftiness of our beloved representative, I propose an even happier ending to the story:

Since Mrs. McKeon was hired solely because her measly salary would reduce her hubby’s bottom line, it reasons that if another, equally qualified job seeker showed up, and was willing to work for even less – say $103,954 – Patricia would find herself on the unemployment line, replaced by the newer, cheaper kid.

So the offer is on the table.

If you can lick stamps, answer phones and mislead the FEC every once in awhile – and, if you are willing to work for less than $110,000 a year – the job is yours.

Apply in person, but beware — it could be a short-lived career.

Braddon Mendelson, Editor-in-Chief
The Buck Stops Now

“Defeat Buck McKeon”

RELATED ARTICLE: http://patriciamckeon.blogspot.com/2011/11/patricia-mckeon-poor.html