The headlines for the past couple days show how hard the US House of Representatives is working: Reading the Constitution, Cutting its budget by 5 percent.

I call it showboating. These people have one of the cushiest jobs in the country. The average pay is $174,000 a year, roughly three and a half times higher than the median income in this country (which the census claims to be $52,029). On top of that inflated salary - which gets a cost of living raise each year - congress also gets health benefits and a retirement pension.

That 5% budget cut did slash $35 million from our deficit; that is a great step. But what the headline doesn't state is that the House of Representatives have seen a 14 percent increase in spending since 2008, the same year so many Americans began to lose their jobs. So Congress has given itself raises and more money while bemoaning the huge deficits and the lack of jobs for the average American.

Is it any wonder why the average American feels so much disdain for our politicians? Here are some simple ideas for improving those abysmal approval ratings:

Cut your salaries by 10 percent or more. Most teachers and other workers have taken bigger pay cuts over the past few years. So should you.

Reduce your staff and answer your own emails and letter - it's called increased efficiency.

Cut all pork-barrel spending. Period.

Enact some - and preferably all - of the spending cuts put forth in this recent Esquire article.

Stop spending time on TV shows and fighting over bills; spend those hours working together to actually legislate. Even if its a compromise.

And most importantly, stop telling us you are working for us. You aren't. You are working to keep your cushy job and big salary. We know this. And we don't like it.