Raises? For those bums?!

"Despite the lousy economy, high unemployment and plummeting housing prices, U.S. congressional members get a $4,700 pay raise this week. The 2.8 percent raise of $4,700 a year will increase most salaries to $174,000 a year, the McClatchy newspaper group reported Monday."

If I'm not mistaken virtually every business in the U.S. is laying people off and in most cases freezing wages. If you're lucky enough to have a job - a pay freeze is not so bad, considering the alternative.

And here we have the congressional brain trust, who set the lending and banking rules that lead to this financial blood bath, voting themselves a raise.

Well technically, they didn't vote FOR a raise. they have such a sweet set up that the raises happen every year unless they decide to ask for a vote to NOT get a raise.

And let's not forget their pension plan which is something like 80% of their salary - for Life!

Contact your congressional rep and ask them why they deserve a raise.