Alex, What Is $3,300?

So, Congress just voted itself a raise the other day, despite the worst performance ratings and voter disenchantment in recent history.

I'd like to vote myself a raise. Oh, but wait. I'm one of the 5.5% of unfortunate Americans who are unemployed right now. Well, in that case, I'd just like to vote myself a salaried-with-benefits job. Oh, oh, wait. That's right. I decided I was going to try the freelance route for a while and see how that pans out. Well, I guess that means I'm SOL.

Seriously, folks. I'm not an economist or a political wonk or a guru of any kind other than the state of the lint in my belly button, but someone please tell me where people who are elected by the citizens of this country get off voting themselves a raise? Okay, I know, I know. There's some obscure little act out there quaintly acronymed "COLA" (Cost of Living Act) that allows Congress to vote itself a raise. But still...

Aren't these the folks who have chosen public service as their life's work, and whose motives were supposed to be noble and altruistic, and who should not be thinking as much about what they're making as they should be thinking about how they can best serve the interests of their constituents? Frankly, giving Congress the power to vote itself a raise is unfair. It should go on the ballot and the voters should be allowed to vote whether or not their representative or senator gets--let alone deserves--a raise. Otherwise, Congress needs to change the labor laws to allow all working Americans--regardless of whether they're unionized--to vote themselves a raise every couple of years or so.

Seems only fair, don't you think?

Graphic courtesy of CNN.com.