Pay raise time again for the Congress

The Congress is set to receive a scheduled pay raise in January, 2007. This action requires no action in advance. One more example of a Congress failing to meet its responsibilities to the public interests. If the Congress earned a raise, let the debate begin and let the record show support for the raise. Otherwise no such raise should given.

With the enormous costs of the Iraq occupation and the increasing deficit let alone the perceived poor performance of our Congress, a pay raise this budget year unconscionable. Automatic pay raises are not the norm in American business under most circumstances. Most Americans canot expect any such raise without a performance review for sure.
In past years Congressional action has led to foregoing the pay raise. Some members of Congress voluntarily pass up the raises at some points in time. In the circumstance of this year the best approach seems to pass the raise for every one of the current Congressional members. Maybe in the future if the performance is seen to be better raises could be instituted once again. Any automatic pay raise without some degree of responsibility to the public interest is intolerable and should be ended once and for all.