I have to give credit to President Obama and Congress today. This past week Congress and the President passed H.R. 5146 -To provide that Members of Congress shall not receive a cost of living adjustment in pay during fiscal year 2011. With an approval rating standing at 20% you would hope these people at least have a hard time voting themselves a raise, and it appears most do. Rather this is a true moral decision on their part or political posturing is yet to be seen. I give a great deal of credit to Rep. Harry Mitchell (D-AZ) for sponsoring this bill. While it is a move congress had to make or lose the small amount of trust American’s still have in them, it is little more then a moral victory for us tax payers. With Representatives and Senators making $174,000 dollars a year, the extra $1,600 they will miss out on by voting down their pay raise will not be felt by any of them (unless they are as reckless with their personal finances as they are with the country’s).

While I give credit to those who sponsored, co-sponsored and voted “Yea”  on this bill, I am also left to question the 15 Democrat Representatives who voted “Nay.” I am happy none of my Representatives where in this group of 15. If your representative is in the list of “Nay” or  “Abstains” votes below I hope you are questioning them on why they feel they deserver a pay raise with a 10% unemployment number and congressional approval rating of 20%.