I'm on my way out the door back to work, but this thought came to mind: Congress is supposed to serve the people, and congressmen/women are elected to their office, yet Congress gets to vote on their own pay raises! what bullshit! Money motivates...give that power to the people. If each senator's pay was determined by their constituents they might be more inclined to actually SERVE THE PEOPLE instead of their own interests (or rather, those of special interest groups and PACs) no matter how good or bad a senator is or how long they serve they receive their pay for the rest of their lives, even once they've left office. That's bullshit, too imo.