Why can't the rest of us just vote ourselves a pay raise?

[The Annoyed Man]

Personally, I like a "do-nothing" Congress. The less they do, the less they can screw us. I'd be willing to pay them more to do less.

Actually, I agree. But as long as they are going to do nothing, they don't really need an automatic pay raise, and retirement benefits that many people would think are obscenely greedy - given how much they hose us as taxpayers.

[Oldgringo]

Don't worry Oldgringo, I'll be getting paid soon, and Uncle Sam always likes to pull a nice big amount from my paycheck to pay for the current Social Security checks being sent out. So in a couple of more days, you'll be getting your next check. You can thank me later :)

Mrs. Oldgringo and I appreciate the SS contribution. The amounts that we paid in for some half century just doesn't seem to go far enough to cover the costs of adminstration and disbursement.

You reckon you might be able to help us out a little with our property taxes next month? I don't understand why we have to pay for schools that our offspring never did, nor never will, attend. I seems to me that the people producing the pupils should be the ones paying for the schools.

While we're on the subject, what do people who've always paid their bills get in the absence of a bailout? Have the legislators, who are so eager to give away other folks' money, come up with some sort of reward program for those who did not buy more than they could afford?

Oh never mind, we've been assured that next year will be better and happy.