No Congress does not deserve a pay raise. You should only receive a raise if you've done a good job and all of our elected officials have let the country down. Some may have done a fair job but it's politics as usual. I also feel that our elected officoals should start to participate with the rest of the country in the Medicare and Social Security. Get out of the protected plan they all have and see what's it like to live on the miserable amount of social security the rest of the Americans are getting. Amtrak and the government all have the same sweet deal. You can rest assured this will never happen, they all are all self serving and take care of themselves and their families first and then the American who voted them into office are last on the list.

Christine, Ever wonder why congressman don't take a 401k instead of their golden pension plan? America has been sold a bill of goods regarding the 401k. It sure nice for wall street. Regularly having trucks of money from the heartland back into wall street.

Boy Willie, you are so right about 401k being nothing but a bill of goods. I think they ought to do away with regular pensions for those folks and do them like the rest of us and that includes giving them lump sums for IRAs and let's see if they want to stick with the same type crap they forced on the american people. Wonder if they'd be so willing to bend to the will of financial lobbyist if their entire retirement is put up for grabs.

YES. WE ALL GOT SCREWED!

The consequences of spending $5-7 A DAY more than we earn(look at the $50-70billion a month trade deficit), for every man woman and child in the country(that's 300 million), for the last ten years, are becoming evident.........What's interesting is that the new man at the helm is proposing we spend even more than we earn(did I hear a $800billion rescue package?). Isn't that rather like having a drink or two to cure last night's hangover? We would still be alcoholics. The only logical answer(except one) is that we have to accept a lower standard of living...Not by much, but we cannot continue to spend more than we earn.....There is one other solution, produce and sell more, but is that likely? ? XMAS IS OVER FOLKS!

Hi Folks,
I played the margin game through the first bubble and came out even steven less profit. Then I played the lastest margin game and lost a lot, but sold Oct. 10th to save my back side. Now I bought back in with saved cash from sale 50% below what I sold the originals in the 7500 Dow. It taught me how to be a value buyer by margining. You can learn this by doing fantacy Stocks on your derver for about a year to teach you how the birds fly. I do not suggest you margin buy, because it cost you all your dividends and interest on top. It is not the way to go. But it was a teaching tool for me. But again you don't have to spend your money to learn the game. As a stock buyer you are the last to hear the news, whether up or down. Pick good companies read the charts, do not throw darts

Thanks Darryl

What losses?? I sold my stock mutual funds in August of 2007 when the Dow was 12,000. I've been in CD's and fixed income ever since. The big question is when to get back in.

Every person in congress should have to abide by the same rules (money) as the public does and then they will learn a lesson. I have also wondered when the right time to get back in stocks, but my broker says to "sit tight" and wait. We'll see.

I LOST A LOT THIS YEAR DUE TO BEING OUT OF THE COUNTRY ON VACATION. THE MELTDOWN HAPPENED WHILE I WAS AWAY AND COULD DO NOTHING ABOUT UNTIL I GOT BACK HOME. AFTER TWO HURRICANES BACK TO BACK NO ELECTRICITY I HAD TO WAIT TO GET BACK. IT WAS TOO LATE, I HAD ALREADY LOST HALF OF WHAT I HAD. WHEN DO I GET BACK IN IS THE SAME QUESTION, I ASK. OUR BILLS ARE EVERY MONTH HIGHER AND HIGHER ABOUT 5 TO 7 DOLLARS AND WE ARE RETIRED, NO INCOME RAISES. WE ARE EXPECTED TO BUDGET AND CUT BACK WHY CAN'T EVERYONE ELSE DO THE SAME THING INCLUDING OUR GOVERNMENT. WE ALL NEED TO START YELLING ACROSS AMERICA. STOP RAISING OUR BILLS AND RAISE OUR RETIRMENTS.

It seems that Congress was quick to slam the CEOs for their salaries. Then they vote themselves in another increase in their salary. Do they not see that the taxpayers are suffering? Do they not see that the taxpayers see them as greedy, just like the CEOs. I'm retired and my IRA that I've worked hard to put money into year after year has lost 45%. Interest rates are so low that T-bills are worthless. Now, I just pray that the money I have in savings and T-bills stays safe.

DOES ANYBODY KNOW OF ANY GOOD PAYING AND SAFE MONEY MARKET ACCOUTS AVAILABLE? THANKS