The AP notes that the Senate approved the fifth straight pay raise; for themselves. Actually, they didn't approve it because they are automatic. What they did was defeat an amendment to suspend the pay raise. The vote was 60-34 in favor of giving themselves a pay increase; something that Tom Daschle called "not a raise" just last year.

Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, parroted Daschle's rationale by claiming, "This is not a pay raise. This is an increase that's required by law." It must be nice to be able to use the police power of the government to enrich yourself.

I would assume that those Senators voting for this pay raise won't be bitching and griping about the budget deficit.