On The Mark -- Enough Is Enough Series

"Oil on ice does not get this slimy."

A wonderful quote from Philadelphia Inquirer columnist John Grogan. He was describing how Pennsylvania's legislators used a loophole to secretly vote themselves immediate pay increases at 2 a.m. one recent night, then went on a two-MONTH vacation, as reported in today's LA Times.

These raises weren't for cost-of-living increases (as The Misanthrope wrote about yesterday). They ranged from 16% to 34%. They had pooled $130 million in what some analysts have called a slush fund to help pay for these raises. The raises turn out to be particularly hefty when you factor in that they've only served an average of 77 session days a year for the past 5 years.

And by the way, these raises were approved by the legislators just hours after they had voted to slash Medicaid services to the state's disabled, elderly and poor. Fortunately, the media and residents of this state have kept the heat on and now a few legislators have decided not to take their raises "this year."

We're beginning to see a little bit of outrage in this country. A little "enough is enough" attitude.

Good. Finally.