The stock market is down, unemployment is up, home sales are falling, foreclosures are up, and the GDP is down. On the bright side one sector thrives in this disappointing economy – Congress. Congress will receive a 2 percent raise, which on a $174,000 salary means a meager $4,700 increase. Know anyone who couldn’t use an extra $400 a month? How do these public servants eke out a living on such a paltry sum? What makes the raise more onerous at this time? Congress has an approval rating hovering around 10 percent (Rasmussen Poll), which makes President Bush look like the Christmas Star in the East. The politicos had a chance to vote against this raise, but after much squirming and hand wringing. . .that didn’t happen – after all, there are those pesky holiday expenses. There is a bright spot though – the same poll indicated that 2 percent of the people believe Congress is doing an excellent job!

Questions spring to mind: Would we tolerate a 10 percent high school graduation rate? Would Boeing be happy with only 10 percent of its planes getting off of the ground? Would the Seattle Mariner batters be happy getting a hit 10 percent of the time? (Bad comparison, after last season they might be ecstatic.) The point is something needs to be done! How about term limits? The other Washington needs to throw open the windows to let in some fresh air and to let out the entrenched, verbose gas bags. Make congressional members’ jobs a true public service position without any retirement and for a limited time; this would prevent the same individuals from perpetuating bad policies ad infinitum and lining their pockets.

Congress will be heading back soon to do its usual bang-up job. Sadly, the members will take their holiday giving mood to the next level by gifting the citizens with “revenue enhancements” (taxes) to pay for their raises, pork barrel projects and entitlements. The “change” so roundly touted in the last election needs to be extended to Congress en masse. Until that happens, Joe Citizen can only count on the exhaust from the political parties’ mascots.

George Terhaar

Enumclaw

Snowplow

I want to personally give a heartfelt thanks to those snowplow drivers and city workers who provided such an excellent service during these past few weeks.

My housing development has NEVER been plowed in the almost 14 years I have lived in Bonney Lake and I saw them no less than three times clearing the way for us.

I truly appreciate the efforts and the many hours they spent taking care of us.

Bless You.

Diane Mathis Snell

Bonney Lake