And Yet More Congressional Dirt...

This week, it became clear why Congress needed a pay raise. Review the cases of House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R TX), and Reps. Ken Calvert (R CA) and Gary Miller (R CA). Each of these House members purchased land in their home district and then -- just by coincidence-- voted for highway bills that would significantly improve the value of their holdings. Hastert made $2 million of the sale of his 5 acre parcel after Congress picked up the tab to build a highway near it. Defending his prudent investment, Hastert stated "$164K? Have you ever tried to live on $164K? There is no flat screen, no 4,00 square foot house, your vacations are domestic and you have to cook your own meals. I mean, get real."