WTF Is It Now?!?

Thanks for nothing
The US Senate on Wednesday defeated a proposal by Democrats to raise the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 an hour by January 1, 2009.

Flashback, 6/14/06: Despite record low approval ratings and the fact that they've done absolutely diddly, House lawmakers Tuesday voted to increase their salaries by $3,300. The 2 percent cost-of-living raise would be the seventh straight for members of the House and Senate. Lawmakers easily squelched a bid by Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, to get a direct vote to block the COLA, which is automatically awarded unless lawmakers vote to block it.