If the government shuts down at midnight tonight due to the utter failure of Congress to get their shit together, don't fret. Your Representatives and Senators, along with the President and VP will continue to get paid and receive all their perks. So don't worry - even though the peasantry will suffer from losing their paychecks, our ruling class will be just fine. Seriously, we need to change some things in DC. For starters - if the Federal government shuts down due to one of these budget spats, all Congressional pay is forfeit. Not deferred, lost. Same for the President and VP. Similarly, all perks are forfeit. If a Congressmember, the President or the VP are out of town - they get flown back to DC and then the travel office closes until the government re-opens. If there is no money to pay our troops, then there is no money to drive Rep. Brown and her gal pals out for their shopping junket. If the Congress and President are going to squabble like grade school children and make the country suffer for it, then they should be treated like grade school children. Spank them, cut off their allowance, and send them to bed without supper. Matt