Hungry for a Pay Raise Themselves, Cajun State Legislators Try for 123-Percent Jump
New York state legislators earn at least $79,500 annually, although many get extra payments-or lulus-for services such as accepting leadership roles. But several legislators have been pushing for a pay raise of up to $20,000, or 25 percent.

That is a much lower increase than one sought by Louisiana state legislators, who at the end of their session tried for a 123-percent raise in salaries. Of course, they currently make far less, around $16,800 annually. This bump would have only brought their salaries up to $37,500.

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R), widely considered a potential vice presidential pick for Sen. John McCain, declined at first to veto the measure, allowing for the pay raise and for the legislature to prove their strength against the executive office.

But Jindal came under fire for this position, with many Louisianans reminding him that he had promised during his 2007 campaign that he would not allow the legislature to pass a pay raise that would go into effect while they were holding office.

Subject to harsh criticism from constituents, some of who even supported a recall effort, he vetoed the bill June 30.

GOP Seats in Buffalo and Staten Island Trade Wholesomeness for Scandal
Former Reps. Susan Molinari and Bill Paxon were the mid-90s "it" couple in GOP politics. Holding safe Republican seats in Staten Island and Buffalo, respectively, they looked to hold sway in D.C. and New York for decades to come. Now they are a decade out of office and their seats could end up in Democratic hands next year for the first time in a generation.

While the power couple's marriage and wholesome family friendliness made them a congressional version of Leave it to Beaver, the events leading to their seats possibly switching parties may better resemble an episode of  Melrose Place. Weddings and pregnancy have given way to illegitimate kids, family feuds, public intoxication, teen sex cover-ups, eccentric billionaires, secret dinner meetings, a scorned wife, the possible comeback of the retired patriarch, feigned amnesia, sudden deaths and bizarre funeral outbursts. The races to replace Molinari's successor Rep. Vito Fossella and Paxon's successor Rep. Thomas Reynolds have been anything but wholesome.

And with all of this playing out separately from the soap opera that engulfed Albany this year, Buffaloians and Staten Islanders can be excused if they try to change the channel.

Both races even each had two guys named Powers show interest-the unrelated Democrat Jon and Republican Mike in Buffalo and the father/son duo of the late Republican Frank and Libertarian Frank Jr. on Staten Island. Only Mike Powers did not jump into the soap opera, instead becoming the star of his own Night Court by accepting a town judgeship in the Buffalo suburb of Clarence. With over three months until the November election-and the possible October surprise-there is still time for more plot twists to take over both races. Stay tuned.