To the editor:

The enemy within is greed, starting with greed at the top: Lawmakers voted themselves a pay raise after knowing about the recession, unemployed people, job layoffs, school and handicapped budget cuts, etc.

The House and Senate ignored the White House recommendation about holding down pay raises. What part of the word “recession” do they not understand?

Where’s the balance of power among the executive, legislative and judicial? Can the lawmakers just keep voting themselves raises while our school children and handicapped people have to take cuts in their budget? Are you going to sit quietly by and let it happen, or are you going to write, or call or do something about it? Your vote and opinions are important to your lawmakers. Please stop these “leaders” from getting out of control with our tax money.

Mary Ann Kieffer,

Lawrence