Let-them-eat-cake Republicans vote themselves a pay raise . . . then leave for two week vacation!

In case you missed it, Congress voted itself a $3,100 pay raise on Friday -- right before deciding to postpone work on bills to curb spending on social programs and cut taxes in favor of a two-week vacation. The cost-of-living increase for members of Congress will put pay for the rank and file at an estimated $165,200 a year. (full story)

This is the same Congress that in October rejected a minimum wage hike from $5.15 an hour to $6.25 for blue-collar workers. The minimum wage was last increased in 1997.

All the Democrats voted for the wage boost. All the negative votes were cast by Republicans. (Four Republicans voted for the increase.)

Why won't Republicans share the wealth? Members of Congress get health insurance, life insurance, pensions, office expenses, ranging from $2 million on up, depending on the population of a state. Taxpayers also pay for their travel, telecommunications, stationery and mass mailings.

An estimated 7.3 million workers (5.8% of the workforce) would receive an increase in their hourly wage rate if the minimum wage were raised. Due to "spillover effects," the 8.2 million workers (6.5% of the workforce) earning up to a dollar above the minimum would also be likely to benefit from an increase.

The earnings of minimum wage workers are crucial to their families' well-being. Evidence from the 1996-97 minimum wage increase shows that the average minimum wage worker brings home more than half (54%) of his or her family's weekly earnings.

Single mothers would benefit disproportionately from an increase — single mothers are 10.4% of workers that would be affected by an increase, but they make up only 5.3% of the overall workforce. (Minimum Wage - Facts at a Glance)

Maybe one of the reasons Republicans felt so comfortable rejecting the minimum wage increase is because the smallest block of voters are -- you guessed it -- single women.