You just knew this was coming. Unsatisfied with stealing trillions of taxpayer dollars to subsidize Wall Street's gambling habit, Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke wants to raid Social Security and Medicare to pay for it, according to The Huffington Post (image of Bernanke supplied by the HuffPo article). This has even GOPers nervous, considering the pounding they took when George W. Bush proposed privatizing the social safety net to provide gambling money for bankers. That may be why they're slower than usual to vote to keep the co-architect of America's financial meltdown in place.

In that regard, they may actually be allies, however unreliable, as Vermont's Bernie Sanders works to prevent Bernanke from being appointed to a second term as Federal Reserve chairman. David Sirota over at Closed Left provides a list of potential Senate targets who might be prodded into blocking the nomination. This is a good opportunity, especially with an election year coming up, to put the pressure on Democrats and Republicans alike to get something positive done for once. Call your senators and tell them that if they want your money and votes next year, they will block Bernanke's re-appointment.