One very reliable rule in finance is: If someone is using high- pressure tactics to urge you to give them money right now or else, walk away. It is a scam.

No situation is so bad that panic can't make it a whole lot worse. People in Washington need to calm down and do some research to find a real solution.

Or they're likely to find themselves out of a job next month, and in this economy, that would suck. For them.