RJ and Makay

Despite its long battle for a much larger budget to cover current activities and comply with new financial reform laws, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) only received a modest budget increase that's not nearly as much as it says it needs.

In the budget agreement finalized late Friday night to avoid a government shutdown, the SEC is slated to receive a $74 million increase to its current budget for the rest of the fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30. The House and Senate are scheduled to vote on the budget measure this week.

It's a great idea, but what are the chances? The idea: bring back traditional pensions.

That's what an overwhelming number of Americans recommended in a recent poll by the National Institute on Retirement Security. According to these respondents, the recession revealed major flaws in the current retirement system and the government should make it easier for employers to offer pensions.