The economy has been on a record upswing, building the Permanent Fund to where it is today ... and sooner or later, it will fall into a record downswing.  There may be no Permanent Fund earnings for some years to come, it may even lose over half of its value ... and then what?  The fund lost 3 billion in January, but was rescued in a temporary market correction.  Our legislators are foolish children, playing with fire ... and it is the people who will get burned.  On top of that, the fund lost two of the most competent managers it has ever had, who had overseen the biggest single growth in the history of the fund ... all because the legislators saved a few pennies by not giving them a decent raise or bonus.