Get job done, then get out of D.C.

Credit congressional Democrats for vowing to work five days a week, more or less. Congress was off Monday for the Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday and already has had other nonworking weekdays, but the leaders in both chambers want to keep lawmakers on Capitol Hill longer than GOP leaders did. As House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Ohio, acknowledged, “there is great value to House members being in their districts and talking to their people.” But Americans who work many more hours for many fewer dollars than do members of Congress expect a better work ethic from lawmakers. It also shouldn’t be too much to expect, for a change, that the 2008 appropriations bills can be passed before the 2008 fiscal year begins in October.
Posted by Rhonda Holman

12 Comments

  1. RD
    Posted January 20, 2007 at 8:48 am | Permalink

    And just who believes that when Congress isn’t busy working on Capitol Hill, they’re talking to their constiuents?

    Yeah, right.

  2. ksfarmgrrl
    Posted January 20, 2007 at 9:43 am | Permalink

    Actually, and I cant believe I am defending a republican, Jerry Moran actually DOES spend his off time in his district talking to constituents.

    He has been to our Friday night fish fries at least twice, and we are just a community of 127 people.

    Considering the ground he has to cover in his district, I think he does a good job of being accessible.

    Now, if you are a congress critter from the northeast, where whole states arent as big as some Kansas counties, I doubt they are using their “spare” time as efficiently or wisely as Moran.

    I still support the five day workweek for Congress. Damn, it isnt like they dont have anything to do, anything that needs to be accomplished.

    There is enough work for several lifetimes in bailing us out of the messes created by the boy king and all his cronies.

  3. ksfarmgrrl
    Posted January 20, 2007 at 9:45 am | Permalink

    heheh Rhonda

    “It also shouldn’t be too much to expect, for a change, that the 2008 appropriations bills can be passed before the 2008 fiscal year begins in October.”

    RD should appreciate this too.

    Wouldnt it be nice to have a farm bill passed BEFORE we put the freakin’ crops in the ground?

  4. political_mom
    Posted January 20, 2007 at 9:57 am | Permalink

    Moran is more accessible, I agree. I even have access to him whereas I have no idea where to go see Pat Roberts.

    But that doesn’t change what Moran does, and he just voted against stem cell research.

  5. ksfarmgrrl
    Posted January 20, 2007 at 10:02 am | Permalink

    Yeah Mom, and he says the federal hate amendment “just makes good sense.”

    And yes, that is a direct quote.

    I didnt say he wasnt a wingnut :)

    I just said he is accessible to his voters.

    Whether or not he acts on behalf anyone but KFB, the wingnuts, and Hays, is still an unanswered question.

    He is a republican after all…

  6. political_mom
    Posted January 20, 2007 at 11:06 am | Permalink

    Don’t blame me, I voted for Doll. LOL.

    Just makes me sick he won with such a high margin.

  7. WSClark
    Posted January 20, 2007 at 11:14 am | Permalink

    For $165,000 per year, the sons-of-bitches better work five days a week AND visit the folks that elected them in the first place.

    BTW – Has anyone seen Tiahrt around?

  8. CapnAmerica
    Posted January 20, 2007 at 11:27 am | Permalink

    You can never find out when Tiahrt gives a public appearance.

    Republican operatives keep it quiet and hand-pick the audiences, just like with Worst President Ever.

    If we activists could ever find out where the hiding weasel is, we’d protest his sorry ass . . . and he knows it.

  9. GaryC.
    Posted January 20, 2007 at 11:46 am | Permalink

    I Propose a Two Week D.C./One Week home interval for Congress or even a One/One week interval. This so they can have time to talk to their constituents. Thats if they ever do.

    They also need to only get a cola raise once every Ten years.

  10. cosmos
    Posted January 20, 2007 at 4:24 pm | Permalink

    Re link in header above,

    ‘Democrats vow 5-day workweek… sort of’”But the chamber was not in session last Monday, when some members attended the national college football championship game in Arizona.”

    The ‘football’ day off was requested by Republican Minority Leader John Boehner (Ohio).

    ‘Drudge blamed Dems for ‘day off for football’ but ‘100 hours’ agenda delay said to be due to GOP request’http://www.rawstory.com/news/2007/GOP_seeks_gets_day_off_in_0108.html

  11. Brenda Shull
    Posted January 20, 2007 at 7:03 pm | Permalink

    Why shouldn’t they have to work 5 days a week? It’s not like they accomplish much! I’d fire them all if they worked for me.

  12. right-wing terrorist
    Posted January 22, 2007 at 4:53 pm | Permalink

    Steny Hoyer is from Maryland.