Cancel or at least drastically shorten the 5 week Congressional August Break

[cali]

it's fucking outrageous. The House goes on break next week and doesn't reconvene until Sept. 8. The Senate goes on break one week later. Breaking for a month or 5 weeks at this time, is simply not acceptable.

[Dennis Donovan]

1. I agree...

Red'd.:thumbsup:

[ejpoeta]

2. how do they get so much time off!!! i mean, they make at least $90k a year

to work, what is it...100 days!! people bitch about teachers getting paid $50k for only working 9 months, but no one bats an eye at these us reps who go on 'recess' all the time. It's ridiculous. it's not like they have other jobs to go to. This IS their job!!!

[cali]

3. no, they make about $170,000 a year

[ejpoeta]

4. i thought the base was $90k and then they got more for being on committees.

$170k is a lot worse!! uggh!! no wonder they never want to leave!!

[cali]

5. The average congress critter is paid $169, 300

[proud2BlibKansan]

16. It's not time off

It's time at home in their districts. They don't all go and lay on a beach for a month.

[CrispyQ]

32. Technically not all of the time is vacation, it's time away from DC.

They should be at their local offices & visiting the communities & meeting with constituents. Sadly, too many have forgotten who their real constituents are (hint: it's the ones who actually vote!) & instead, are gorging at the corporate troughs.

We will never get our country back as long as money equals free speech.

http://www.reclaimdemocracy.org/political_reform/money_notspeech.html

[excess_3]

6. they work very hard

for one hour a day
three days a week
eight weeks year

give em a break

[HamdenRice]

7. They have to go tend their farms in summer and a stage coach takes several days ...

to reach Georgia and Massachusetts.

Yes, it's completely obsolete based on the origins of the federal government being run by gentlemen farmers.

[armyowalgreens]

8. It really is ridiculous.

[My Good Babushka]

9. It's an outdated custom

I can see how it used to be necessary to keep in touch with their districts, but it hardly seems necessary with they way we communicate today.

[One_Life_To_Give]

10. Give them 2 weeks plus holidays

Throw in a HMO and mybe some cheap Dental.

That is be like so many of their own constituents.

[Liberal In Texas]

11. The Dems need to say, "We're not breaking until Health Care is passed." n/t

[bdamomma]

22. if they care at all about the American people they should say that.

[trayfoot]

12. I totally agree!

It is about time these Congress people start working normal work weeks to earn their wages & benefits! I look at this so-called "break" the same way as I look at outrageous bonuses - they are ridiculous and way over the top!

[Donnachaidh]

13. if they want to take a break, let them do it WITHOUT pay or perks like healthcare

Want a month off? Hand over the keys to those leased cars, and hand over your healthcare card. And forget the paycheck you were expecting to cover your vacation - the american taxpayer has more need of it than you do.

Good luck finding health insurance to cover your family for that interim time - especially if you have pre-existing conditions.

[Joanne98]

14. Ed Shultz was saying last night on his show that they shouldn't go home until

health care is passed.

http://wegoted.com/Default.asp

I hope he talks about that again today.

[proud2BlibKansan]

15. No they need the time to meet with constituents at home

Not everyone can afford to get on a plane and fly to DC. Contrary to popular opinion, this recess is not a vacation for Congress.

[cali]

18. oh please. It's completely unneccessary, in this day and age

for congress critters to take off 5 fucking weeks in the summer. And yeah, it damned straight is a vacation for most of them. They all have the ability to travel to their home districts while Congress is in session. You do realize that they onely have a four day work week and that they have travel budgets, right? In any case, they get an inordinate amount of time off, and no the majority do not spend that time working in their districts.

My Senators and rep, regularly meet with their constituents here at home while Congress is in session. Are you saying others can't?

[proud2BlibKansan]

21. No it is not a vacation

I live in a bistate area and lobby 2 House members and 4 senators. In August. They are most definitely NOT on vacation. They are in their offices. One of the reps I know won't let any of his staffers take any vacation time in August; he wants them in the office working since he is there the entire month.

Lots of reps don't come home every weekend while Congress is in session. Not all of them are east coasters, just a few hours away. Oh please learn some geography.

[cali]

26. I'm quite familiar with your part of the country, dear.

Not that I'd ever consider living there. They do not need five weeks off in the summer, weeks off in the winter and spring. And leaving right now spells disaster for getting any kind of meaningful healthcare reform passed.

[proud2BlibKansan]

28. As if we would have YOU, dear

But I wasn't referring to the midwest. I was trying to be sensitive to the needs of the people living much farther away from DC than here.

We really should move the capital to a more central location.

[tnlurker]

20. That is nice in theory

But my Rep (Marsha Blackburn) has not had a town hall near me in over four years now. August or not.

[proud2BlibKansan]

23. Have you called and set up an appointment to meet with her?

Why do you think she needs to hold a town hall?

[tnlurker]

30. I tried a couple of years ago

But she was never at her Memphis office when I could make it. The Memphis office either does not have more than a Day's notice when she would be there of they just told me that to blow me off. I could take a day off from work if I had more notice. I have signed up for her newletters and check her website often but there is never news about when and where she will be to meet with. The only reason I did make one town hall was that my city sent out a email the day before she arrived. I took a half day off to attend.

[2Design]

17. They need to be put on the same benefits everyone else has (none) and

see if they can pass laws better for the people

[piratefish08]

19. I can't wait until the future when we will have telephones, planes, email, video-conferencing and

flying cars!!!

It will make it so much easier to stay in touch with the folks back home in their districts.......

oh, dare to dream................

[PVnRT]

25. I've heard rumors of a telegraphic means of conveying photographic images

The wonders of this day and age...

[PVnRT]

24. Too bad the President can't do what Governors can

And force them to stay at work until they get something done.

The Democratic leadership in Congress (oxymoron?) needs to start pressing that issue, and if they go on break anyway, start yelling about the "do-nothing Congress." Or better yet, saying that the Republicans (and Conservadems) would rather go on vacation on your dime rather than get health care reform passed.

[ellisonz]

27. Actually he does...

Article II

Section 3. He shall from time to time give to the Congress information of the state of the union, and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, on extraordinary occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in case of disagreement between them, with respect to the time of adjournment, he may adjourn them to such time as he shall think proper; he shall receive ambassadors and other public ministers; he shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed, and shall commission all the officers of the United States.

Clause 2: Calling Congress into extraordinary session; adjourning them

The President may call extraordinary sessions of one or both Houses of Congress. If the two Houses cannot agree on a date for adjournment, the President may adjourn both Houses to such a time as they think fit. The last time this power was exercised was in 1948, when President Harry Truman called a special session of Congress. That was the twenty-seventh time in American history when a president convened such a session.<5>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Article_Two_of_the_United_States_Constitution#Clause_2:_Calling_Congress_into_extraordinary_session.3B_adjourning_them

President Adams
Relations with France
President Jefferson
(1) Louisiana Purchase by France (2) U.S.-British Relations
President Madison
War with Britain
President Tyler
Financial condition of the country
President Pierce
Appropriations for the Army
President Lincoln
Civil War
President Hayes
Appropriations for the Army
President Cleveland
Repeal of Silver Purchase
President McKinley
Special Tariff
President Roosevelt
Trade treaty with Cuba
President Taft
(1) Special Tariff (2) Trade with Canada
President Wilson
(1) World War I (2) Federal Reserve Act (3) Cost of Living
President Harding
(1) Emergency Tariff (2) Merchant Marine
President Hoover
Smoot-Hawley Tariff
President Roosevelt
(1) New Deal legislative agenda (2) Wage and Hours Act (3) Neutrality
President Truman
Domestic issue agenda
http://www.c-span.org/questions/weekly67.asp

[PVnRT]

31. Even better

If it comes to it, I hope he uses it, although I could also see it backfiring easily.

[Festivito]

29. Having them twiddle thumbs won't enlighten them beyond campaign funding.

The only thing keeping good health care reform from we the people is the funding of campaigns which comes from corporations and not we the people.

Spending more time at the office won't change how they get elected next time.

[sarcasmo]

33. Kick back to the top, no vacation until these people get something done.