Unusually Stupid Politicians Washington's Weak in Review

Chapter 1 Politicians are public servants. In other words, they serve the public. They do what the public wants them to do . . . which, if you look at the record, could mean that the public wants them to take lots of taxpayer money, take lots of vacations, and enact useless, dumb laws. But isn't that being cynical? IT'S A TOUGH CONGRESSIONAL LIFE: THE INCREDIBLY HARD WORKLOAD OF OUR PUBLIC SERVANTS ON CAPITOL HILL Senators and representatives do not have it easy. Sure, they get some perks and their salaries really aren't that bad. But they work hard for the moneymerely for the betterment of U.S. citizens like us. We think it's time to give credit to these hardworking public servants. After all, just look at the facts: Fact #1: In 2006, congressmen were working nearly THREE DAYS a week! (Well, more like two, actually, but it was spread over three days . . . ) We're tired just thinking about it, but, yes, it's true. The congressional workweek began late Tuesday and lasted until Thursday afternoon. (Of course, the House was in recess for many weeks, but that's not the point.) And this workweek was followed for the whole yearnot counting the monthlong August recess, the two-week April recess, and the other weeks they get off in February, March, and June. . . . Fact #2: And NOW, as of January 2007, they actually have to work (gasp) FIVE whole days a week! (Well, almost five whole days . . . ) House members now have to be in the Capitol each Monday by 6:30 p.m. and aren't done with their workweek until Friday at about 2 p.m. Can you imagine having to work Monday (well, late Monday) through Friday (well, mid-Friday)? And they got some of their holidays cut as well. For example, instead of a six-weekday Memorial Day holiday, they'll only get Memorial Day off. (You know, like most Americans.) It's all due to the new Democrat-run House. The Democrats wanted to make sure work got doneand extending the workweek seemed to be the logical first choice. But some representatives think it represents something more insidious . . . As Representative Jack Kingston (R-GA)who used to fly home on Thursday and return to D.C. on Tuesdayastutely pointed out: "Keeping us up here eats away at families. Marriages suffer. The Democrats could care less about familiesthat's what this says." Fact #3: The above fact notwithstanding, the House started out the new longer workweek by cutting it one day short . . . to watch a VITAL college football game! The much-vaunted "longer workweek so we can get things done" plan got sidelined in the VERY FIRST WEEK. Of course, all that was on the agenda was voting on raising the minimum wage and changes in homeland security legislation. This was clearly not as important as the big national college championship football game between Florida and Ohio State. So the new minority leader, Representative John Boehner (R-OH), asked for Monday off so members (including himself) could attend the game. One of the chief opponents of the prior Republican-led Congress's three-day workweek, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), took to the floor to back up Boehner, explaining, "There is a very important event happening Monday night, particularly for those who live in Ohio and Florida." The House got Monday off. And Florida won. Fact #4: Even before the grueling new five-day-week schedule, on September 22, 2006, the Senate actually had to work on a Friday . . . for 10 whole minutes! The poor men and women usually never worked on Fridays, so imagine how difficult it must have been to have to go to work. And they had to stay there for 10 entire minutes.Petras, Kathryn is the author of 'Unusually Stupid Politicians Washington's Weak in Review', published 2007 under ISBN 9780812977516 and ISBN 0812977513.