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| Lawmakers Revolt Against Long Hours |
| 2007-02-08 |
| Even before Democratic leaders have made good on promises to harness lawmakers five days a week, cross-party opposition is growing, with senators ready to revolt and House members simmering over the new schedule. Work 5 days a week? I mean, come on, what do they think we are? Public servants or something? The most popular move afoot would have lawmakers working for three weeks at a stretch with a week off -- or some variation on that theme, several House and Senate members said. Such a schedule would roughly reflect the one in practice under previous Republican rule in the Senate. "They should really work us so we get things done, then give us a few weeks off so we can do the Kiwanis Clubs and all that," said Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz. "If you leave early Monday, yes, you can get here for a 4:30 vote, but you lose the whole working day of Monday." So leave on Sunday. That way you can work all Monday and be there for the 4:s0 vote. DUH! There's a broadening bipartisan "uprising" to ditch the longer workweek among both lawmakers and staff, especially in the Senate, said a top Democratic Senate aide. We need time to flesh out our Pork Projects and get hold of those kickbacks. If we work 5 days a week that really cuts into our Smooze time. "It's a grind," said Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., who enjoys one of the easiest commutes to the Capitol from his home in Northern Virginia. "It's a lot more stringent than people originally thought it would be." Try getting up at 5:00 AM, feeding the livestock, working 9 hours, comming home, feeding again, then getting supper and a shower. Not much time left for anything. Or else you could join the Military, then you'd really have something to bitch about. What a weinie! A visibly annoyed Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., agreed: "I just told (Reid) I won't be back by 4:30" for the vote Monday, "even though I'm catching a 1:55 flight." But the Democratic leadership isn't budging. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada said that he's gotten complaints from both sides of the aisle, but that the schedule is set. The proposed plan of three weeks on, one week off, he said, is something he's heard a lot about. "We'll look at it, but nothing's going to change this year," he said. And House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California is holding firm on the existing schedule, a leadership aide said. It might have been billed as a "do work" Congress, but many members don't think all week is needed to do that work. "We're cramming two days of work into five days," said Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, repeating a line used over and over. "Three weeks on, one week off would reduce travel time. I'd come here and stay for two weekends." Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., offered the same quip. "We're stretching three-day weeks into five days," she said. "I think the American people would be outraged if they knew we were flying in here to wish people happy birthday. It takes us away from valuable work in the district," she said Monday, after voting to wish two folks a happy birthday. Then cut out the crap. We didn't elect you and we don't pay you to wish people Happy Birthday. Because Congress has yet to pass much legislation through committee, there's little substantive work for the floor, leaving members voting on birthday wishes, post office dedications and sports team congratulations. I'm permanently Boggled. "You have a chicken and egg problem," said Rep. Bart Gordon, D-Tenn., chairman of the House Science Committee. "There's an eagerness to start getting legislation moving through committee." The five-day week, for the most part, has been only a hypothetical pain for lawmakers, as Democrats have yet to get on a regular five-day schedule. College football games and holidays have conspired to keep the work week shortened so far. On Monday night, Rep. Wayne Gilchrest, a Maryland Republican, was talking about the five-day workweek when Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., walked past. "What five-day workweek? We haven't done it yet," said Franks. He then added a contradictory talking point. "We squeeze three days' work into five days." My head now hurts. Doesn't that disrupt the Space/Time Continuum? It should."Three days, four days, whatever," said Gilchrest. "It feels like five." And my work week, as well as most other gainfully employed people, is 5 days. There are plenty of members, though, who publicly back the new schedule. "I lived through lots of years with a five-day workweek. I've been here when there was a seven-day workweek. If there's work to do, we've got to work. Bring it on," said Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska. "That's what I signed up for," said Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont. "We shouldn't complain about a little inconvenience. I got a lot of people in my state working two five-day weeks," he added, referring to constituents with two or more jobs. Though the Democratic leadership likely won't grant entire weeks off to the agitated lawmakers, don't look for the five-day workweek to become a reality. "I'd bet we go back to the three-week-on, one-week-off in '08 when people are running for re-election, but it would be very hard for (Reid) to change midstream. It's a lot easier to go back to three- or four-day vote weeks," said the Senate staffer. "We've pretty much already done that." If it weren't so blantly hypocritical, this would be funny. |
| Posted by:Deacon Blues |
| #4 Time to break out my nano-violin. |
| Posted by: DMFD 2007-02-08 20:51 |
| #3 I hadn't thought about it from that angle Mike, 49Pan. Less time in DC and pay em less. |
| Posted by: Deacon Blues 2007-02-08 15:26 |
| #2 This is just he said - she said crap. If they stayed the whole time in DC they would have nothing to do except hang with the special interest groups. Maybe that is what the dems are after. Have you ever tried to see a congressman at his home state? It's tough and to force them to stay in DC, out of touch, is not good for the state. |
| Posted by: 49 Pan 2007-02-08 14:38 |
| #1 ..There is no, repeat, NO reason for Congress to be in Washington more than a few days per year - maybe about 30 days AT MOST. Modern communication technology alows the pols to stay in their home districts and deal with their constituents instead of spending most of their time in the Beltway and its poisonous and corrosive atmosphere. Let 'em come to town for ceremonial occasions (inaugurations, opening/closing of Congress) or classified hearings, but that would be it. Imagine what the pols would be like if they had to make the idiot decisions they do and then get up the next morning and face the people they presume to represent. Mike |
| Posted by: Mike Kozlowski 2007-02-08 13:58 |