Seattle P-I: U.S. House meeting for fewest number of days in 60 years

[Newsjock]

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/263632_vacation20.html?dpfrom=thead

Congress finds 5-day workweek is too taxing

By CHARLES POPE
P-I WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT

WASHINGTON -- Something must've been lost in translation.

How else to explain Congress' decision to give itself a seven-day recess in honor of St. Patrick's Day. Or a weeklong break in February for Presidents Day.

Or a two-week break for Easter and Passover and the entire month of August, which has no official holiday at all.

At a time when the war in Iraq is bogged down, debate is raging about the government conducting warrantless searches and the federal deficit is at a record high, the House is on schedule to meet for the fewest number of days in 60 years, according to one estimate. The Senate is not far behind.

... "It's not too much to ask Congress to commit to spending at least half the year -- 26 weeks -- working full time, five days a week, thus providing at least a measure of the deliberation and attention to detail that are so lacking now," Norman Ornstein, a scholar on the history and workings of Congress for the American Enterprise Institute, has written.

According to Ornstein, this year's schedule -- at best -- calls for Congress to be in session for the fewest number of days in 60 years. Based on the official House calendar, there are only 97 days scheduled for votes this year. Congress is scheduled to adjourn for the year on Oct. 6.

[crizzo5137]

1. Must be nice...

i need to get elected so i can have awesome health care, golf trips, and and half the year off...

[babylonsister]

3. If you don't like, try to change it! nt

[crizzo5137]

4. why? SHOW ME THE MONEY! heh.. n/t

[babylonsister]

2. Kicking this! Disgraceful! nt

[rfkrfk]

5. three Senators voted in Terry Shiavo matter

I hope nobody is stupid enough to think
these people are actually working when
Congress is in session

Senate in 'session' means

one guy in the chair, and,
one Democrat, one Republican ... who for some reason,
are in the doghouse

[tritsofme]

6. Sounds good to me.

The less time those crooks spend making laws, the better.

[Eagle_Eye]

7. Put the foxes in charge of the hen house and see what happens

When the Democrats take over the House in the next election, we will show America Can Do Better.
The first order of business will be Impeachment Proceedings for pResident bush.