At the end of this week, Congress goes on a 5-week vacation...

[kentuck]

When they return, they will have about 8 weeks until the midterm elections. They are concerned about only one thing - getting re-elected. Screw everyone else. That's what we have in Washington representing the people of this country. When they reach out their pale hands to ask for your vote, spit on it...

[neoblues]

1. Wish I could go...

They, above just about any other Americans, least deserve any vacation--least of all, paid vacation! They don't do anything when they're actually there, though... so I suppose it's all the same either way.

[PuraVidaDreamin]

2. A vacation in the middle of this crisis?

Unforgivable!

[existentialist]

6. a good and fair comment

if well had a Congress that was the least bit responsible anyway.

[existentialist]

3. I guess we'll all be a little bit safer

for five weeks.

[vssmith]

4. I am glad--they can't screw anything up while they are gone

[katmondoo]

7. You are so right vssmith

[TayTay]

5. I think they are in session next week

And can threaten the well-being of the Republic from at least Tues - Thurs of next week.

From the US Senate site: http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/legislative/two_column_table/2006_Schedule.htm

August 7 - September 4 Senate not in session

Senate reconvenes September 5 (Tuesday)

October 6 Target Adjournment Date (For the year, baring the need to come back and rob the Republic in Nov after the midterms.)

[soleft]

8. Any word on what Bush is doing?

[otohara]

9. The Ranch

would be my guess - doesn't he always do the ranch in August?

[existentialist]

10. Better that he go fishing, ride bicycle and play guitar

than start make policy statements, executive orders, and recess appointments.

[Benhurst]

12. Or, for that matter, grope the Chancellor of Germany. Invite

Jeff Gannon for an over-night at the ranch. Anything but play at being "president."

[existentialist]

14. Precisely, except that

he WAS playing at being president when he groped the Chancellor of Germany.

[OneBlueSky]

11. will that be when the fecal matter hits the rotating appliance? . . .

i.e. will that be when we experience another terrorist attack on American soil? . . .

so that BushCo can declare martial law and cancel the elections? . . .

just wonderin' . . .

[Deja Q]

13. People with jobs are the same way.

and they can claim to be of whatever religion they want; all that does is promote hubris. Unless they really do some of what their religious teachings say (and they don't)

[B0S0X87]

15. Am I the only one who thinks this is a good thing?

This Congress will likely go down as the worst in history. Staying in session will only give them more opportunities to add to their growing list of criminally stupid "accomplishments." If they all want to take a breather and start up again in January I'm all for it.

[Bridget Dooley]

17. Gee, how many Americans...

...would KILL to have a job with so much paid time off and such fabulous benefits. Perhaps we should start requiring Congress to deal with what the rest of us deal with most of the time: two weeks of paid time off a year, period. I bet they wouldn't like that very much.

[Imagevision]

16. It's going to be interesting to see what they'll face upon their return

especially at the rate Iraq has been going since Zarcowee's demise.
Like when Bremmer bragged about; "we got him" (hussein) like that really made two tits of a difference...

[Marie26]

18. If anything happens,

that's when it'll happen. No Congress in session, no Supreme Court, no President in the White House, no one watching the store. It's an executive branch free-for-all. Maybe they'll make Bolton the new Sec. of State, or recess appt. a new SC justice, whatever.

[Warren DeMontague]

19. Hey, they really did a bang up job of addressing those teenage girls

crossing state lines to avoid parental notification laws, didn't they?

Who says they aren't earning their paychecks! Woohoo!


...

:sarcasm:, in case it's not clear.

[walldude]

20. I read somewhere.. I think it was Molly Ivins

that if you count weekends and all the days off Congress is only going to work a total of 23 days the rest of the year. It's ok though, there's really no business that needs to be taken care of :eyes: