Should the US Senate and House remain in session for August?

[IChing]

If we are in a Constitutional Crisis, which many Constitutional lawyers and common citizen agree,
should Congress take its summer vacation for all of August when our troops are sacrificing their lives for
an illegal and immoral war?

Harry, it's time to get serious about forcing a constitutional confrontation with Bush even if it means canceling the Congress' summer recess. By not calling for repeated cloture votes throughout the summer, you let the heat off the Senate Republicans and you undermined your own cause by making the all-nighter look like a publicity stunt- exactly what your critics claim. In the meantime the press will report on the daily votes alongside the mounting death toll. The American people will then have time to see which Senators and Congressmen still refuse to take responsibility for ending the carnage. If you keep up the pressure every single day, I guarantee your opponents will wither-on-the-vine and you will get an up-down vote.

[Drum]

1. I agree wholeheartedly.

Kicked and recommended.

[IChing]

3. The pResident will be on vacation but you can be damn sure

the executive branch will be up to its usual power grab and nefarious behavior.

[napi21]

4. If they stayed in session, you can be sure it would make Shrub's

vacation miserable!

[IChing]

8. If they don't do it, I don't think they take

this constitutional crisis or war seriously

[napi21]

24. YOU say that, but I'm sure if you talked to those who are up for

reelection, they'd tell you something totally different!

[saltpoint]

2. Some exta time on the schedule for DC stuff and then a all-but-mandatory

stint at community service in their home states.

Wouldn't hurt one bit to see elected representatives making a very high-profile contribution to the everyday workings of our country.

[IChing]

7. I worry about recess appointments and other bullshit they could pull.

I think there is a 3-4 day rule where they can't pull a fast one with that.
It seems hypocritical that some senators and representatives complain about the Iraqi parliament
taking a break and are not willing to sacrifice their vacation for the constitution and our troops.


But I would like them to also wear down the Pro-war presidential appeasers in the Senate.

[saltpoint]

38. Good points all around, IChing. And agree with you strongly that

it's necessary to wear down the pro-Bush War vote in the Congress.

yes and yes and yes.

[bonito]

5. Yes

K&R

[IChing]

14. thanks for the kick and nom

I don't want a "skeleton" crew either as Harry suggested he might do.

[mohinoaklawnillinois]

6. Yep, there is absolutely no reason for an August recess.

The election isn't until next November. Stay in Washington and do your fricking jobs.

[Jack Bone]

9. yes,,,

[SoonerPride]

10. They should vote in Iraq policy every single day.

Nothing else matters.

Not.
One.
Thing.

[unhappycamper]

12. I completely agree with you.

Get. The. Fuck. Out. Now.

[IChing]

13. It needs to brought up every day as I said.

[ThomWV]

11. If they don't have time for IMPEACHMENT then they don't have time for vacation

[IChing]

15. What happens if they don't keep Congress in session?

What do you see happening in regards to the war and executive power grabs.
What would your opinion be of our Democratic leadership?

[JTG of the PRB]

16. Yes. Absolutely.

They think they've EARNED the right to go on vacation? I don't think so. They need to stay in DC and work and keep working until they can't work any longer... And THEN they should work even more!

[IChing]

17. Looks like we had either a Congressman or Senator vote no on this poll

I totally agree with you.

[JTG of the PRB]

23. LOL

SOMEBODY wants a summer vacation!

:rofl:

[barbtries]

18. there's a WAR going on,

and a run on the democracy. these are perilous times and for congress to take a month's vacation would be despicable in my opinion.

in my world people do not get month long vacations, by the way. so maybe it's a little sour grapes, but there IS a war going on.

[Az_lefty]

19. Yes, and the resident in chief don't get no vacation either !!!

[blondeatlast]

20. Reid maneueverd with this in mind--the timing is important.

Defense FY ends September 30. He made sure that there would be no vote on the DD budget until at least 9/3 (which is when they are scheduled to return).

All action on Iraq is tabled except for what Reid allows to proceeed and he made it clear that weak, symbolic RRRepublican efforts won't be considered. He's rope-a-doped the RRReeps--if they want to return to their constituencies with positive news about Iraq, they'll damn well vote yes on R/L. If not, they'll be forced to stay in session or go back to a hostile constituency.

They must vote on Reed/Levin again or funding runs out--and there is no one to blame for that except the RRRepublicans.

Utterly brilliant.

[IChing]

21. This is why it needs to be brought up again and again

as I stated in my OP.

[madokie]

22. by all means

to do otherwise would really piss me off if I was in Iraqistan right now. they have a job to do and there is nothing that takes precedent over that, people are dying, innocent Iraqi, Soldiers and the scum, the hired hands, they ones who have no, none, oversight in what they do. when they tell us we lost 4 Troops today that number is only the enlisted personel not the mercenaries. I doubt if the pentagon is even keeping tally of them actually given some of the words spoken by rummy dumsfield early on in this illegal war of choice.

[demigoddess]

25. let them go home a be yelled at by their constituents and they will change

their minds real fast.

[IChing]

26. So you voted no

interesting.

[dickthegrouch]

27. Our military is on duty 24/7 ... Congress should do no less

Several posts last week said that the guys and gals in the military in Iraq and Afghanistan get very little real rest, they are denied vacations and are constantly in harms way.

I think a declaration of war should commit Congress to 24/7 duty as well. NOTHING is more important than finding the way out of it again.

Incarcerate the bastards if that's what it takes to keep them on track finding a way to declare peace. No formal rest periods, same meals as the military, no visits, no fundraising.

Prohibit ALL other legislation during a war (including tax raises or breaks, and anything to do with drafts).

Make all of them (both sides) ineligible to serve in public office for the rest of their lives if they are so incompetent as to allow a war to be declared. Their terms to finish at the next election. Complete new set of representatives and congress critters.

[proud2BlibKansan]

28. Of course not!

They need to come home and raise money for their 2008 campaigns!! :sarcasm:

[KAT119]

29. ABSOLUTELY!!!

[Wisconsin Larry]

30. Absolutely they should remain in session. There is

far too much to do. Bringing the troops home. Handing out contempt citations. Impeaching Cheney. Impeaching Gonzales. Dismantling the monarchy. And much, much more.

This is not the early 1800's. They don't have to "go home to listen to their constituents". We now have telephones, email, and even the USPS just takes a couple of days.

All they have to do is sit in on the phone bank for 30 minutes a day, and they'll get more input that 3 weeks of showing their faces back home. And if they want to be on front page just co-sponsor Kucinich's bill to impeach Cheney which after almost 4 months, has just 12 co-sponsors.

I'm calling my Representative, Senator ( I feel that I only have one), Reid, and Pelosi to tell that that to recess now would be a disgrace.

[hisownpetard]

33. The Constitution is burning, we are at war, the very foundation

of our country is being eaten away by termites - and Congress feels entitled
to a month-long vacation?!!

Do you think our Founding Fathers, in the middle of a debate about
the checks and balances of power, would have put down their quills
and said, "O.K. dudes, see ya back here in a month!"

If Congress wants to lift its poll numbers out of the gutter,
cancelling their vacation and pledging to work, instead, on all
the ills that have befallen our country would instantly catapult
them onto a higher plateau - one where people put their
money where their mouth is.

I read once that, in ancient China, people only paid their
doctor when they were well and didn't pay him when they
were sick, assuming that it was his fault.

Wish that could apply in this case, too.

[hisownpetard]

34. Excellent point - they have email, phones, etc. to stay in touch w/voters. n/t

[Cerridwen]

31. Yes and No. Sorry, to be the fly in the ointment, IChing.

While I want them busy doing the People's work, I also want them available to the People whose work they should be doing in order to hear and know what it is their constituents want. I want them to have to explain, face to face, to those People whom they supposedly represent, exactly what it is they are doing in those "hallowed halls" of Congress. And, I want We, the People who do not live in the D.C. area, to have access to their representative in order than we can educate them on what it is they should be doing for We, the People.

So, yes they should "force...a confrontation with shrub" (editorial paraphrase). And yes, they should be spending time with their constituents. Not sure how to get them in 2 places at once and I sure as hell don't want to clone a bunch of politicians. LOL

In *my* perfect world, they would do both. Keep up the pressure while listening to Us.

Sorry, again, IChing for coming off all contrarian. But, I'm tired of having my words unheard by my representatives because I don't live down the block from "the Hill".

[blondeatlast]

32. It's entirely up to them, as IChing says--and also read my post #20. nt

[Cerridwen]

35. As per usual. I wish that gave me more comfort.

I read your post #20 and I've seen you post that information before. It is a good strategy and you explain it well.

We shall see how they deal with it. In the meantime, the human toll of this "war" continues to mount, the financial toll will be paid by generations to come and we have to hope that our "elected representatives" understand the urgency of the situation at hand and quit playing politics with, literally, people's lives.

It's very frustrating for me.

[Stinky The Clown]

36. Not just for August, but 24/7 through August and beyond ....

Set up watches like we stood in the Navy. Have enough bodies present to maintain a quorum. Wear the Republics down simply through hard work. Call for votes in the middle of the night.

[TahitiNut]

37. Didn't you know it's 130º in Washington in August???

:rofl:

[IChing]

39. I thought it was the winter of our discontent?

Now is the winter of our discontent
Made glorious summer by this sun of York;
And all the clouds that lour'd upon our house
In the deep bosom of the ocean buried.

And hate the idle pleasures of these days.
Plots have I laid, inductions dangerous,

By drunken prophecies, libels, and dreams,
To set my brother Clarence and the king
In deadly hate the one against the other
:
And if King Edward be as true and just
As I am subtle, false, and treacherous,
This day should Clarence closely be mew'd up,--

About a prophecy which says that G
Of Edward's heirs the murderer shall be.
Dive, thoughts, down to my soul: