While the Republicans are freaking out that President Obama is GOING ON VACATION, let's take a peek at the House of Representative's calendar which is controlled by the Republicans.
You probably assume the white dates indicate when the House is in session and the buff dates are vacation days, right? After all American workers generally work more days than days off (in August for example, there are 23 work days and 8 days off). You would be wrong. Just the opposite. Yes, even as our economy teeters on the brink of disaster because of Congressional inaction, the House is - gone for the month!
In fact for the months of August and September the house will be in session just 12 of the 45 work days in these two months. The House will not be in session again until September 7.
Be sure to take note of the politician's name on this official House calendar.
Republicans have two goals, 1-damage the economy enough to defeat Obama in 2012 and 2- "starve the beast." Neither of those have anything to do with creating jobs or restoring America to it's former position of world leader.
I suspect Kevin Drum writing at Mother Jones speaks for all of us:
Watching the world slide slowly back into recession without a fight, even though we know perfectly well how to prevent it, is just depressing beyond words. Our descendents will view the grasping politicians and cowardly bankers responsible for this about as uncomprehendingly as we now view the world leaders who cavalierly allowed World War I to unfold even though they could have stopped it at any time.
That is all. I just wanted to get this off my chest yet again.
--Trakker
Verdun: at least 130,000 unidentified combatants
Leave no economy behind.
War would pay for itself if every Congressman served, and could be shot at and missed.
Posted by: horsec | August 21, 2011 at 01:29 PM
Sadly, even if the House met more frequently, it would almost certainly make no difference.
Posted by: Trakker | August 21, 2011 at 03:03 PM