Congress is going on a five week vacation?

[Tim4319]

For what!

<<snip>>
This Republican-led, do-nothing Congress is on its way home for a five-week vacation. I'm sure while there, they'll be glad to explain to their constituents why they need so much rest in a year in which they will work fewer than 80 days. -- Lou Dobbs

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/08/01/dobbs.August2/index.html

[Massacure]

1. They always take August off.

[Tim4319]

2. Weren't they on vacation

a few months ago?

[Skidmore]

3. They've only been in session 77 days this year.

Stellar. I wanna job where I only have to do real work (fundraising doesn't meet that criteria) for 77 days a year.

[gratuitous]

5. Don't forget the six-figure salary, the office, and the expense account

And some of these guys still have to take bribes to make ends meet.

[Tim4319]

10. What is that an hour?

[Norquist Nemesis]

8. Not to mention a salary of $165,200 per year!

http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/weekly/aa031200a.htm
Congress: Rank-and-File Members' Salary
The current salary for rank-and-file members of the House and Senate is $165,200 per year.

• Members are free to turn down pay increase and some choose to do so.

Congress: Leadership Members' Salary (109th Congress)
Leaders of the House and Senate are paid a higher salary than rank-and-file members.

Senate Leadership
Majority Leader - $183,500
Minority Leader - $183,500
House Leadership
Speaker of the House - $212,100
Majority Leader - $183,500
Minority Leader - $183,500

[Norquist Nemesis]

4. Hell, a few weeks ago!

They all had to make it back home for 4th of July parades.

[Jim__]

6. Why not?

They're pretty much useless anyway.

[kentuck]

7. That's why they want to pass all these taxcuts??

So they can tell their supporters that they are cutting their taxes??

[YOY]

9. Half of DC is off in August

Mostly due to the end of the Government fiscal year and the lack of any new budgets/projects getting approved.

That's just how it is.

[valerief]

11. They're all shillbillies anyway. What has Congress done for you

lately?

[Historic NY]

12. A carry over from the 1800's.........

when DC was a simmering cesspool of disease, bad water, bug infestation and high heat & humidity. (Hum not much has changed) People escaped the city for their health. There was an excuse then but now our absentee government continues to hoodwink us.