Ineffective Congress Plans Shorter Work Week

It's hard work running meanlingless investigations, countless deadend crusades and not passing any legislation needed to continue the operations of the government, while instead concentrating on resolutions condemning private citizens for their speech or denigrating our allies while blasting foreign empires that ended 100 years ago. And so, in 2008 Congress will slow down a bit:

WASHINGTON, Oct. 26 — Shortly after winning a majority last year, Democrats triumphantly declared that they would put Congress back to work, promising an “end to the two-day workweek.” And indeed, the House has clocked more time in Washington this year than in any other session since 1995, when Republicans, newly in control, sought to make a similar point.

Congress in Session But 10 months into the session, with their legislative agenda often in gridlock with the Bush administration and a big election year looming, the Democrats are now planning a lighter schedule when the 110th Congress begins its second year in mid-January.

The House majority leader, Representative Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland, told fellow Democrats this week that the House would not be in session next year on Fridays, except in June for work on appropriations bills.

Explaining that decision to reporters, Mr. Hoyer said, “I do intend to have more time for members to work in their districts and to be close to their families.”

His comments drew snickers from Republicans, who are quite happy to share their view that the American people did not get much value for all the extra time lawmakers spent in Washington.

“Is this a reward for our accomplishments in 2007?” asked Representative Roy Blunt of Missouri, the Republican whip.

Scrappleface suggests that Congress return to the original schedule as outlined in the Constitution:

The president noted that Article I, Section 4 of the “little-known historical document” calls for Congress to meet “at least once in every year, and such meeting shall be on the first Monday in December.”

Congress is one institution where less is always more.