Rep. Kingston Defends 3-Day Work Week, Claims Members Can ‘Keep In Touch’ With BlackBerrys
Rep. Kingston Defends 3-Day Work Week, Claims Members Can ‘Keep In Touch’ With BlackBerrys
Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA) is upset that the new leadership of the 110th Congress plans to work five days a week. From today’s Washington Post:
“Keeping us up here eats away at families,” said Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.), who typically flies home on Thursdays and returns to Washington on Tuesdays. “Marriages suffer. The Democrats could care less about families — that’s what this says.”
Today on Fox News, he defended his comments. “With BlackBerrys, cell phones, you can stay in touch with what’s going on in Washington.”
Congress has tried it Kingston’s way and it didn’t work. The 109th Congress — which has “been in session for a grand total of 103 days this year” — “failed to enact a host of once top-priority legislation on issues such as overhauling Social Security, immigration and lobbying laws.” Congress even failed its basic responsibility of providing a budget for the government, completing “just two of the 11 fiscal 2006 appropriation bills.”
Full transcript:
GIBSON: Congressman, you actually commented about this. Let me put your quote up here. You said, to a newspaper, I believe, keeping us here is eating away at families. Marriages suffer. The Democrats could care less about families — that’s what this says. What did you mean by that?
KINGSTON: Well, members of Congress work 60 to 70 hours a week every week. I mean, the idea that we only work when we are in Washington, D.C., is ridiculous. When we’re back home, we’re visiting schools, we’re talking to groups, we’re meeting with constituents. We’re getting real information on the ground. We’re listening and we’re learning. I think there was a time when all the brains were in Washington. I don’t know when that was. But it’s certainly not the case anymore. With BlackBerrys, cell phones, you can stay in touch with what’s going on in Washington. But you know, when you’re back home with the real people, folks can grab you by the collar and say, what in the heck did you guys do when you passed that bill?
GIBSON: Congressman, what about — let me put up this graphic, this reality check is going to mean a new calendar for you guys. There you’re going to be five days a week. Most Americans work five days a week. And most Americans, as I recall, were pretty ticked to Congress in the last election. What did you guys get done in the 109th Congress?
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98 Responses to “Rep. Kingston Defends 3-Day Work Week, Claims Members Can ‘Keep In Touch’ With BlackBerrys”
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Screw you. Oh boo hoo, you have to work for 5 days.
Hey Jerky, you work for the US of A Citizens, do your job.
I wish I could work 3 days too.
And this is not against families. Its just against your dumb family
December 7th, 2006 at 9:54 amI hope the good people of Georgia will heed Kingston’s plea and reject him at the polls the next time he runs for election. Then he can rest assured that his marriage won’t suffer.
Honestly, what a cry-baby. I wonder if he is equally concerned about jeopardizing the marriages of all the troops who are stuck in Iraq 24/7.
December 7th, 2006 at 9:55 amLet’s all have a 3 day work week then….with the same salary!! Kingston is a loser and a “slacker” - time to whip him into shape in order to endure the rigors of such an onerous task…like “doing the job” he’s been elected and paid to do! This guy’s a first class idiot.
December 7th, 2006 at 9:56 amGreat graphic!
December 7th, 2006 at 9:59 amThat is your Republican Party for you. Bitching about a 3 day workweek for themselves while helping to carve away overtime hours for Americans who work more than 40 hours a week.
Looks like another advocate of “Georgia values” to go along with the morally bankrupt Newt Gingrich.
-GSD
December 7th, 2006 at 9:59 amI just checked and there is no law prohibiting members of Congress from moving their family TO Washington DC after their election. In fact (gasp!) many members have already done so. Congressman Kingston is obviously more interested in keeping his Medallion status in Delta’s frequent flier program than he is in actually legislating AND he’s using his family as cover for doing so. Geez….and to think that Repugnicans call us “anti family.” What horse’s asses these morons are.
December 7th, 2006 at 10:01 amThis jerk should either suck it up and do the duty which he is paid for or resign. C’mon, he should have known upon being elected and given the privelege to represent his constituents that it would require sacrafice on his part. If he wants to spend more time with his family then he should quit and get a job closer to home.
December 7th, 2006 at 10:04 amSo that’s what happened to my marriage. We were working too hard.
Shut up you stupid whiner. Maybe your family likes it when you’re gone.
Yeah, you can keep in touch with Blackberries, but we’re talking about WORK, not pages.
December 7th, 2006 at 10:04 amYou start overworkin’ these here Congressmen, then the next thing you know, they’s gonna start makin’ TERRIBLE mistakes!
Like, oh, I dunno, things like comin’ back for a special session in the middle of the night to pass legislation aimed at keeping a brain dead person alive against the wishes of her next of kin.
That’s JUST the sort of thing an overworked, overstressed legislature might do!
December 7th, 2006 at 10:06 amGee Whizz! You mean Senators don’t have to work a ful lweek like us “lower class” Americans? Hummm, guess there really is a class struggle here. Our “lower class” struggles to make ends meet and keep our families together working five days a week, and the “Upper Class” strugles to fit family and home into their hectic 3 day week, using the latest expensive technology to do so.
All in all, I have sympathy for those 3 day a week hard-working Senators. Boo F**king Hoo!
December 7th, 2006 at 10:07 amImagine - having to work 5 days a week. Oh, the inhumanity of it all.
When I was a kid there was a cartoon show on Saturday mornings called George of the Jungle. One of the cartoons on that show was Super Chicken (a parody of super-heroes). His assistant was named Fred, and Fred would always get the raw end of the deal - blown up or beat up or whatever. Super Chicken would always say to Fred afterward,”You knew the job was dangerous when you took it.”
That’s what I say to whiny Congressmen like this guy. You knew the job was dangerous when you took it.
December 7th, 2006 at 10:08 amHmm…I’m going to ask my boss if I can have a 3-day work week too, considering our congressmen got the same. He’s a repuglican. I mean, it is destroying the nonexistant family/marriage that I may or may not really care about / have.
I think everyone will see right through this. You know why? EVERYBODY ELSE WORKS A 5 DAY+ WEEK. We don’t elect these people to get an easy life here, dudes. It’s not like this is unrelatable - most Americans know a family does fine on a five-day-week schedule.
December 7th, 2006 at 10:09 amI sure the troops wish they could only be away 3 days a week from their families!
December 7th, 2006 at 10:09 amSo, by working a 5 day work week with over an hour commute, I’m against my Family??
A big “Boo F**king Hoo!” to them!
December 7th, 2006 at 10:10 amThe Democrats could care less about families — that’s what this says.â€
Hilarious. Republicans are all about making money, but don’t want to actually work for it. Nice example. Ass.
So does this mean every single organization and government agency that has a 5 day work week, care’s less about families. I call in sick if I need some personal or family time.
December 7th, 2006 at 10:10 amI think there was a time when all the brains were in Washington. I don’t know when that was. But it’s certainly not the case anymore.
Okay, I think I might actually agree with the Republican congressman on this point. It certainly isn’t the case anymore.
December 7th, 2006 at 10:11 am“Marriages suffer. The Democrats could care less about families — that’s what this says.â€
It’s time for corporate whores like Kingston to learn what working families in this country already know: work eats into family time. Deal with it.
We do.
Really, my heart bleeds for all the little pampered Republicans, kept women whose days used to be consumed with nothing more than filing their nails and waiting on their little surgar daddies to come calling. Hell, now they’re going to lose track of what’s going on in all their soaps.
December 7th, 2006 at 10:11 am.
Since Kingston is so concerned about family, he should introduce a bill giving us all a 3 day workweek.
December 7th, 2006 at 10:11 am“Keeping us up here eats away at families,†said Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.), who typically flies home on Thursdays and returns to Washington on Tuesdays.
I understand. That vile activity called work is a danger.
Marriages suffer.
December 7th, 2006 at 10:11 amYeah, those little pages and 50 y/o male prostitutes have nothing to do with it. Its the f*cking job.
Why don’t the Dems advertise this to the public. Run a few ads explaining how many days congress was in session
December 7th, 2006 at 10:15 amTell that to my husband, he slouched away to work this morning, running a fever, aching limbs and stomach cramps. He does this five days a week and some weekends, too. I sincerely wish he had more time to spend with me and the boys, but we consider ourselves very very lucky, because he has a well paid job.
One of his colleagues can’t be bothered to attend 4p.m. meerings though, he is really wanting to go home at that time. Different mindsets.
What infuriates me though, is that there are single mothers working several jobs on minimum wages and the likes of Congressman Kingston don’t give a whatever for those families. But no, I’m wrong here, they are full of reproach if something doesn’t work out the way it should with the kids. And he doesn’t even think twice about the families he’s helped ruin with the war in Iraq.
One should keep that in mind, when guys like that are up for reelection. They cannot represent you. Their life and yours touch as frequently as parallel lines do. They have no business to be representing the people, they have not the foggiest notion of what real life is about.
December 7th, 2006 at 10:16 amRep Kingston has lots of time on his 4 day weekend to take the little Mrs on that walk through the safe streets of Fallujah…
December 7th, 2006 at 10:19 amdamn - why cit off the video clip before kingston can respond??
December 7th, 2006 at 10:26 amthat was a surprisingly pointed question from gibson…
“Most Americans work five days a week. And most Americans, as I recall, were pretty ticked to Congress in the last election. What did you guys get done in the 109th Congress?”
Is anyone else impressed with Gibson for finally growing a pair and calling him out?
December 7th, 2006 at 10:29 amWith BlackBerrys, cell phones, you can stay in touch with what’s going on in Washington.
Well then, Jack, I guess you really have no excuse whatsoever for having accomplished zilch in the 109th Congress. You need to resign right now so you can spend lots of quality time with your family. Seeya.
And by the way, Jack, thanks for saying out loud what we had only assumed you pompous Republican blowholes were thinking. I’m sure the middle class and working poor of Georgia will be sympathetic to your plight and will be just horrified at the thought of you having to work a full five-day week.
December 7th, 2006 at 10:31 am“Marriages suffer. The Democrats could care less about families — that’s what this says.â€
Wow. This guy is really covering his ass… When the seemingly inevitable scandal involving pages, secretaries, spousal abuse, etc hits the fan he can just blame the Democrats for his crap home life.
Talk about a lack of responsibility and accountability. I wish I had a four day weekend every stinking week so I could chat with my parents and relatives. We all know that is infinitely more important than protecting and promoting America’s interests.
Cry me a frikkin river you overstuffed, overfed, overpaid ass. You don’t earn your money NOW - so an extra two days a week should make up for the money you have already taken from the taxpayers.
December 7th, 2006 at 10:31 amLook at the crap we get out of Washington with a 3 day work week. Do we really need to give them 2 more days a week to screw us all?
Seriously, get real, is 5 days a week really that much?
December 7th, 2006 at 10:32 amEveryone knew that, for Republicans, being a Rep. or Senator was a part-time job. Their real jobs were screwing the American taxpayer and feathering their own nests. The priviledged SOB is crying about actually having to do the work for the American people full-time. If that’s too much to expect from Republicans, they can all stay home and let the people who give a damn about America run the government. Do our people in Iraq complain about the duty to country? Kingston should be placed on every committee so he can actually earn his pay, though I doubt he’ll have anything meaningful to contribute.
December 7th, 2006 at 10:32 amGood thinking, if there is videoconferencing through phone no need to attend office.
December 7th, 2006 at 10:33 amOh - and you are telling me that the same guys that have NO IDEA how the technology (trucks, tubes, The Google, and The YouTube) are going to use Blackberries efficiently?!?!? He’s right about the potential of the technology, but it is NO GOOD without the knowledge to wield it. (See Conan’s ‘Riddle of Steel”)
I have said it before and I will say it again. There is a MASSIVE disconnect between the leaders and the technology. This is reflected in the laws they write, the policies they espouse, and the terms they use.
Technology is changing us as a society and a species. Wake up.
December 7th, 2006 at 10:38 amBill Maher’s favorite GOP Congressman. Hmmm.
December 7th, 2006 at 10:39 amIt’s time congress got some work done. There is no way that can be done in less than 5 days a week. And when was the last time you saw a congressman giving a speech on the floor; probably when all who was there was CSPAN. There can be no impassioned speeches when speaking just for a camera and not to your colleagues, They don’t debate anymore. They use their blackberry and an aid to go sniff the wind on a bill.
December 7th, 2006 at 10:40 amactually, gibson asked a good question — did he get a response from kingston:
What did you guys get done in the 109th Congress?
December 7th, 2006 at 10:41 amIf you don’t want to work, don’t apply for the job.
December 7th, 2006 at 10:41 amKingston is using his family as “cover.” The real issue is the constant campaign fundraising that goes on “at home.” Add a few checkmarks on the tax forms we all file at the end of the year, and make ALL federal elections publically supported…period. NO corporate donations, no special interest donations, no “personal” donations. Limit the amount of money politicians have to spend on their elections/reelections, and maybe the negative advertising, dirty tricks and never-ending campaigns will STOP!
December 7th, 2006 at 10:43 amLook at the crap we get out of Washington with a 3 day work week. Do we really need to give them 2 more days a week to screw us all?
Seriously, get real, is 5 days a week really that much?
Comment by robert
Stay the Course.
Slogan or mindset?
December 7th, 2006 at 10:44 amThe do nothing 109th congress is in its last throes…
December 7th, 2006 at 10:47 am“Keeping us up here eats away at families,†said Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.), who typically flies home on Thursdays and returns to Washington on Tuesdays. “Marriages suffer. The Democrats could care less about families — that’s what this says.â€
Quit.
December 7th, 2006 at 10:50 amwow, john gibson making sense for once. my feet just got cold for some reason.
December 7th, 2006 at 10:51 amI live in Georgia, so that piece of s–t Rep. Kingston can resign from the Congress today!
December 7th, 2006 at 10:54 amKingston claims to work 60 to 70 hours in those 3 days a week? 3 days equals 72 hours, so Kingston claims he gets 2 to 12 hours of sleep for those 3 days a week? He must resign immediately from the Congress and Wal-Mart might hire him for minimum wage for 3 days a week as a greeter > lol.
December 7th, 2006 at 11:00 amYeah, you can keep in touch with Blackberries, but we’re talking about WORK, not pages.
Very good, Zooey. Ice-cold, but sweet.
Anyhoo, note to Mr Kingston, if you don’t want to work… don’t. Leave the adults to legislate.
December 7th, 2006 at 11:07 amI can keep in touch with what is happening in Washington just by watching the TV. If that is all it takes, then why should he have to show up at all.
On a serious note, with the three day work week you would think they have time to actually read bills before voting and passing on them. But I guess if all the legislation your party passes is based on an ideological and philosophical agenda, completely void of facts and evidence, then you really don’t need to know or do anything. It’s faith based politics!
December 7th, 2006 at 11:07 amPaging Rahm Emmanuel - we need someone from the Democratic Pary to comment on this for the record.
Suggested Quote: “You know, Keith, that just shows that the GOP still doesn’t get it. They’ve had 12 years to show results from their work ethic. And the only thing they have to show for their work is an economy in trouble, an Exeucitve Branch without oversight and unethical and sometimes criminal relationships with lobbyists.
Jack Kingston has it wrong - Democrats do care about families, not just their own, but ALL American families. Congress needs to work harder to help America’s families - and that’s what Democrats intend to do. If that requires perceived sacrafice from some Members, so be it. I consider working hard part of my job.”
December 7th, 2006 at 11:08 amSo, can’t the family keep in touch with blackberries? Or move to Washington?
Seems like the candidates shoulg think about their families BEFORE making the choice to run. If it’s to tough for the crybabies to work 5 days a week for their steadily increasing salary, maybe they should resign…
I have no sympathy for them when they vote themselves pay raises for less and less work and average people have to hold down 2 minimum wage jobs just to make ends meet — leaving virtually no time for their families….
December 7th, 2006 at 11:14 amLAZY BUMS!
December 7th, 2006 at 11:17 amWe should grant Kingston his 3-day-week - so that he can be with his constituents who tell him all 4-day-weekend long that two years from now he won’t have to worry about his family anymore.
December 7th, 2006 at 11:21 amKingston is out of control, someone dart this guy, tag him, and let him run free in the swamps of Georgia.
December 7th, 2006 at 11:21 amSince Kingston claims that working more than 3 days a week hurts families, then everybody in America should only have to work 3 days a week too! Since everyone in the Congress gets FREE medical and dental care, then every American deserves the same! Since they receive great retirement benefits, then every American must get it as well!
Plus if Kingston thinks his $165,000+ salary is not enough, then he can go look for a better job elsewhere, that is if he can find a decent job in Bush’s crappy economy!
December 7th, 2006 at 11:23 amHow much less could Democrats care about families?
It’s COULDN’T care less moron!
December 7th, 2006 at 11:36 amWhat an idoit. Hopefully the rest of his kind will be put out to pasture soon..
December 7th, 2006 at 11:37 amAnyone ever heard of a congressman working 2-3 jobs?
December 7th, 2006 at 11:45 amAll we ask is they do the job they were elected to do.
Christ, talk about a whiner.
Newt, go give him some head. He needs a release, so he can tell us how he really feels.
The trolls are silenth…..
December 7th, 2006 at 11:55 amDon’t forget, Republicans tell us! We’re at war! We have to sacrifice! Can’t afford food because your heating bill is too high? Well, suck it up and sacrifice, buddy!
The only people who don’t sacrifice are the Oil companies, the insurance and credit card companies and Congress. (and the President, of course)
To imagine they have more days off during the week than they have to work! That is ridiculous by ANY standards!
Time to start holding votes on Monday mornings and friday afternoons! And maybe they’d like to earn a fair hourly wage instead of salaries. That way, they can not show up, and we can not pay them.
Win-win, right?
December 7th, 2006 at 11:59 amlet me translate Kingston’s double talk scumspeak: “HOW CAN I AFFORD D.C. HOOKERS 5 DAYS A WEEK ON MY MEASLY PAYCHECK”
A dear departed friend of mine used to be a D.C. Callgirl.. they arent cheap…
December 7th, 2006 at 12:03 pm#52 Anyone ever heard of a congressman working 2-3 jobs?
Comment by Zimzone — December 7, 2006 @ 11:45 am
Well, they lobby for a lot of big companies, big pharma, tobacco, oil, that counts?
December 7th, 2006 at 12:14 pm“Keeping us up here eats away at families,†said Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.), who typically flies home on Thursdays and returns to Washington on Tuesdays.
Ok wait…he arrives in Washington on Tuesday morning, and then flies back on Thursday night. So that mean the only full day he spends in Washington is Wednesday. So with travelling and airport delays and whatnot, at best this guy’s 3 day work week is really only a 2.5 day work week, and possibly even less.
Someone please remind me again…how is it we haven’t had a revolution yet?
December 7th, 2006 at 12:18 pmExcuse me,
What about the families of those service members in Iraq? I’m sure they would love to see their loved ones on the weekends.
Kingston complains about being kept away from his family. He should consider himself lucky that he is able to see them at all.
December 7th, 2006 at 12:29 pmSomeone please remind me again…how is it we haven’t had a revolution yet?
Because it’s the Bush supporters who have all the guns. :-)
December 7th, 2006 at 12:31 pmDemocrats hate our troops AND our families!!
Oh, give me a break. This guy doesn’t care about spending time with his family. He would have moved them up to DC with him if he truly did. I’m sure they would understand how important serving the American people is; however, I don’t get the feeling that he understands that concept very well.
It is well known that, recently, the Representative’s spend most of their time raising money. If this new way will cut into that time, I say “good”. Make them earn their keep.
December 7th, 2006 at 12:31 pmI have a question for Rep. Kingston. If a cell phone and Blackberry are efficient in getting anything done in Congress, why was nothing done in this Congress?
December 7th, 2006 at 12:47 pm#59 Wayne A. Schneider
Because it’s the Bush supporters who have all the guns. :-)
They missed a couple. ;-)
December 7th, 2006 at 1:21 pmMaybe he’s just pissed because his wife already thought he worked a five day work week.
If he’s really upset, maybe he should form a union. United Congressional Workers Local 101.
December 7th, 2006 at 1:42 pmI would like to meet anyone who is employed to work a 5 day work week that has a shred of sympathy for someone who is paid more and works less than the majority of this country’s workforce. If this time away from home issue was such a showstopper for the likes of Jack Kingston, he should never have taken the job in the first place if he thought it would’ve put too much of a strain on his family life. For folks such as myself who work in the IT Service industry, the myth of only working 40 hours each week quickly and unceremoniously ended after orientation was complete. I knew full well that when I started this job over 10 years ago, there would be routine travel, long hours and time apart from my family. I continue in this field as it helps support my family, but the 5 days/40 hour weeks have long since faded from memory.
So why is it that such a job requirement leaves Congressman Kingston, a man who has “served” for over 14 years with such a whinny, self-serving attitude? Does he think Hoyer and Pelosi are being mean and belligerent towards the losing party? Or maybe Kingston is genuinely proud of the performance the 109th Congress delivered and sees nothing wrong with the current setup. Maybe he enjoyed participating as a member of the congress with a worse track record than the “Do Nothings”. If so, he most certainly feels insulated by the accountability gap he’s relished in for 14 years which Hoyer has begun to fill in with the new time requirements. Maybe at the heart of it all, Kingston is just a sore loser who will continue complaining about everything, like the lack of furniture polish and leather conditioner applied to his new minority seat or anything else that reminds him that he will no longer be calling the shots around the Appropriations or the other committees he was appointed to. This could go a long way towards explaining his reaction because if he didn’t see the writing on the wall when DeLay was removed or when Hastert and Foley were caught peeing all over the Capitol lawn together, then he’s incapable of being able to deal with his own self-denial and should have his ability to act as a civic leader outright questioned. Where is his spine one might ask? He’s Weak on Work another may say…. Bottom line is, his insolence over this is more revealing than anything else he’s ever said or done.
December 7th, 2006 at 2:08 pmSeriously people, quit calling Kingston a whiner. This is absolutely ridiculous. Before you go and start bashing me for saying this, take a second to consider the facts. Members of Congress work 14 or 15 hour days during their “three day” work-weeks. For the other four days, they don’t just sit around doing nothing. They are constantly holding meetings, giving speeches, and working on legislation. Just because they aren’t on the floor voting or debating legislation doesn’t mean that they aren’t working. Besides, since members of congress are supposed to represent you, wouldn’t you like for them to be able to spend some time in the districts that they represent? Maybe you would rather have them only come back once a year so that you could complain that they don’t understand the people that they are representing. Personally, I would rather see them have the opportunity to spend time in their home districts.
If you want to complain that the Republican congress didn’t accomplish anything, fine. At least that is a valid argument. But don’t call hard-working members of congress lazy just because they have the courage to stand up and say what they believe.
December 7th, 2006 at 2:26 pmIf working a full week is a problem, then Kingston should resign. Wasn’t he aware of the 5 day work week when running for office? If family values were truly the issue, then everyone would be working a 3 day work week so that they could spend time with their families. Instead, these lazy Republicans give themselves raises, vote AGAINST raising the minimum wage so that families that are getting paid minimum wage must work at least 2 jobs most likely without health benefits to support their families. The poor people don’t have time to spend with their families because they are always working just to keep food on the table and a roof over their heads. I say “Go f**k yourself, Mr. Kingston” and that goes for any other of these winey Republicans.
December 7th, 2006 at 2:33 pmOops … I meant “whiny” Republicans… although they may also be “winey”, too:)
December 7th, 2006 at 2:42 pmGreat post, time for truth and all….This goes to show the public just how far removed our polaticians have become from the reality based voter’s and working class of our country….We the people have bestowed great pay. huge benefit packages and retirement like they were king’s and queen’s and inturn they have paid us back with insult’s and absent job performance….At best they have been ignoring us and our wishes and seek to only benefit their self indulgences….The worst do nothing good congress is part and parcel of the worst president in the history of our country….All of these people need to be fired……Blessings
December 7th, 2006 at 2:48 pmAnd YOU were serious when you made this idiotic, deplorable, and uninformed comment?
Hard working member of congress??? And HOW MANY DAYS AND WEEKS ARE THE SOLDIERS WORKING? You think that taking a trip to shake their hands and leaving them to come back home to their families is patriotic? That little ribbon on your trunk is calm disillusionment to the fact that there is NO ONE really speaking for them except the DEMOCRATS!
So pardon me when I say, I really don’t give a DAMN if he (Kingston) works 22 hours a day, THAT’S HIS JOB!!! He was elected. Oh, by the way, he RAN for this position didn’t he? So, that means, he CHOSE the job! So why complain when you boss tells you that things have changed? So resign! Quit! Or just say that your family it too important! Regardless of that fact, it doesn’t mean sh*t because it just shows that he really does not give a damn about his job, but more so the benefits of that job!
A 3 day work week? I know people that work 12 hours a day for 5 days and DO NOT have the benefit of saying that it is not unfair! Yet, there is NO REPUBLICAN congressman that it looking out for their interests! So he either accepts the mandate or not! And, if he does, he needs to quit his b*tching and moaning and get with the program!
ANY defense of his comments demonstrates the lack of knowledge and deficiency in your logic that would disregard the efforts of millions to benefit the needs of the few. And many wonder why the U.S. has been lost! Individuals like these have allowed greed, sloth, and corruption to fester and grow for the last 12 years!
December 7th, 2006 at 2:50 pmThey missed a couple. ;-)
Comment by chimpeach
Understood. ;-)
When they come for Jane and me so they can lock us up in the renovated WWII Internment Camps, can we hide at your house?
December 7th, 2006 at 3:09 pmtime_for_truth and IraqVet -
Great comments. Thougtful, intelligent and presented with dignity.
December 7th, 2006 at 3:16 pmYou guys are seriously clueless. Maybe if you would quit ranting and pick up a book about how Congress works, you would realize that the important stuff isn’t done on the floor or in committee hearings. That stuff is just the window dressing. If you don’t believe me, turn on C-span. Congressmen and staffers don’t just work when Congress in session just like actors don’t just show up for the production.
December 7th, 2006 at 3:20 pmIn response to IraqVet’s comment
Are you trying to say that any time a member of congress disagrees with the leadership’s position on an issue, he should quit instead of voicing his opinion? Clearly we would get a whole lot more done if we did things your way. I thought that the purpose of a bipartisan system of government was to hear both sides of every argument.
Also, you said that any defense of these comments “demonstrates the lack of knowledge and deficiency in your logic.” Wow. What happened to listening to the other side of an argument and making an intelligent response. I guess it helps your argument when you discredit everything the opposition says by saying that their comments are “idiotic, deplorable, and uninformed.” Why do you assume that I am uninformed? Because my opinion is different that yours?
December 7th, 2006 at 3:22 pm#65 get a grip,
Respectfully, I need to comment about a couple of things you said.
For the other four days, they don’t just sit around doing nothing. They are constantly holding meetings, giving speeches, and working on legislation.
You’re talking here about the period from Friday-Monday, and the speeches they give are not just so people can hear what they think, but for fundraising purposes, either for themselves or for another member of congress. If they knew how to campaign any other way than buying TV and radio ad time, then they might not need so much money. But many members of congress lack imagination (party affiliation meaningless). And once they head out of town on Thursday night, there’s not very much in the way of meetings (i.e. “hearings”) going on. The only “meetings” they attend are with huge campaign contributors (though, to be fair, I’m sure some do take their weekend time to attend klan rallies.)
But don’t call hard-working members of congress lazy just because they have the courage to stand up and say what they believe.
I applaud the ones who actually “say what they believe”. It’s the ones who take to the floors of congress to say what the president believes that I take issue with. And of course we would like them to be available to their constituents, but ALL of their constituents, not just the ones who donate money to their campaigns.
December 7th, 2006 at 3:24 pmOkay, John, Alain, stop bitching and get back to work!! Hypocrites! :-p
December 7th, 2006 at 3:26 pmOkay, so my boss Message #75, hear’s us complaining then POSTS A MESSAGE TELLING US TO GET BACK TO WORK!!
As you can see, this outrage is causing further productivity issues!!!
This guy is a JERK!!
December 7th, 2006 at 3:34 pmThese guys want a three day work week now! What is this country coming too?!? H1-B visa replacements will fix that!! :-p
December 7th, 2006 at 3:41 pmMost of America works 5 days a week or more! We voted for the reps to do a job. If the Republican reps don’t want to do it, they can just resign.
CB
December 7th, 2006 at 3:55 pmMichigan
I’m sure if a Congress person needs to attend to matters in person in their District, they will be excused from attending sessions in the Capitol. This is not what Kingston was complaining about. Kingston was whining about not spending time with his family. If that’s a problem for him, then he should resign.
Besides working on bills such as anti-gay amendments, flag burning amendments, the Military Commissions Act of 2006 and rubber stamping the frat boy cheerleader, what has the 109 Congress accomplished? Americans are still dying in Iraq, in a war based on lies, many Americans are without health insurance, the Federal deficit is out the roof, and Americans are losing their good paying jobs to “offshoring”. Seems to me that the 109 Congress didn’t give a rat’s ass about the American people.
“Impeach the cheerleader, save the world”
December 7th, 2006 at 4:00 pmSince Rep. Kingston’s term in the Georgia legislature ended in 1993, maybe we need to remind him that his current position is part of the FEDERAL government, which does its (and our) work in Washington, DC. And on the other side of the coin, he can stay in DC and use email, Blackberry and cell phone to keep in touch with his constituents, since WE ALL pay his salary out of the federal budget.
One more thing - how does he stand on any ground arguing family values when the Republicans have repeatedly rejected a minimum wage increase for the last decade (Kingston was solid in his “NO” vote every chance), sending another 6 million people into poverty since the start of the 21st Century?
What a putz. Vote him out, Georgia - you’re getting screwed big-time by a lazy weasel.
December 7th, 2006 at 4:21 pm#72 apparently i’m the clueless one?
Congressmen and staffers don’t just work when Congress in session just like actors don’t just show up for the production.
Apparently, the 109th Congress wasn’t working on the floor, in committees, back at home, or on the links at St. Andrews, either. I don’t think they were even rehearsing.
December 7th, 2006 at 5:07 pm#70 Wayne A. Schneider
When they come for Jane and me so they can lock us up in the renovated WWII Internment Camps, can we hide at your house?
Sounds like a plan. I need someone to cover my back, anyway. Besides, if they’re coming for you guys, I’m sure they’re coming for me, too.
December 7th, 2006 at 5:10 pmWayne, I appreciate the thoughtfulness of your comments. The only point that I would like to make in response is this:
You may be right that much of Members’ time spent in the district is spent fundraising. However, they also spend a great deal of time meeting with people about issues that are before Congress giving speeches at non-fundraising events (i.e. schools, town hall meetings, etc.). To quote a letter from Jack Kingston to reporter Jake Tapper,
I don’t want to suggest that Members of Congress do not do fundraising while in their districts, but I think that it is important to note that fundraising is not all that they do. For a representative like Jack Kingston, whose district is made up of 29 counties, travel within the district to make speeches, hold meetings/hearings, and attend local events is very time-consuming.
Also, to respond to CoffinsDrapedWithFlags:
You said in your post,
On the contrary, Members of Congress cannot be excused from attending sessions in the Capitol because they cannot vote by proxy. Because of this law, if a Representative wants to vote on an issue, he must be present during the voting sessions, which are often held late at night.
However, you are right in saying that this is not what Kingston is complaining about. Rather, he is complaining that a five-day workweek in Washington would prevent him from being able to go back to the district and meet with constituents. And yes, of course he said that marriages suffer. I don’t see how this fact can be denied. I understand that members of Congress are not the only ones whose marriages suffer, but does this make his point less valid? Are we saying that since the marriages of our soldiers and many hard-working Americans are suffering, the marriages of Members of Congress should suffer too? I certainly hope not.
December 7th, 2006 at 5:14 pmyou liberals need to volunteer to work weekends too.
you`ll need it to pay off my debts.
ha ha ha
I`ll be cracking lobster,while you`ll be doing what commoners do best….
working weekends.
(champagne cork,buttered lobster BIG BIG belly laugh!)…………and a big thank you to all the plebians out there that made this all possible for me.
thank you for your support.
god it is good to be stinking rich.
December 7th, 2006 at 5:23 pmKingston to Pelosi:
God Damnit Nancy,you know my hemorrhoids can barely stand 3 days let alone 5 sitting on my ass!
December 7th, 2006 at 5:26 pmget a grip,
For a representative like Jack Kingston, whose district is made up of 29 counties, travel within the district to make speeches, hold meetings/hearings, and attend local events is very time-consuming.
He may have a geographically large district, but it’s not like members of congress go see all of their constiuents every week. My soon-to-be ex-congresswoman, Sue Kelly (yes, I’m proud to have the first professional musician in the House as my US Representative, John Hall) rarely made announced visits to our part of her district. Maybe she was in her “hometown” office, but she didn’t visit my part of her district often.
On the contrary, Members of Congress cannot be excused from attending sessions in the Capitol because they cannot vote by proxy. Because of this law, if a Representative wants to vote on an issue, he must be present during the voting sessions, which are often held late at night.
I believe that this is not entirely correct, though it mostly is. I believe that Senators can vote by proxy in committees, but not on the floor. I do not know if the house allows proxy votes on committee (except, of course, for the Committee of the Whole House). What they often did in the past (and this required honest participation by the members) was to find someone who was going to vote the opposite way and ask them to not cast any vote. This would “negate” both votes and keep either side from taking advantage of absences. I do not know if the Republican-controlled Congress still did things this way. And as for the late night votes, that’s because the Republicans scheduled the votes that way. They like to do that when they think the public won’t approve of what they’re trying to pass. I believe it was one of those late night votes that got their annual (unconstitutional) raises passed. (That might have been pre-1994 Republican takeover, and if the Democrats did it, then they were wrong, too.) They don’t vote late at night out of necessity; they plan it that way. (Sometimes so they can get away for their long weekends.)
December 7th, 2006 at 5:55 pmWayne-
Here is what I read about voting (from the book Congress and Its Members by Roger Davidson and Walter Oleszek)
So, I think that you are right that the Senate can vote by proxy in committee, but neither house can do so on the floor.
December 7th, 2006 at 6:58 pmget a grip
Yes, if he believes in his convictions, then YES! Be a man, and QUIT! Stop whining about small and petty issues. As I said, if he (Kingston) would put in half the time as our soldiers, then he would know the REAL DEAL! But alas, I forgot, NONE of the GUTLESS COWARDS have EVER SERVED in the military or have any significant combat experience.
HOW MANY GENERALS have we lost because of his (Kingston and countless others) complicit acts and overt tones of mismanagement and lack of effort in Congress! How many men, women, and children without adequate health care, education, jobs. And this JACKASS wants more time at home?
Bipartisan? How is this helping those people? They could really give a rats azz if he EVER saw his family, because THEY NEED HELP! His personal life is IRRELEVANT to the more pressing issues facing AMERICANS! This is not a debate about something that is of concern to the masses! So pardon me if I call him a SPINELESS ingrate for the title that he has been given! He is a PUBLIC SERVANT! Hence the term SERVANT! YOU are at the mercy of the people who elected you, and their demands are your demands regardless if he sees little Susie’s play ot Timmy’s ballgame!
I have worked on the road, commuting 6 out of 7 days to ensure my son and daughters have the best I can provide. Yet this JERK is talking about flying, reading, debating, voting, and flying home…Ummm, yeah! That’s a valid argument! If Blackberry’s can be used in DC why not reverse that and have your district use that technology while you work for the people?
Oh and BTW, there was no opposition in this argument! It was a STUPID defense to think that ANY hard working individual would TRY to defend this IDIOT!
No opposition, just facts!
December 7th, 2006 at 7:41 pmThank goodness they only worked 103 days last year. Considering the damage they’ve done, less is definitely better!
December 7th, 2006 at 10:41 pmHow does “flying in on Tuesday and flying out late Thursday afternoon” constitute a “three day workweek”? Does he get the Red Eye into Bum—k Ga
December 8th, 2006 at 8:47 amRep. Kingston is correct in stating that “…Democrats could care less about families…” That statement means that Democrats could care less, but they don’t. In fact Democrats care a great deal about families.
Republicans, on the other hand, couldn’t care less about families.
klyde in comment #50 pointed this out before me.
I thought that the people making important decisions concerning this country were supposed to be…um…SMART. Maybe we need to require Congress and the Administration to pass a basic, standardized aptitude test.
December 10th, 2006 at 3:31 amI wrote this last month and sent it to Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer and Barbara Boxer, etc. last week.
December 6, 2006
Open letter to the Congress of the United States and the American people.
Re: Congress has time to make change
I read that if Nancy Pelosi became Speaker of the House she believed there would be no TIME to take action to impeach Bush. Well, let’s put the Bush impeachment on the back burner for a moment. Having time of day is not a problem for Congress; not using their time fully is the problem.
It’s been widely documented that Congress works approximately 100 days per year. The average yearly salary of Congress is $165,000.00 per year – which does not include their private pensions or top-notch health and dental insurance plans, all fully paid for by the American people, the government. At this time the Congress meets less than two-and-a-half days per week while taking four-and-a-half-day weekends. It has been averaged out that these bureaucrats – Democrats and Republicans- make the equivalent of $1650.00 per workday or $206.25 per hour if they work an eight-hour day – this does not include the benefits packages noted above. And let’s not forget their ability to vote for cost-of-living raises for themselves, and they do.
There should be shame and great sorrow held in the hearts of each congressional member who refuses to fully work in their elected positions with the utmost integrity with exceptional work ethics. The majority of Americans don’t have such fortune to work so little time for so much money and perquisites.
Congress voted to go to war and on March 20, 2003 they committed American troops, bodies and souls, to 365 days a year, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week into Iraq; one of the bloodiest and longest wars seen in modern history. Meanwhile Congressional members work a 2.5-day week (and hopefully eight-hour days), no more than 100 days per year.
While Congress takes their 4.5 day weekends our troops, with no relief in sight, are being re-deployed into combat to fight again and again, using the stop-gap methods of the military, increasing the odds of their returning to loved ones in body bags. To-date, after more than three-and-a-half years, our troops are still being sent into this war without proper body armor and/or armored vehicles, potable water, etc., while corporate profiteers are reaping hundreds of billions of dollars in profits through no-bid government contracts (Halliburton and Blackwater Industries are two examples. If Congress has yet to view the well-documented video “Iraq for Sale†it may open closed eyes to comprehend the government-sponsored rampant corporate greed.)
It’s appalling that the American Congress, those who sent our troops to war, believe that working a 2.5 day workweek in Washington entitles them to a 4.5 day weekend at an exorbitant pay rate of $1650.00 a day. As the United States Congress leaves work for their long weekends to the genteel serenity of their well-groomed homes, American troops leave their families behind to fight valiantly in a foreign country giving their lives for little pay under exacerbating conditions. If these men and women return alive, many have little or nothing to show for their long deployments. Too many are left with debilitating, life-changing wounds; crippling emotional and physical scars that often aren’t covered by their VA medical. Hundreds have become homeless.
Sadly, at the same time, there are millions of American civilians who are earning the minimum wage. The minimum wage set by Federal Law through Congress at a pittance of $5.15 per hour. Americans who are paid at this minimum level make the following: an eight-hour day pays $41.20; a five-day week pays $206.00; a bimonthly salary pays $824.00 per month; a yearly salary pays $9,888.00. These are pre-taxable dollars and most likely do not include any benefits packages. These Americans’ annual salaries are only $1638.00 more than the $8250.00 a congressional member makes in five days. If Congress votes to increase the Federal minimum wage to $7.25 per hour these Americans will then be guaranteed to make a whopping $13,920.00 per year before taxes, $2580.00 less than 10 days pay for the average Congress member.
At the same time the majority of middle-class American families must have two full-time workers to support their basic needs. Like the poor many individual family members work two and sometimes three jobs each. Barely 20% of working Americans have pension plans. The majority of Americans cannot afford the extremely high costs of health and dental insurance and go without. Remnants of the Social Security Plan may be their only income after their retirement age (which Congress has considered raising to 70+ years old). Congress members are able to opt out of Social Security in favor of lucrative private pension plans, which can be worth millions of dollars after they retire from their 2.5-day per week positions. Inflation-adjusted pensions are available to congressional members as early as age 50.
The people elect the Congressional Members of the United States; these duly elected representatives must be held to the same work ethic and standards to which American citizens are held. The newly established Democratic Majority must take their positions in government seriously; they must demand the Minority Republicans do the same. They must work to the same expectations they have of the American people: work at least the eight-hour, five-day workweek OR not be paid a full yearly salary with benefit and pensions.
If working full-time in their positions is too much for these elected officials, they should step down from their gilded government positions to allow other qualified candidate-elects who are willing to work take their positions. A mandate must be put into place enforcing Congress to work the standard five-day workweek and complete the American work ethic like everyone else. Fortunate Americans, those who still have jobs, work an average of 269 days per year taking the standard 2-day weekends off with a 2-week vacation.
Working a full work schedule, the Congress will have more than twice the time needed to do their jobs. The first and foremost change that needs to occur is not the impeachment of Mr. Bush. Initiate the change to replace the part-time two-and-a-half-day workweek to a full-time eight-hour, five-day workweek. Then there will be time to investigate the current, pressing problems of the broken American political structure.
Selecting a NON-PARTISAN, independent investigation will give all Americans a definitive answer to where and why billions of dollars are being spent on a war in foreign lands and inside our own homeland (Iraq and Katrina debacle). After three long years at war the only measurable results are the monetary gains for corporate war profiteers, who seem to be close affiliates of Congress and the Executive branches, filling their pockets from the blood of our troops and hard earned American dollars.
The American people, the people of this great country, those who vote to keep our democracy alive can then be the “deciders†if Mr. Bush should be impeached by the outcome of the investigations. So, please do not tell the American people that there is no time to make changes. Start with one change: work a full eight-hour a day, five-day workweek. Then there will be time to investigate any and all corruption that seems to have seeped into the elected governing bodies of the House of Representatives, The Senate and the Executive Branch of our government.
Sincerely,
Charlane Tamara Keith
December 12th, 2006 at 7:26 pmAmerican Citizen
perhaps these wages were designed to remove the temptation of bribery. If so, they didn’t work.
December 27th, 2006 at 2:46 pm[…] Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA) made headlines last month after complaining about Congress’ new schedule that requires members to work five days a week: “Keeping us up here eats away at families,” said Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.), who typically flies home on Thursdays and returns to Washington on Tuesdays. “Marriages suffer. The Democrats could care less about families — that’s what this says.” […]
January 11th, 2007 at 4:02 pmThat pansy-ass no load needs to resign. If this is an example of what we have in Congress then God help the United States. They’ve already f–ked over the Constitution so bad that our Fore-Fathers would never recognize it. Good goin hope your proud of yourselves, and we wonder why todays society is going to hell on a roller coaster.
YOU BETTER GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER CONGRESSMAN!!
Disabled Marine Corps Vietnam Veteran (who worked seven days 24 hours a day)
January 13th, 2007 at 9:01 am[…] He later defended his stance on Faux News by saying: “With BlackBerrys, cell phones, you can stay in touch with what’s going on in Washington. But you know, when you’re back home with the real people, folks can grab you by the collar and say, what in the heck did you guys do when you passed that bill?” […]
January 14th, 2007 at 12:10 am[…] the past 6 years, the Bush Administration has been used to a Rubber Stamp Congress that worked about 3 days a week, and like a Yugo, they’re having a little trouble getting up to speed. The problem for BushCo […]
March 21st, 2007 at 2:04 pm[…] NAUGHTY: The 109th Congress, for doing nothing. NICE: The 110th Congress, for promising to work five days a week. […]
April 6th, 2008 at 5:00 pm