Outrageous Behavior in the Senate

Image via WikipediaSummer is here, and the time came for the Senate to take a summer break. The nation is in crisis with high fuel prices crippling the country. So what did the public servants we elected and we pay with our tax dollars do?

Shut down the senate and went on a five-week vacation - starting at 2:49 in the afternoon. Guess they wanted an early start for the weekend on their trips - while many Americans struggle to afford to go to work and eat.

According to a Fox News article, the Democrats left but the Republicans had a pizza party with those walking by on the street. Republicans urged the senate to continue in session until something is done to give Americans fuel cost relief NOW. The Democrats apparently think we can afford to not have enough money to buy food, pay the mortgage, and get to work.

I find it outrageous that with the current state of affairs in this country and given the fact that they work FOR us - were elected BY us - and are paid BY us, any member of congress would feel they have the right to take a vacation while we suffer rather than put in the time to get us the help we need right now.

Working into the summer break would be incentive to reach an agreement on immediate relief so they could enjoy a break before they start the next session - in which they could address the long term fuel relief issue.

Read more about it HERE

Want to know who voted to break for summer and who voted to stay (and who didn't vote at all)?

46 Democratic yes to vacation votes, 1 Republican, and 1 Independent. Who voted no - stay and work? 40 Republicans. Who didn't vote (not present or didn't have the backbone)? 8 Republicans and 4 Democrats. But, don't take my word for it, read the votes HERE.

Had those non-voters voted against the break, it would have kept the Senate in session, hopefully long enough to get immediate relief for us. As it is, the vacationers won and we get to endure at least 5 more weeks of high prices and mounting financial stresses.

Want to see how many days the senate was actually in session this last time? View the calendar HERE.

Want to know what they did during this last session? Read a summary HERE.


UPDATE (8/4/08): One of my favorite writers offers his perspective on the situation.
Nancy Pelosi's Innovative Solution to Save Energy and Find New Oil