Should Congress close its doors after election day?
By laglen
@laglen (19759)
United States
July 30, 2010 9:23am CST
Representative Tom Price (R -Georgia) is proposing closing Congress from election day (November 2) til January 3 when the new Congress will be sworn in unless in the case of unforeseen emergency.
This due to the lack of public trust, and transparency.
House Democrats have decided to delay voting on this resolution. go figure.
http://rsc.tomprice.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=201525
you can get the text of the resolution here
http://rsc.tomprice.house.gov/UploadedFiles/Lame_Duck_Resolution.pdf
What is your opinion?
How would you vote? Why?
4 responses
@xfahctor (14113)
• Lancaster, New Hampshire
31 Jul 10
Absolutely a good idea as far as I'm concerned. The U.S. congress already does enough damage when it is in session, we don't need to give opportunity to people who may know they won't be coming back to take it out on the voters or pass garbage with out fear of losing their jobs. In general I am inclined to agree with Judge Gideon J. Tucker, who said, "No man's life, liberty or property are safe while the Legislature is in session."
1 person likes this
@xfahctor (14113)
• Lancaster, New Hampshire
1 Aug 10
Spalli, I have felt like this for years and this isn't the first time this type of legislation has been introduced. Ordinarily it probably isn't an issue but I say this now though because our congress for the last 10 years especially has become an abomination.
1 person likes this
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
31 Jul 10
If this were a valid concern, xfahctor, why has it taken over 200 years for it to become one? It seems to me that, if a lame duck member of Congress cannot be trusted to the point where it's acceptable for the entire Congress to be shut down for two months, should this standard also apply to a lame duck president? How about a lame duck governor? Our government was set up to run continuously, without interruption, even during a catastrophic emergency. This goes against that ideal, don't you think?
1 person likes this
@lovinangelsinstead21 (36847)
• Pamplona, Spain
30 Jul 10
Hiya laglen,
Why are they having Elections? Are they local Elections for the Democrats. I don´t know who I would vote for either sounds like they have something up their sleeves alright.
This kind of thing goes on here. I have just read what a certain Politician owns and I figure that this Man cannot have bought all that with the so called wage they pay him. Trouble is there are so many others like that and they preach about others from the other Party.
Either way that is a long time for Congress to be closed is´nt it? I could expect that to happen here but not over in the USA.
@lovinangelsinstead21 (36847)
• Pamplona, Spain
31 Jul 10
Hiya laglen,
Okay point taken. It´s just we have so much "funny goings on" here that they spend their days accusing one another of corruption and other things. Well this really only applies to a few of them thank goodness the ordinary Politician cannot even begin to dream about "getting out of hand" with anything.
This is one reason why the News goes off because it seems neither side is capable of talking to each other without being out of place. I never seem to hear anything else but their arguments if I do catch a bit of the News. Let´s hope they grow up some time soon. Michele Obama is in Madrid this week I think being shown around by Queen Sofia of Spain she has her Children with her too. I have´nt seen anything about that yet would be nice to see her closer as I always see her waving but very far away.
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
30 Jul 10
Talk about a blatantly political stunt! I'd absolutely vote against this regardless of which party I represented. I'd say the Republicans who vote for this this year had better be careful what they wish for. For better or for worse, the 111th Congress was elected by the voters of the United States and it runs until January of 2011.
Annie
1 person likes this
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
31 Jul 10
I don't think it's buyer's remorse...more like frustration over what has been going on there.
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
30 Jul 10
I have to agree with annie. You don't simply shut down a branch of the government for two months...I don't care what lame excuse you can come up with. I don't recall anyone asking the "public" they seem so concerned about what we think of the idea.
I do have a question, if anyone would care to answer it. There have been many posts about spending taxpayer money foolishly and government responsibility in this area, especially in these tough economic times. For those of you who did not read the bill, nowhere does it indicate that the members of Congress will forego their salaries while they're not doing their jobs for two months. Doesn't anyone have a problem with that waste of taxpayer money?
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