What’s the opposite of a government shutdown? I guess it is a government that never recesses (i.e., takes a vacation). Now, of course, like anyone else, congressmembers have to take some time off. If nothing else, they need to talk to people in their states and districts. But they don’t have to go into recess if they have pressing unfinished business. They don’t need to go into recess if the minority party has wasted weeks of legislative time with stalling tactics and procedural obstruction. The House of Representatives has already left the Capitol, but they can always be called back for a few votes if a need arises. And the House is not needed at all for confirmation votes on the president’s nominees.
I know it’s a hard sell to ask the Senate Democratic caucus to forego their August vacation, but they really ought to keep in session at least until the GOP relents on allowing a vote on a Small Business bill, aid to the states, and a half dozen or so languishing appointments. As a political matter, the Dems will benefit by giving up some vacation time to fight for people’s jobs and by highlighting the filibustering of nominees. But, more importantly, they need to break the back of this obstruction, and one way to do it is to start screwing with the Republicans’ summer travel plans. Recess at the end of the week and they’ll come back to a chamber where nothing has changed. That’s bad for the economy, for employment, bad politically, and bad for making progress on legislation in the fall.
Excellent suggestion.
This is a good idea on many levels. It could be used to put tremendous pressure on the Republicans, forcing them to vote against popular, common-sense measures; it would be an opportunity to selectively force the party of no to filibuster something indefensible; and if skillfully executed for political effect a non-recess could help build momentum for a change in the filibuster rules when the new Senate comes in.
But don’t hold your breath….
Fantastic idea. Republican, you have a better idea? You want to serve the people in these scary scary times? Then sit right down with us and not leave until we get it fixed. Ready Set Go.
It shifts the initiative to Obama while exposing their weakness and hypocrisy. There will be time later to vacation.
Downside of no recess. No recess appointments.
Downside of August recess. Opportunity for GOP to create another phony baloney issues like they did with “death panels”.
That’s aside from the work that is not being done.
Good idea. The media might actually cover this narrative, it has a ‘man bites dog’ quality to it.
Yes – recess appointments – that’s the ticket:
If we accept that there’s going to be a recess, then let’s make the most of it. The President should make exactly as many recess appointments as Bush did during his reign of terror – 171 minus the 18 he’s already made = 153 according to my limited research. Fill as many vacancies as possible in one fell swoop. Make the republican’ts regret they ever left the building.
He has nothing to lose – he’ll be pilloried if he makes even one, so what’s the saying – ‘in for a penny, in for a pound’…. At least we’ll accomplish ‘something’.