Lazy members of the Senate are facing the possibility of having to work on Christmas like millions of Americans. Majority Leader Harry Reid threatened to cancel the Senate’s Christmas vacation if they don’t get their work done before the holiday.
Sen. Reid (D-NV) said,
“We may have to be here a third week and everyone should understand that. Our most important task at hand is to pass bills to fund out government, keep it from shutting down,” Reid said on Monday afternoon shortly after the Senate began its last work period of the 113th Congress.
“We have a lot to do. And there isn’t much time to accomplish it. I urge all senators to work hard to complete our work in a timely and efficient fashion. We may have to be here the week before Christmas … and hopefully, not into the Christmas holiday,” he added.
Now that Harry Reid has uttered the magic words (no vacation) expect the Senate to get bills passed very quickly. Nothing motivated members of Congress like having their vacation days taken away. In many ways, it would be good for some of the most isolated members of the Senate to have to work on Christmas.
If a Mitch McConnell or Ted Cruz had to work on Christmas Day, they would temporarily join the ranks of an increasingly growing class of Americans, mostly in retail and service industries, for whom Christmas is no longer a holiday.
As USA Today reported, “A quarter of Americans will be required to work on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day or New Year’s Day this year, according to Allstate/National Journal’s annual Heartland Monitor poll, out this month. But more, 45%, said there’s at least a chance they will work one of those holidays.”
There would be something fitting about the one-percenters in the Senate being forced to show up at work on Christmas like millions of other Americans. Unless House Republicans completely self-destruct and shut down the government for a prolonged period, the odds are that the senators will be doing something that 25% don’t have the luxury of doing. They will be enjoying Christmas with their families.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
Give ’em hell, Harry! Lord knows Boehner will not be doing the same across the hall..he prides himself on NEVER passing a bill, unless it is to hurt people.
Heaven (is such a place exists) forbid that elected officials must do their jobs. Do you really think Ted Cruz will forgo the most Holy of Pagan rituals if HR demands such a blasphemous action?
We may see once again as we have for the last 6 years, the gop is the party of no
Go Harry Reid…….
I am told by numerous dems who work in the federal government, that their RW counterparts working there do the bare minimum because of their hatered of our federal government. When reminded that they are paid by us the tax payers, that act appalled…….you know, playing the victim role, when they are guilty as sin! ……it’s a learned strategy!
Senate is going to be hell for republicans;if they get through they are facing a veto.
Will Cruz philabuster and read Grinch’s “The Thief Who Stole Christmas”?
Well, this is Reid’s last hurrah, if you will.
Might as well go out with a bang. :)
Because someone needs to be the daddy who gets the kids to behave.
Might as well Harry. Since Democrats don’t mind working, the disappointed will be on the right. It’s nice to see Harry kicking it in overdrive before he has to give up control. This is also pay back time for the Repuks. Time for them to see what if feels like to be blocked as well as vetoed. Time for Dem’s in both chambers to buck up and make those cheating fools see what it’s like no to get anything done and get blamed for it. [WINK]
Senator Reid, don’t threaten, just do it! And while you’re at it, you should also have their salary docked for not working and for being on on paid vacation since 1/20/2009.
And it seems like just yesterday that they got back from a long vacation, oh wait it was yesterday!
it’s a bit late for Reid to start acting like Al Capone. I suspect that when McConnell becomes Senate Manority leader (my head hurts), they will follow the example of Congress. It must be nice to get paid for doing nothing.
Be prepared to see President Obama pull out his veto pen a LOT in the next two years before Democrats take back the Senate and keep the WH. He might even surpass G.W. Bush’s eleven vetoes when Democrats had won back the Senate and the House in 2006.
These non-representatives of the people have gotten in use to all the good things this government has to offer and they will continue to take advantage of the co-dependent situation they have created.
They want smaller government, but you do not see any of them quitting and saying:
“I am doing my part to reduce the waste”.
They have the best OBAMACARE, free lunches, free transport, freebies come out from all the 1% (condos at the beach, vacations etc..) why would they want to change anything? they need to start punching the clock like everyone else…
About time, Mr. Reid.
Harry Reid has made a lot of threats over the years and has shown himself to be a weak leader time and again.
Really?
McConnell and Cruz might as well work through the holidays, Santa isn’t bringing them anything but switches and coal. At least the coal comes from the Koch Brothers.
i wont be nice beth, ur full of bs beth
Since most part time workers do not have health care, why are taxpayers paying for these lazy louts to be covered? Pay them ONLY for days worked, since most of their “gratuity” comes from their owners – the 1%. Their raise should be the same as the Social Security recipients get, which is peanuts. I worked my arse off for 25 years, raised 3 kids alone, and get the grand sum of $400 a month. I am not complaining, just comparing my pension to the ones these useless politicians get after ONE term, plus healthcare for life.
No… somebody needs to be the boss and tell them to go to work or go find another job.