Kingston whines about having to work
Democrats seem on the cusp of requiring House members to, well, actually work. And one Georgia congressman doesn't like it.
For much of this election year, the legislative week started late Tuesday and ended by Thursday afternoon -- and that was during the relatively few weeks the House wasn't in recess.Next year, members of the House will be expected in the Capitol for votes each week by 6:30 p.m. Monday and will finish their business about 2 p.m. Friday, [Steny] Hoyer said. ...
"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."
Someone should tell Kingston that if he wants represent the people of southeast Georgia he should commit to doing it full time. Instead, he whines about no longer getting his four-day weekends. If the strain of staying in D.C. five days a week is getting to him, then he might want to step down. Perhaps if he didn't intend to make a career of it (first elected in 1992), then he wouldn't feel so burnt out.
H/T The Corner
Comments
"Marriages suffer. The Democrats could care less about families -- that's what this says."
My eyes rolled so fast when I read this that I got a headache.
Posted by: Joe Magyer | December 6, 2006 12:28 PM
With regards to the comments you posted. I can understand his frustration. Yes, he is a public servant...but do you really want Congress in session that often anyway.
Posted by: Jason | December 6, 2006 12:56 PM
While I don't really want Congress in session long enough to pass lots of new laws, if they were in session 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, from the start of the session until the end...
We would have a whole lot less congressmen who wanted the job for life.
Posted by: Joe | December 6, 2006 06:57 PM
I agree with Doug. Kingston needs to quit bitching.
Posted by: Jace Walden | December 6, 2006 08:27 PM
[D]o you really want Congress in session that often anyway?
Point taken. But really, should he be complaining when he was the one who campaigned for the job? If he wants to spend time with his family he should either (A) move his family to suburban Virginia like many other congressmen or (B) go back to Savannah and do some real work in the private sector.
He has, after all, had that seat long enough.
Posted by: Doug | December 6, 2006 10:02 PM
What really makes this amusing is that Steny Hoyer represents the Maryland 5th district. He drives home every night. His commute is shorter than mine.
Posted by: Joe | December 7, 2006 07:53 PM
If he wants to spend time with his family he should...(A) move his family to suburban Virginia like many other congressmen.
I think this is one big problem we have with the goverment now. Congressmen move to the DC area and their focus shifts from representing their constituents to keeping their jobs, which generally leads to massive spending on both sides of the aisle. Personally, I would rather have a representative that continues to stay in touch with the people he works for, instead of someone who spends all his time in Washington. By the way, I live in Kingston's district. He is very much in line with the vast majority of his voters, who I think would probably agree with him on this issue.
Posted by: Brian | December 8, 2006 02:44 PM
[Kingston] is very much in line with the vast majority of his voters, who I think would probably agree with him on this issue.
What