Steyer calls on Pelosi to cancel 'six-week vacation' for Congress

[highplainsdem]

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/454120-steyer-calls-on-pelosi-to-cancel-six-week-vacation-for-congress

Billionaire activist and White House hopeful Tom Steyer on Monday called for Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to cancel Congress's August recess.

“President Trump is tearing our country apart. His trade wars are taxing American workers. His immigration policies are separating parents from their children. His crimes and corruption are threatening the rule of law. And his racist rhetoric is pitting Americans against each other,” Steyer said in a statement.

“The Constitution is very clear: Congress has oversight over the president. So what’s their response? They’re going on vacation for six weeks. Seriously? We’re in a crisis. That’s why I’m asking Speaker Pelosi to cancel summer vacation, and conduct daily public oversight hearings to hold Trump accountable for his crimes, corruption, and racism," he added.

Pelosi's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Steyer, who entered a crowded Democratic field earlier this month, called on fellow presidential candidates to join his push for canceling recess.

-snip-

[Me.]

1. So He's Going To Tell Everyone What To Do Now

Perhaps the people in their districts would like to talk to them

[George II]

12. That's the overriding purpose of these recesses. It's not a "vacation", but an opportunity....

...for members of Congress to meet with their constituents. Very few, if any, use this time as a "vacation".

[bottomofthehill]

41. The dirty little secret on the Hill

Many Members of Congress do not like the long Recess, they would rather be in DC. When they are home, they are accountable to their constituents, they have to go out and mingle with the masses, answer questions and deal with generally angry people. While in Washington, they are treated like little gods by their staffs, the general congressional community, the lobbyists, the association folks, the fundraisers, bumkissers from hundreds of miles around. At home, very little of that bum kissing goes on

Trust me many if not most are happier in DC than at home.

[StarfishSaver]

60. A Member told me when they're in DC, constituents said, "You're never here, ut when they saw them

in the District they said, "Why aren't you in Washington working?!"

[Everyman Jackal]

98. It is so they can beg for money and run for reelection.

[Autumn]

2. He makes some good points. A six week recess while all this shit with Trump is going on

is irresponsible. I'm really liking this guy.

[Eyeball_Kid]

3. Steyer is not a good prospect for candidacy, IMO, but he's right about

Pelosi granting a six week vacation when the nation is reeling from several crises.

[Autumn]

6. I don't know, think he's a very good prospect for candidacy, I've been listening

to what he says and I think he can do well. I can't believe that they are even considering one. Mueller is on Wed and if they do that and run his appearance goes down the hole into oblivion.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

69. Yes. If you are serious about getting rid of trump, stay. If your goal

is small...keep the House, leave.

[Autumn]

73. Who is planning on leaving? What does that have to do with Steyer who is a large donor to Dems?

[Laura PourMeADrink]

74. Sorry, was referring to vacation.

[Autumn]

75. One thing for sure, if they don't impeach they are validating and normalizing his crimes and his

insanity.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

93. Yes. And they won't. Almost to the window when it's too late

Crazy to go back months and months and say, ok
NOW we are pissed off and think it all was impeachable.

[Bettie]

97. By the time they come back

the excuse will be "too close to the election".

[Laura PourMeADrink]

102. Really surprised Dingbat hasn't started that drumbeat.

Unfortunately, Bettie, you are right.

Just looking at the trends of his favorability...very slow, but discernable trajectory upward in last 6 months. Who in a million years would have thought we'd have to be trying to convince fellow Dems to do what is right.

[BeyondGeography]

5. Post-Mueller

Perfect timing.

[Autumn]

9. As soon as Mueller is done the hearings need to begin. A six week vacation sucks

all the energy and outrage out.

[BeyondGeography]

15. Forgive me for being cynical

but I think that’s the idea.

And I know that this is what Congress always does. Which kind of makes me wonder about the spin on why this got pushed back a week. Extra time for questions or one week closer to the media abyss? How convenient.

[Autumn]

16. You will have to forgive me too. That was my first thought when I read her office did not

immediately respond to a request for comment.

[bottomofthehill]

43. It is easier to pressure them at home to do the right thing

Than it is when they are in DC

People take notice of protest in the district, they are a dime a dozen in DC

[StarfishSaver]

79. It's also easier for the Members to educate constituents about the issues while in the district

They get much more local media coverage, which is far more powerful than a 2-minute hit on cable news and can have personal contact through town meetings, attending events, etc.

[StarfishSaver]

77. OR ... right after Mueller testifies,

the Members fan out across the country to their respective districts, armed with a cohesive message, talking points, and media strategy - and spend the next few weeks educating constituents, holding town halls, doing local media, and having much more ability to shape public opinion on impeachment than they would in DC during that time..

[BeyondGeography]

78. I'd fall off my chair

But I live to be surprised and truly love to be in the wrong when it’s a preferable outcome.

[delisen]

14. The recess allows representatives to connect with constituents

and to prepare for the battle ahead. We cannot afford to lose the new house seats gained in 2018.

I am concerned that Steyer is only acting as an individual seeking top office as a savior figure and not comprehending what is needed to win a war.

[Autumn]

19. At this time they need to connect with the American people. Hearings on his crimes and abuses

will not cause a loss of the new house seats. I think Steyer is a patriotic American seeking to serve as best he can. You don't win a war by giving the opponent chances to advance.

[JI7]

24. their constituents are the American people

[Autumn]

26. Yes they are, so they do not need to go home to connect with their constituents for six weeks.

They can easily do that with televised hearings into Trump's crimes and abuses. If they could cancel the winter break to work on the debt increase or whatever it was they can skip this one to expose his crimes. YMMV

[JI7]

36. most people don't watch congressional hearings on tv .plus they usually

have personal questions they want to ask.

[Autumn]

38. Most people do watch the news and hearings will be reported on. nt

[JI7]

40. not during the summer plus there are personal issues they often need help on

[eilen]

100. That is true, I work all day. I rarely watch the news at night.

I sometimes catch news early in the morning before work. After work I can get in some news articles but that depends on the day. I just don't have the leisure time to watch hearings on CSPAN. Maybe when I retire I will.

I will scroll Twitter when I am in line or waiting at appointments and check in on the news.

On weekends that I don't work I will watch the news on Sunday. Most of the people I work with don't follow the news closely.

[lapucelle]

42. How do constituents connect with their representative over television?

[Autumn]

103. Over television? ROTFL ...Phone, email, letters, a 3 day weekend, those thing do exist. nt

[lapucelle]

104. Wasn't "connecting through television" your suggestion?

[Elected representatives] do not need to go home to connect with their constituents for six weeks.They can easily do that with televised hearings.

Television
email
US mail
phone messages

and

a three day week-end

are no substitute for being in the community with constituents for more than an occasional brief visit. My congresswoman represents 716,038 people. That's more people than live in the entirety of a small state like Vermont.

[Autumn]

105. No, "connecting through television" was not my suggestion. My suggestion was, and you should read

the whole thing:

Yes they are, **so they do not need to go home to connect with their constituents for six weeks.
They can easily do that with televised hearings into Trump's crimes and abuses. If they could cancel the winter break to work on the debt increase or whatever it was they can skip this one to expose his crimes. YMMV
that they do not need to go home to connect with their constituents for six weeks.

** that was in response to

their constituents are the American people

So going home isn't going to allow them to connect with all the American people

I don't see "connecting through television" anywhere in my post.

[lapucelle]

106. Then what is the antecdent for the relative pronoun "that" in your bolded sentence?

[T]hey do not need to go home to connect with their constituents for six weeks. They can easily do that with televised hearings into Trump's crimes and abuses.

They can easily do what with televised hearings?
- connect with their constituents for six weeks*

* I think that last prepositional phrase is misplaced, but given the insistence textual precision, I didn't edit to correct the error in structure.

[Autumn]

107. .

[lapucelle]

108. It's not the response I would have given to a question about the meaning of something I wrote,

but it's rather the response that I expected in this case.

[Autumn]

109. .

[StarfishSaver]

61. If you really want Members to support impeachment, the best way for that to happen

is for them to spend some time in their Districts talking to constituents.

[delisen]

29. Their constituents are the American people, aren't they?

[Autumn]

30. I agree. If their constituents are the American people that kind of blows "they they have to go

home to meet their constituents" excuse out of the water. Televised hearings into Trump's crimes will enable them to show all their constituents they are looking out for them. Thanks for proving my point.

[delisen]

46. I fail to see that I have proved your point.

I expect my Representative to be home in my district where I and others can meet with him and discuss the path forward.

For better or worse we will have Mueller's testimony this week. It will be televised. We already have his report-which fr too many people who are demanding immediate ration have not even bothered to read-so what we as a county are getting has been a media scruffiest-with Barr and others having successfully throw sand in the eyes of millions of tv-addicted viewers eyes (democrat, republicans, independents).

Most people I speak to who are screaming for congress to do something immediately can't even give me a list of offenses on which they base their demand for immediate impeachment and back them up with a coherent set of facts.

My representative represents me and the people of my district. I expect my representative to be here in August to discuss the path forward and answer questions.

One reason our nation is in the mess it is in, is that far too many people for too long have been plopped in front of their tv screens or computers, letting their "news" come from manipulated social media or filtered through self-interested performance tv shows.

Meeting with constituents is not an excuse, it is a duty.

[Autumn]

53. Well you did it quite well.

delisen (4,163 posts)

29. Their constituents are the American people, aren't they?

America is a big place.

[ehrnst]

18. That "recess" is when they meet with constituents in their home offices, give talks

appear at local rallies and events, hold town halls, etc. Especially those whose districts are a several hours flight from DC.

So, no, it's not really a 'recess' as such.

It's also time to prepare for what they will be doing in the fall. Their schedule, freed up from committee meetings (which some newer congresspersons have recently dismissed as "busywork," sadly) and votes can be used meeting with consultants and other topic area experts. I imagine that Pelosi will be meeting with lawyers as well as legal scholars and media/communications experts.

But yes, I'm sure that some congresspersons will be frittering away their time with family, perhaps going on a trip while their children aren't in school. God forbid they take time to unwind and reconnect with family and friends. It's not like we need them rested and at the top of their game this fall...

Remember, Pelosi cancelled the winter recess when congress was shut down, and that was a wise decision, especially considering that Democrats had just taken power. They didn't have the opportunity then to do what they would have done during that recess.

It would be helpful for Steyer, as well as other, to know what the Speaker and congress do and don't do before declaiming what they should be doing.

[Kaiserguy]

32. Some meet with their constituents

and some do not. My GOP rep (who is useless) never meets with his constituents. Personal I think they could do with a much shorter recess given what is happening to our nation thanks to Trump.

[ehrnst]

33. Yes, GOP reps, especially in swing areas are avoiding having to defend Trump

so they're not going to be meeting with reps.

However, Dems are going to be wanting to.

[murielm99]

39. My useless GOP rep

only meets with people who agree with him.

[usaf-vet]

58. EXACTLY! The what our GOP Rep does. Goes only to the favorite spots. Ignores the rest of us.

[pnwmom]

54. It's not a vacation. It's time with their constituents, and they DO need to hear from us. n/t

[mtnsnake]

83. Congressional August recess equals summer break equals vacation time with their families or whatever

I suppose you could call it spending time with their constituents, since their family members are their constituents.

[mtnsnake]

81. Same here, Autumn. The more I hear Steyer speak, the more convincing he sounds as

a legitimate contender for the nomination and as someone who knows what it will take to turn this country around. I'm glad he stepped in because at the very least he is going to keep the other candidates on their toes.

[Autumn]

82. He's shocked the hell out of me. I've been following him on Twitter and I can support and

vote for this guy easy. I'm close to picking him as who I would vote for today.

[mtnsnake]

84. I think he'll be one of the last 5 or 6 standing when the Primary is nearing its end

I love it that he spent all that money on TV commercials calling for Trump's impeachment before anyone else, including our Democratic leaders, who were all afraid to say the "i" word aloud back then. By doing so, Steyer has not only gained the respect of anyone who despises Trump, but he has built up his name recognition tremendously over the last two years.

[Autumn]

88. I hope so. And he's willing to spend a lot more.

[Saviolo]

4. A six week vacation...

... while children are in cages at the border seems irresponsible, I agree.

No vacations during a crisis.

[mcar]

20. Not a vacation

Read the thread.

[Saviolo]

22. I mean, I get it...

But when your house is burning down, it may be important to meet with the neighbours to let them know what's coming, but I think that the first order of business should really be to deal with the fire.

[ehrnst]

34. Part of putting out the fire is keeping the House...

And that means meeting with constituents, especially after the winter recess was cancelled.

So, now you know it's not a 'vacation' and that the winter recess was cancelled.

[Saviolo]

48. I just feel like it's irresponsible to treat this like "politics as usual."

There is nothing normal about anything that's going on, and the more you paint on an air of normalcy to the proceedings, the more you make it seem like the crisis isn't a crisis, and is just politics as usual.

It's not. It's a crisis on multiple fronts. I understand the importance of meeting with constituents face to face, but leaving behind a maniac at the switch may not be the best strategy.

[ehrnst]

57. "paint on an air of normalcy"

Perhaps you think our elected officials should be running around with hair on fire, frantic and loud, which might actually be the worst way to deal with an unstable "maniac." Have you thought about that?

There is a process by which things are done. If we don't dot the i's and cross the t's, then we risk giving them a loophole on a technicality. If they need time offline to get things in order, then they should do that, and pay no attention to a long shot POTUS vanity candidate looking for free media. Clearly he's stoking the "THEY DON'T SEEM PANICKED ENOUGH!! I AM PROPERLY PANICKED! " message, and got your attention.

I think it's a big mistake to assume that Congressional Democrats "don't know" there is a crisis, because they aren't reacting publicly the way many of are privately. I don't feel that they owe me validation for my anxiety, especially if doing so creates more crises.

I want our Congressional reps to do what they think is most effective to manage the ongoing crisis, and if that means that they take recess to take care of matters at home, and be rested when they come back, so be it. I trust Pelosi to know far better than Steyer or you or I about what next steps should be.

[Duppers]

47. EXACTLY!!! "while children are in cages"

TY!

[left-of-center2012]

7. He makes sense

America is headed down the road to fascism
and Congress is going on a six week vacation?

I'm liking him more and more.

[jalan48]

8. Great idea. Things aren't normal these days.

[George II]

11. If he wants to run for President he should do some research on how Congress operates....

I like him, think he's got some great ideas and is a very good man. But he's wrong on this.

It's NOT a "vacation", most members of Congress use these breaks to return to their Districts and meet with constituents, hold town halls, attend events, etc.

[BannonsLiver]

23. A few knee jerk reactionaries in the thread could use this lesson as well.

[aeromanKC]

13. It's a good sound bite , but I trust Pelosi

She has the timeline of events already scheduled out well into next year.

Who knows, she may already have an early call back of Congress already planned to begin am impeachment inquiry. But she is waiting till fter the Mueller testimony to make her move.

Regardless, she's got a plan and I'm willing to see it play out.

[yaesu]

17. well, the vacation is their chance to connect with their base, do meetups, town halls, ect...

basically campaigning and getting the word out about the fascists. MSM is no help, they must go home, talk, face to face stuff.

[ehrnst]

21. Pelosi cancelled the winter recess when congress was shut down, and that was a wise decision,

especially considering that we had just taken back power, and the new Dems needed to get up to speed very quickly.

I don't know if cancelling this one as well would be so wise. They, especially those with districts a several hours flight away from from DC who need to meet with constituents, hold town halls, etc.

And yes, some do need to reconnect with their family, especially after having no winter recess.

[no_hypocrisy]

25. I agree. Congress is facing a real issue in a few weeks.

Trump may threaten not to raise the Federal Debt in order to fund his wall -- again.

[TryLogic]

51. I think you are over reacting.

"So a billionaire hedge fund manager comes out of nowhere and starts trying to push Pelosi around."

[Politicub]

52. Probably so. I have been guilty of that before.

I’m going to delete the post.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

28. It's not a vacation; it's a recess for them to meet with their constitutents.

Here's another reason why another billionaire with no government experience shouldn't be president; he doesn't understand the mechanics of the federal government. The House members aren't going to go to their cabins at the lake and spend six weeks fishing and drinking beer; they'll be working and meeting with people in their home states, something many of them do too little of as it is.

[Skittles]

67. maybe they need to stay put and take some real action

how about that

[StarfishSaver]

70. What "real action" do you suggest they take in the next six weeks

and toward what end?

[watoos]

31. Poll the constituents,

Maybe they want their members to stay in Washington?

I vote no vacation, my Rep is an oil drinking a-hole Repub.

[sprinkleeninow]

56. Cut the recess to 3 weeks. Six weeks at this crucial time? eom

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

35. My rep is Ilhan Omar. I'd love to go to one of her town hall meetings

and I expect she'll have them - with heavy security, I hope.

[EveHammond13]

37. Emergency Impeachment Session

[Princetonian]

44. Good idea. Many in Congress only have a 3-4 day work week as it is.

They all benefit from socialist policy of free single payer healthcare thanks to taxpayers. They ought to work as hard as most taxpayers to earn their salaries.

[BeyondGeography]

45. Plus very few seats are contested

and with tenure you get rank. Not a bad gig, you know.

[CaptainTruth]

49. I'm hoping Dems use that "vacation" to hammer on the info in the Mueller Report.

It's the perfect opportunity for them to follow up, publicly, on the Mueller hearing. Talk about it all the time, far & wide. Build public support for an inquiry.

On Twitter Steyer also criticized Dems for voting against Al Green's impeachment resolution. It was clear he hadn't read it. It only had 1 Article, racist comments. It left out everything from the Mueller report (so no mention of obstruction of justice), the campaign finance violation conspiracy with Cohen (Individual 1) & hush money payments, defying subpoenas, etc etc. NONE of that was in Green's resolution (which was for impeachment, NOT to begin an impeachment inquiry, Green's resolution skipped the entire investigation process) yet Steyer went immediately to knee-jerk Dem bashing without even reading & understanding what they were voting on.

I'm losing all respect for people who do that.

[TryLogic]

50. A short recess to hear from voters at home is good, but 6 weeks is much too long right now.

We have a whole basket full of serious or existential emergencies.

[PatrickforO]

55. Hmm. Well there is a constitutional crisis in DC. No doubt there.

But Steyer is clearly grandstanding.

Still...I have been and remain deeply troubled by the concentration camps, and the now overt and dangerous racism.

[StarfishSaver]

62. The constitutional crisis isn't only in DC

A big part of it is that a large segment of the population doesn't see it as such. People here scream for Congress to "less" but a huge part of that leadership is educating and interacting with their constituents. And that can't be done on Twitter or in a 2-minute MSNBC interview.

It's fascinating that so many people complain about Congress being "out of touch" and "trapped in the Beltway" but then demand that Congress spend MORE time in the Beltway away from their constituents.

[StarfishSaver]

59. Steyer doesn't seem to understand that recess isn't "vacation"

[watoos]

63. What people don't understand,

is that we are having a very important hearing coming up on Wednesday, it may effect the outcome of our election.

So Dems are going to hold this hearing with Mueller and I fully expect them to do a good job flipping the Trump narrative of no collusion, no obstruction. In other words, I fully expect this Mueller hearing to change the right wing narrative, to oh yeah there was collusion that couldn't be criminally proven and there were 11 counts of obstruction, that if Trump were not president he would be going to jail. Big news, ehh?

Then what? A vacation that drops the new narrative right off the front page. If Dems stay in Washington they would be talking about the Mueller hearing and the M$M would have to cover them.

With a vacation it will be 24/7 of Steve Kornacki time. What a terrible time for Dems to go on vacation, right after Mueller's testimony.

[StarfishSaver]

64. Like Steyer, you also don't seem to understand that recess isn't "vacation"

As one who constantly calls for impeachment, you should appreciate the value of Members spending time in their districts interacting with their constituents. Members reluctant to move forward on impeachment can hear directly and personally from their constituents who want it in much more impactful way than letters and calls can effectuate, while Members who support impeachment but whose constiuents aren't aren't there yet can educate their community about the need for impeachment more effectively than they could via tweets and soundbytes.

I don't understand how anyone who feels strongly about impeachment and understands that there aren't yet sufficient votes to open an inquiry would think that Members spending time in their districts talking with constituents is a bad idea.

[Princetonian]

65. Congresspeople don't need six weeks to figure out their constituents' wishes.

Most Congresspersons have 3-4 day work weeks. They can speak to their constituents all year round if they wish. A six week hiatus is unnecessary. So are pay raises and cost-of-living increases. They get free healthcare, free gym access, free lunches. Get off your asses and work like the regular Americans who pay your salaries!

[tritsofme]

90. Your policies would make it much easier for millionaires and billionaires to stay in office

While destroying what little chance citizen legislators have of success.

Democrats should advocate higher pay and benefits for congressmen, so that someone of modest means has a fighting chance.

Getting “tough” on politician pay and benefits doesn’t hurt the billionaires, even if that sort of rhetoric makes you feel better.

[tritsofme]

86. On the contrary, he is a very smart man. He understands perfectly.

It is a bad faith stunt to generate headlines for his failing campaign.

[Skittles]

66. I agree

[Trenzalore]

68. So they cannot go home and talk to their voters a year before the election

Time away from the capital if the representatives are in their districts shaking hands is not wasted time.

You can pass articles of impeachment tomorrow. Mitch runs the trial. Steyer needs to sit down.

[Tarc]

71. Seems like a headline-grab by a late primary entrant hoping to generate buzz

I'm no wild Pelosi fan, but this was a bit of a cheap shot.

[SouthernProgressive]

72. I don't like this campaign tactic.

Not one little bit.

[Midnightwalk]

80. The 6 week recess isn't as bad as the short week

I get that representatives need to talk to constituents. Here’s a link to their work schedule.

https://www.smacna.org/advocacy/cap-hill-news-resources/2017-house-calendar---115th-congress-1st-session]

(I know Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association is kind of a weird link for this but it looks legit)

Basically one day off a week and one week a month. That’s bothered me for a long time.

Couldn’t find a good link but I think many representatives travel home in those long weekends. The short week and constant travel have to interfere with getting the job done.

Even if they didn’t increase the total days worked arranging them as 4 solid weeks and then a week back in district would be better in my opinion.

If they have families they should move them to DC for their terms. And yes I’ve had to balance taking a position against getting my family to move in the past.

I’ll also add I know that Speaker Pelosi didn’t create this schedule and she did cancel recess. That doesn’t mean the current schedule is right.

[StarfishSaver]

91. That's not their "work schedule"

Those are the days the House is in session for floor votes.

Representatives do much more than just vote on the floor. Among other things, as people have pointed out, they're in their districts working with constituents, hosting and attending events, working in their district offices with their district staffs.

And asking them to move their families to Washington is really unreasonable. Not only can't most Members afford to pay for two homes (even an apartment in DC causes a financial strain for many),
constituents complain enough that their representatives are "out of touch," "stuck in the Beltway," and don't spend enough time in their home districts with the people they represent. I can only imagine the squawking that would ensue if Members spent even more time away from the Districts and relocated their families to DC.

[Midnightwalk]

94. Pretty reflexive response

I see you work in politics. I don’t mean any of this as a slam, rather as a a calibration against what other professionals deal with.

My scheduled work week is Monday through friday but I wind up working on weekends and vacations fairly often. That’s true of many jobs.

I also said I personally had to make decisions on whether to take a position based in whether My family and I was willing to relocate. For temporary positions of 2-3 years that can mean holding on to the house if the intent was to return. I see people having to do that often. Some people choose to take a long weekend once a month to visit home. No one gets a day off once a week to commute home. Btw, Silicon valley is not a cheap place.

Working in person with staff is a good thing, but the standard for years in private industry had been conference calls and now web meetings. An in person meeting once a month is possible with what i suggested and is beyond the norm in my profession.

And you didn’t respond to the main point about arranging their time in DC to eliminate the weekly commutes. Not necessarily even increasing the total but that’s a seperate question. I’ve traveled a lot for work and my experience is that people traveling often don’t arrive until the morning (start meetings after noon) and leave early the last day to catch a flight. Personally I stress out on connections so try to travel in weekends.

On a 3 day weekend which constituents are they meeting? As far as I can tell that’s not easily found, but I’d guess a good portion of non-family time is fund raising. Incumbents already have too big an advantage.

You mention people thinking representatives are out of touch? I think they should be held to the same standards as this engineer.

I see you work in politics. I don’t mean any of this as a slam, rather as a a calibration against what other professionals deal with.

[StarfishSaver]

95. Not "reflexive"

Just stating facts.

And while I appreciate your perspective from a different profession, politics on general and being a Member of Congress in particular are not akin to other professions so they don't lend themselves to strict comparisons. Working for a company as an engineer is completely different from representing a district as a Member of Congress, so holding the two jobs to the same standards in terms of work locations, etc., just doesn't work.

Among other things, the very gravaman of being a Member of Congress is representing a home district and the people in it - that can't be done effectively by pulling up roots and relocating to DC.

[Midnightwalk]

96. When did the weekly commutes start

I’m fairly certain I remember it happening, but can’t remember when and can’t find it online Maybe the 90s? Do you have a better date?

Before air travel was prevalent, Congress members definitely moved to DC and except for local states didn’t commute.

Weekly travel is a relatively recent change. Ironica

I appreciate the discussion and we can disagree. I think the perceived need for weekly travel is a blind spot and fair to criticize.

[StarfishSaver]

99. Weekly commutes began decades ago - long before the 1990s

And Members didn't move their families to DC as a matter of course, even before air travel.

And while I understand your concern about them not being in DC enough, the flipside is the constant criticism they get for not being in their districts enough because, as I've said, being in the district with their constituents is just as much a part of the job as voting on legislation in DC is.

I've mentioned before - forgive me if I'm repeating myself to you - that a Member once told me her constituents complained that she spent too much time in DC and wasn't in the district enough with constituents, but then when they saw her in the district, they demanded to know why she wasn't in DC "working."

I also remember staff in our office occasionally fielding calls from angry constituents upset because they couldn't see the Member on the floor on CSpan and they thought that meant the Member wasn't at work because they didn't know that the Members actually worked in separate House office buildings and only went to the floor during votes and even then, ran back and forth between the floor, their offices, meeting rooms, and venues off the Capitol complex.

[tritsofme]

85. Bad faith stunts like this won't jumpstart Steyer's hopeless quixotic campaign.

[mtnsnake]

87. How is this a bad faith stunt? Do you not think our country is in crisis stage right now?

[tritsofme]

89. His criticism is not genuine. Going home and being with constituents isn't vacation.

It is a critical part of the job.

[mtnsnake]

92. They can do whatever they please during this "recess" (really vacation).

If they want to use the time off for vacation time with their families, they can. If they want to spend the time with their constituents, they can. If they want to run into their office, they can.

Here:

"Members who aren’t up for reelection might enjoy family time or a vacation, or they can take on a Congressional delegation, Ritchie said. Really, it’s entirely up to the member to decide what he or she wants to do during August recess.

However, should lawmakers decide they want to wrap up some work before vacationing, they have the option to do so. Members can push the August recess back by passing an extension resolution."
https://time.com/3060041/congress-summer/

Bottom line: They can do whatever they want during their August vacation, er, I mean recess, lol.

[StarfishSaver]

101. They can do whatever they want when they're not on recess, too

They don't have to show up for votes or committee hearings or ever come to DC or the district, or spend two weeks a month sunning in the South of France.

But they have to answer to their constituents who will not take kindly to them not doing their jobs. The same thing applies to what they do during recess - they don't have to do anything and spend the entire 6 weeks hanging out with their families on somebody's yacht. But that's not likely to happen.

[ecstatic]

110. I couldn't agree more. Mueller is going to testify and then... you leave

town for 6 weeks? WTF? We need to be updated and informed, daily, about trump's crimes. Period. I'm so sick of feeling like nobody is in charge or leading.