Nation Burns While Congress Fiddles

Nation Burns While Congress Fiddles

Commentary by Sanford D. Horn

October 12, 2008

A la Nero, fiddling while Rome burned, so too, the nation burns as Congress fiddles while not in session.

The Democratic-lead Congress said they will work on solving the current economic crisis after Election Day. This is clearly a partisan tactic in hopes the stock market continues spiraling toward hell costing Americans – Democrats and Republicans alike, billions of hard-earned pension dollars – thus handing the White House to Senator Obama (D-IL).

President Bush, who has been less than proactive, should call Congress back into session to actually do their jobs. And although Bush has an approval rating hovering around 30 percent, Congress has an approval rating of roughly a miniscule 13 percent. The problem – when surveyed, most people applaud their own member of Congress, but condemn the body as a whole.

Sadly, the body as a whole needs to be changed – on both sides of the aisle, save for a precious few members, who are stand up folks. Problem is, incumbency is a virtual lock on reelection – in higher percentages than in Russia, of all places.

If members of Congress enjoy these long, paid breaks out of session, they should be given a permanent break – send them home on November 4 – for good. Remember, Congress, like a diaper, needs to be changed often, and typically for the same reason.

Sanford D. Horn is a writer and political consultant living in Alexandria, VA.