Days in non-leap year: 365
Weekend days: 105
Federal holidays: 10
Recess/travel/state work days: 110
Days spent in D.C.: 140
The House was scheduled to
meet for 113 days, compared to the
130 days it was scheduled to meet in 2019 and the 171 days it met in 2018.
The Senate was also scheduled
to meet for fewer days in 2019 than 2018, with 168 days scheduled
versus 186, but due to the uncertainty of January’s calendar it was unknown at
the time of the schedule’s release whether the total number of days in session
in 2020 will be greater or fewer than previous years
The compensation for most Senators, Representatives,
Delegates, and the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico is $174,000.
Most of the rest of us work the 9-5 jobs. We work 5 days a week, weekends
off, Christmas Day and maybe July 4th and if greedy a birthday
holiday, plus 4 Day’s sick leave and two weeks vacation, all paid. That is around
240 days.
At minimum wage $15.00 an hour would be $120 a day or $600 a week
without overtime. That would equal to around $30,000 a year.
If you’d noticed during the recent Impeachment hearings, the clock was
running until the Christmas recess. Just like everyone else before a holiday or
the weekend, we look at the clock wondering why it is going so slowly. Some
bosses knowing productivity is dropping with the anxiety to leave, will shut
down early. That just is another paid holiday and a good well treat from the
boss.
Now our leaders don’t work 9-5 jobs. They spend there times talking to
constituents, lobbyist, each other, the press, etc. There are constant committee
meetings and reports and votes. There are bills to be drawn up and presented
and constant persuasion efforts. Phone calls trying to get the numbers to agree
with a proposal and the rallies to ask for money.
These men and woman have to do more than just apply with a resume for a
job in the congress.
The folks work hard to make their names known to the general public with
promises to solve all problems. They form phone banks, get folks to go
door-to-door, get signs and posters printed, record or at least approve
television and radio commercials, get social media pop-ups with approving
comments and work to get interviews on morning news shows. This all cost money,
so much of a congress want-to-be member has to do is beg for money. While each
individual donation to a candidate helps, the bulk funds come from the
loopholes in the campaign financing laws by groups buying future favors.
Once elected to Congress, there is a constant effort to stay relevant
and aware to those with deep pockets for they have to be re-elected to maintain
their position of power. Maybe every job should have try-outs after each year
to keep the focus on the job.
Article
I, Section 2 of the Constitution sets three qualifications for representatives. Each representative must: (1)
be at least twenty-five years old; (2) have been a citizen of the United States
for the past seven years; and (3) be (at the time of the election) an
inhabitant of the state they represent.
Last year when the ‘government’ shutdown, congress
representatives could go home, but ‘essential personnel’ had to keep on
working. The planes still flew, the army still guarded Fort Knox, and someone
still held his key for the nukes. Why no one ever attacked us at this moment of
stupidity is beyond logic. Maybe next time?
While we have all been home with our families
enjoying the season of downtime without worrying about sales or marketing or
distribution or manufacturing or balancing books or hedge fund investments, the
‘essential personnel’ will fill in the gaps to keep things flowing.
So as the New Year appears, the long holiday will be
over and just like any time off the gears will take some time to start rolling
again. The lights will turn on, the dust on the desk will be brushed off and
the unused toilets wait. Suits will replace tacky sweaters and people will
start again to scurry down hallways trying frantically to appear busy.
Fear not, for if you have ever listened to any committee
meetings or read a congressional report you know soon there will be another
recess, just like elementary school.
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