Comment on Republicans head home for the summer after a string of losses in Congress

FlashMobOfOne@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

• Earthwormjim91@lemmy.world ⁨17⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago

  You have a fundamental misunderstanding of how Congress works.

  Time spent in DC is supposed to be the smallest part of their job. Recess isn’t vacation for them, if they’re doing it right. Recess is when they actually do the job of representation. They’re supposed to be spending time in their districts holding town halls, having open office hours, and working with local groups on issues that need to be brought up when they are in session.

  They should be spending more time with their constituents than in DC. Spending time with constituents is the most fundamental job function of a representative.

  A lot don’t do that though, and that’s on their idiot constituents for continually voting them in and not holding them accountable.

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  • FlashMobOfOne@lemmy.world ⁨15⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago

    They should be spending more time with their constituents than in DC. Spending time with constituents is the most fundamental job function of a representative.

    A whole lot of words there to say: “You’re wrong… but maybe also not wrong.”

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    • Earthwormjim91@lemmy.world ⁨15⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago

      You’re wrong, but for a different reason.

      Being on recess isn’t the issue. They should be on recess and working in their districts more often than they are actually in session in DC. They ideally shouldn’t be in session that much at all. Their primary role is being at home in their district working with their constituents and that’s where the vast majority of work is intended to take place.

      Not working while on recess is a completely different issue, and that’s up the constituents to enforce via voting. Plenty of representatives and senators are actively working in their districts when on recess, like they should be. Those that aren’t should be voted out by their constituents. If the constituents keep voting them in, they’re openly saying that’s the representation they want. And that’s on them.

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      • agamemnonymous@sh.itjust.works ⁨15⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago

        Those that aren’t should be voted out by their constituents. If the constituents keep voting them in, they’re openly saying that’s the representation they want.

        Seems like it should be a mandatory part of the job. Senators should have scheduled town halls in every district in their state, Representatives should have scheduled town halls in every municipality in their district, every year.

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      • FlashMobOfOne@lemmy.world ⁨15⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago

        I appreciate the info. Thank you.

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  • CmdrShepard49@sh.itjust.works ⁨12⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago

    How much time have you personally spent with any of your representatives?

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    • Earthwormjim91@lemmy.world ⁨12⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago

      I’ve met my federal representative in person a dozen or so times at her office locally, and been to 6 town halls, both in person and virtual teleconference town halls. My state House rep I have met a ton. He’s extremely active in the community.

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• lemmyng@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

  And get paid like they work 24/7

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  • digitalFatteh@lemmy.ca ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

    And get free healthcare they so vehemently deny all US citizens.

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    • anon6789@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

      I don’t mind their actual base pay, since by becoming a public official you are automatically hated by at least 40% of the population even if you do a good job.

      Those getting that healthcare they deny us, even after they leave their job… that is the real slap in the face.

      I got a lot of other complaints as well, but the healthcare for life is something that should be a human right.

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      • a_non_monotonic_function@lemmy.world ⁨15⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago

        I mean, don’t they also get retirement pay forever–something else that they’ve sought over the years to deny us?

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  • FlashMobOfOne@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

    Indeed. If we cound the bribes, I mean “lobbyist gifts”, they get about as well as teachers or cancer researchers or whatever SHOULD be paid.

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    • Soulphite@reddthat.com ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

      Yet, they do more harm than bad teachers and cancer itself. Make it make sense.

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      • SnoopSqueak@lemmy.today ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

        You were probably being rhetorical, but it does make sense, in a way that should provoke revolution. Rich people are paying to make everything worse. The self-serving and shortsighted are happily helping them do it.

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• Yawweee877h444@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

  They also rarely ever work 5 days per week. They get paid a full salary though regardless. Not to mention all the lobbying bribe money.

  Out system is a sham.

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• Lushed_Lungfish@lemmy.ca ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

  Also, don’t they get like free healthcare, paid sick leave and all that other stuff?

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  • FlashMobOfOne@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

    They do.

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  • Earthwormjim91@lemmy.world ⁨17⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago

    No. They are required by law to buy their own health insurance from the ACA marketplace.

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• dan1101@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

  And they spend most of the afternoon fundraising and with lobbyists. The clever ones start their reelection campaign immediately after getting elected.

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  • Quetzalcutlass@lemmy.world ⁨17⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago

    And it doesn’t have to be this way! This behavior of spending most of their time in office campaigning or acquiring funding for reelection instead of, you know, governing only became the norm in the nineties.

    (Add yet another “fuck Newt Gingrich” to the tally board.)

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• joeljoelle@piefed.blahaj.zone ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

  they don’t even do work when they are working too

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