Snoozing GOP Congress is failing — and it can’t blame Trump

Perhaps the Republicans in Congress are socialists after all. No, not in the smarmy circa 2009 Newsweek way, but in their insistence on constant vacations (a.k.a. “recesses”). France requires employers to provide 30 days paid vacation a year — far fewer than Congress seems to need.

House Republicans just took a two-week recess, but apparently that wasn’t enough time off. Before they get anything substantive done, they’re planning another break. They caved to Democrats after their shutdown threats and held another vote on a flawed healthcare bill.

So what’s going on? What happened to actually repealing and replacing ObamaCare? President Donald Trump needs support from the other side of Pennsylvania Avenue for his plans to spur the American economy.

So far he’s not getting much.

{mosads}The bold changes Trump laid out on the campaign trail? Picked apart by committee and craven thinking in Congress’ $1 trillion new budget. It includes no funding for deportation operations, nor does it cut funds to sanctuary cities. Rather than eliminating funding for the National Endowment for the Arts, Congress’ budget increases it. Planned Parenthood keeps its funding. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting keeps their funding, too. Looks like Big Bird didn’t have to worry about the ax.

Democrats, who are now in the minority in both the Senate and the House, got what they wanted, including nearly $300 million to fund Puerto Rico’s Medicaid program and spending increases for renewable energy programs. Even the liberal media celebrates over the cowardly retreats Congress undertakes.

Ryan: GOP can’t “falter” on passing healthcare bill https://t.co/Z8Oilk83V6 pic.twitter.com/RITx1jeeTv

— The Hill (@thehill) May 4, 2017

Recesses have important procedural and historical traditions. They are intended to allow lawmakers to stay in touch with their constituents; they are not free passes to escape responsibility. Americans sent the 535 members of Congress to live up to their own promises but perhaps they cannot meet even that low bar.

Members of Congress enjoy many benefits of office, including a $174,000 yearly salary. Speaker Paul Ryan makes $223,500 per year. All of this during a period where American wages are stagnant. The real median income of Americans is $56,516 — less than it was in 1998. Do we get three times the productivity of the average American from Congress? Do we get one-third?

Congress takes off three months a year in recesses. On average, American workers get just 16 days a year.

Congressional candidates made incredible promises last year and refuse to back them up with incredible action. Trump laid out a series of reforms for Congress to follow with little such luck. The big, bold actions GOPers called for on the trail disappeared like smoke. The Republican Congress voted over 50 times to repeal the ACA during Obama’s presidency. Now, understanding that there will be political backlash, they are more worried about their re-election campaign than the fate of American healthcare.

#BREAKING: House passes spending bill to avoid a government shutdown https://t.co/kjr9146ch6 pic.twitter.com/a49yyiQalU

— The Hill (@thehill) May 3, 2017

Those tax plans meant to bring about 4 percent annual growth? Well, no one look at Mitch McConnell, who has already hamstrung them before leaving the gate. McConnell said that healthcare reform had to come before tax reform. The Senate Majority leader should use his 32 years of experience to work on both simultaneously. His experience as the former Senate Majority Whip and Chair of the Senate Rules Committee comes to nothing when he is offered a chance for real reform.

On the other hand, Paul Ryan’s effectiveness is so lacking that the media is already writing the tax cuts’ political obituary with his name on the headstone. Ryan should have started working on major GOP initiatives, including healthcare reform, back on November 9.

Republicans have real tools at their disposal. Discussions to kill the filibuster could be important leverage. They could also use reconciliation to eliminate chunks of ObamaCare or change the budget. However, the political will for such actions are missing. The flurry of activity many conservative activists expected has been a tempest in a teapot. Maybe videos of their campaign stump speeches will disappear like Bill Nye’s pre-“woke” thoughts on gender.

The American people need change. We all want the respect we gave during the democratic process in selecting our representatives returned to us.

Members of Congress were elected to be leaders, plain and simple. But instead, they continue to enjoy lengthy vacations — living at a standard far higher than that of the average American — while failing to lead on anything substantive. Trump’s early victories have been in spite of the issues with Congress, rather than through vital collaboration. Apart from nominating Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, most of the administration’s major victories came through executive orders.

Trump needs more than a pen and a phone to get the job done.