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Dog days are
great, if you’re a dog
By Mike Causey
July 15, 2016
When is the last time the boss told you to take the next two months
off, with full pay and full benefits?
Before you answer that, answer this semi-trick question: Which place
has the most government-approved days off?
Fiji
Monaco
Argentina
Colombia
District of Columbia
Thailand
Iceland
Malaysia
Slovakia
When it comes to countries with the most holidays the winners are
Argentina and Colombia, each with 18. Thailand, Malaysia and Slovakia
are up there too in authorizing government-approved time outs for all.
But nothing our neighbors to the north, south, east or west can
approach the number of paid days off taken by 535 elite servants of the
people who either (and sometimes work) in the District of Columbia, or
in the greater D.C. area. These are members of the House and the Senate
who, after a grueling first half of 2016 when they were frequently away
from their offices celebrating extended holidays, spring breaks and the
like, are off. Again. This time their mid-year break will last about
seven weeks.
Most people who live and work in the D.C. area (or any other U.S.
jurisdiction) don’t get as many vacation days as their elected leaders.
But there is an upside when Congress is gone. It is that Congress is
gone!
When Congress goes on leave — especially its extended summer breaks —
it takes lots of people with it. It’s estimated that more than 10,000
members of the legislative branch will also take some time off. So will
thousands of feds whose jobs involve direct or indirect interaction
with Congress. So too will many journalists, lawyers and lobbyists who
have livelihoods revolving around Congress. These are the beautiful (to
some) people. For many workaday D.C. residents these are people whose
extended vacations we welcome and applaud. Fewer people on the roads,
more table space at local eating places, less tension all around.
While many locals (and visitors) complain about D.C’s heat and humidity
in July and August, folks in St. Louis, New Orleans and Houston, to
name a few, could say the same. What makes this the place to visit (or
live in) in the summer isn’t the weather. It’s the people who aren’t
here, thanks to congressional break times, that for many make this a
less crowded, less uptight and tense place to be. So while most of us
will be here over the next couple of months, there is no reason we
shouldn’t enjoy it. And if you are planning a visit to the nation’s
capital, now is the time.
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