Iraqi Parliament learns from Rep. Fossella and Republican Congress

The Iraqi Parliament has scheduled a two month recess this summer for the months of July and August. It appears all is going swimmingly, and not meeting so many of Bush's non-timetable deadlines is exhausting. While this seemingly will hamper Republican led efforts back here in the US to give the escalation a chance to see progress in a couple of months, you don't have to wonder where the Parliament learned this from. When we try to push our own style of government on them, you learn from the best;

Congress will convene on Tuesday for what some fear will be the lamest of lame-duck sessions, and GOP leaders have decided to take a minimalist approach before turning over the reins of power to the Democrats. Rather than a final surge of legislative activity, Congress will probably wrap up things after a single, short week of work.

SNIP

Before the midterm elections, GOP leaders had dismissed the Democrats' "do-nothing" label for the 109th Congress as political posturing, promising that a robust post-election session would put the accusation to rest. Instead, Republican lawmakers will have met for one week in November, devoted almost exclusively to leadership elections for next year, and one week in December, largely to pick committee assignments, move offices and pass a measure to keep the government operating through February.

That will mean this Congress will have spent the least time in session of any in at least half a century, according to Thomas E. Mann and Norman J. Ornstein, congressional historians and the authors of "The Broken Branch," a critical look at recent Congresses. In the time they have met, lawmakers have failed to approve a budget resolution or pass at least eight of the 11 annual spending bills. [via Washington Post]