Hightower Lowdown

Time for another Gooberhead Award, presented periodically to those in the news who have their tongues running a hundred miles an hour…but forgot to put their brains in gear.

Today’s awardee comes from that deep pool of Gooberness, Congress! With Democrats set to take control of the legislative body this year, one of their first orders of business is to become more businesslike. In a bold move, the Democratic majority leader has announced that this Congress will maintain a five-day workweek in the nation’s capitol!

Now, maybe you’re one of the many Americans having to work two or three jobs to make ends meet, including having a workweek that stretches to six or even seven days. So the idea of working only five days would be a blessing. Congress critters, however, have been on the job in Washington for only three days a week under the previous GOP regime—and many on the Republican side are now expressing outrage about the new Monday-through- Friday schedule.

Obviously, they can’t say that they don’t want to work this much. So for political cover, these layabout lawmakers are claiming that the five-day week intrudes on the sanctity of their family life. Which brings us to our Gooberhead of the Day, Rep. Jack Kingston. This Georgia Republican responded to the added workdays by angrily blurting, “The Democrats could care less about families; that’s what this says.”

Get a grip, Jack. If you’re so concerned about policies that disrupt family life, maybe you should try complaining to one of the soldiers that you voted to send to Iraq. Many of them are now on their third or even fourth tour in a disastrous, misbegotten war you continue to support. They’re separated from their families for months, facing death seven days a week. Yeah, you Goober, go tell them about the “burden” of your five-day week.