I have absolutely no problem with President Bush taking vacations. In fact, I wish he would just stay down on his ranch and cut brush for the rest of his term. We would all be better off. Texas deserves to have him all to themselves. And, while we are at it, lets all pitch in and buy Cheney a few shotguns and a year's supply of ammo to keep him busy out in the field. Who knows, he may bag a few more of his neo-con buddies.

Just what is this man's agenda? He chides congress for trying to extend benefits for children's health care and in the same breath, chides them for not approving his multibillion dollar train wreck of a escapade in Iraq.
His own intelligence services tell him Iran is not building a bomb and really couldn't build one for 10 years and yet he keeps up with his provocative comments. Does he think the american people will be tricked again after Iraq?
Thank God we only have one more year left of him. Let's just hope and pray he doesn't do anything stupid until then. It will take years to repair the damage he had done as it is.

A DO NOTHING PRESIDENT? SOLD US DOWN THE RIVER TO CHINA, JUST LOVED WOMEN IN OFFICE!! CLINTON!!!!!!! NOT BUSH HE WANTS TO PROTECT US !!!

Bush is a liar. He has no credibility. Good for our Congress for sticking to their guns. We need to get out of Iraq yesterday.

The military is going to start shutting down military bases in Europe and Democratic districts to fund the combat troops. They are it's highest priority.

The Harry and Nancy show is playing a game that we will all lose…

From your comments I can understand why you are a "Former US Army Officer". Passed over were we? Fitness Report not up to snuff, perhaps. BTW your assessment of the past 8 years is way off base and highly biased.

The American people will make them work, when most of them lose their seats. Congress has done nothing for the American people. That is rep. or dem, the dollar has fallen, price of food going up and min wage stays the same. Where is the help for US? They are and most of the people blogging here, to busy blaming and and pointing the finger at each other. Do something for a real change and do it for US.

Michael, Orlando FL

the majority party just became the majority party! the republicans have led us down this path of failure. and do you even understand what you are talking about when you say "war on terror"?? its as baseless as a "war on drugs" you cant fight ideas with a military it has never worked before what makes you think it will work now? look what happened when the romans tried to extinguish chrisitans!!! but thats what a big part of this country does make cliams like "war on terror" like its a videogame where you kill all the bad guys and win the game! thats not how it is in real life you are fighting ideas so when you make a martyr out of 1 of them 1000 more pop up……the thing i love the most about these arguments is that the republicans will finally lose and we will have a chance to fix there mess!!!

I'm in agreement with you Michael of Orlando, FL. Frankly, I thought the poster from Montpelier, VT makes a good case with his comment…

"The best thing that could happen to this nation is for idiots like you to be chained together and dropped into the deepest ocean. From your post, one can only surmise that your IQ is about the same as your hat size".

…to grant Vermont the right to secede from the Union. These idiots (like AJ)constantly complain about the integrity and moral compass of elected Republican officials…as if there's a dime's worth of difference between the two Political Parties in those terms…and continue to believe that we as a nation should entrust these morons by socializing more and more of our lives.

Jr., California

its so great all the people blaming congress for the problems…and we're winning?? lol why because there isnt as many troops dying as there was 6 months ago? this isnt a video game its politics. also as you go down these lists of blogs you see the approval rating estimates from all the anti-congress bloggers go from 30% to 11% and now its 1% lol what are you people taking polls in your house?

Let me see if I've got this straight? Congress took two weeks off for Thanksgiving? Then, in two weeks Congress will take another break for Christmas? How long will that break be, a month, two months? What work does Congress do? Besides the Dems and Repubs sniping each other I mean. Let's see, while the Congress takes two week breaks, the rest of the country is lucky if they get two days. Wow, all those Congresspeople are REALLY earning the $400,000 a year we pay them aren't they?

Michael in Orlando:

The best thing that could happen to this nation is for idiots like you to be chained together and dropped into the deepest ocean. From your post, one can only surmise that your IQ is about the same as your hat size. You hero, Bush is the worst and most corrupt president in history and your party has shown over and over again that they are corrupt, bigoted and totally incompetent.

Brandon, Tampa, FL

hahahaha great post

There is a simple way to insure that the Democrats get things done in Congress: Give them a veto proof majority. Vote out the Republican obstructionists, and then maybe the will of the people can really be done. Incidentally, did anyone notice that Bush was at his ranch on Veteran's Day, and sent his vice president to reperesent him in the official ceremonies honoring our war casualities? This from a guy who claims that honoring the troops is America's most sacred duty. Besides barbecuing, of course. This hypocrite would be amusing if he weren't so disgusting.

I agree with G.W. Congress needs to get to work and fund this war. We are winning and we don't need any delays.

And we wonder why Congress' approval rating isn't at 1%! Fire em all!

You go Adolph!!!!
Way to control the people!
VETO-VETO-VETO!!
I think the people are angry about the spending spree …. Listening from time to time would be a cool idea!

A bipartisan bill will have enough votes to override Bush's veto.

"Bush said Congress should spend the next two weeks working on a bill to fund U.S. combat troops,"
Congress has been trying to do that for the past year, but you vetoed all such bills that passed because of timetables. FAIL

" an extension of wiretapping legislation,"
Yes, and take a bigger dump on the Constitution while we're at it. Great idea.

"a revision of the alternative minimum tax,"
I really don't know jack about that, so I'll just keep my mouth shut on that issue.

"and the 11 outstanding spending bills necessary to fund the federal government’s operations."
That will mysteriously disappear before it gets to the soldiers in Iraq.

"Calling the pro forma sessions held by the Senate “a political maneuver designed to block my ability to make recess appointments,”"
And that's supposed to be a bad thing? The people you've appointed thus far are nutjobs.

Veto everything Bush and let's use last years budget. Just think of all the money we will save by keeping it out of these partisians hands..

What has our pitiful 110th Congress accomplished this year besides giving illegals a raise?

WORST EVER!!

Only thing necessary for the running of the federal government is a continue spending resolution. Only thing for money to the military needed is a Presidential signature on the spending bills that Congress has presented to him.

"Bush also told reporters Monday that as the end 2007 approaches, Congress has “little to show for it.”"

And the only thing Bush has to show for 8 years in office is a failing economy, record high energy costs, out sourcing of manufacturing jobs, record budget deficiets and two wars, neither of which he has been capable of finishing against two third world powers. Gives you a real warm fuzzy does it not. Of course, he does hold the title of the first President since FDR to permit an attack on US soil.

Suffering from a Napoleonic complex, are we, W??? Be nice if you'd follow your own advice and GET TO WORK…in bringing our troops out of this fiasco you and "Darth Vader" got them embroiled in!!!

Some of the initial posts to this article are laughable. Particularly the one that blames the Republicans for the dismal failure of the Pelosi/Reid fiasco. Face it, the Democrats are incapable of leading. All they are able to do is whine, point fingers and assign blame. Let me clue you into something. If you are invested in defeat in the war on terror, if you want to raise taxes in order to grow the government bureaucracy, if you live every day looking for ways to blame another person for your failures, then you are not a leader of this great nation. The best thing that could happen for the Democrats is for the extremists, Pelosi and Reid to step down and resign. Don't you get it, they are destroying your party from within. You can sit around wringing your hands and blaming the minority in Congress. In the end, it is the majority party that has failed, and failed miserably.

a political maneuver designed to block my ability to make recess appointments,” Bush chided Congress for holding a series of 30-second Senate sessions held in the last two weeks. “If thirty seconds is a full day, no wonder Congress has got a lot of work to do."

Seemed like a perfectly reasonable response by Congress to thwart his conniving and devious plans.

“If they send me an irresponsible spending bill, I will veto it.”

Same 'ol, same 'ol…..'Play by MY rules, and to hell with legalities, or I'll just red-line everything and say it's all your fault.'

As much as I have no use for either Nancy Pelosi or Harry Reid, they should just keep sending him the same bills verbatim until he gets the message.

This from the laziest, stupidest President in history. Amazing. And perhaps if this ignoramus could ever stop being obstructionist, congress might be able to get something done. It's a little more tough when congress does not just rubber stamp everything that this corrupt creature wants. Now he's pouting…

This coming from a man who complained in the 2004 debates about how hawd his wittle job was. It's hard for me to have sympathy for a boyhood coddled whiner to tell someone else to get to work. He's been bailed out by daddy and other party loyalists for thirty years which is why he never understood the term 'don't burn bridges'. After treating Congress like a red-headed step child he wants them to help shape his legacy, which is already in concrete.

Sorry George, you better get used to this term 'you made your bed now……'(figure out the rest).

MORON !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The American people elected the new congress to do there will!!!!!!!!

They have been doing there job!!!!!!
even with the republicans throwing monkey wrenches in the gears of congress.

You NEO CONS that bash that congress approval ratings are lower. Go find out why?? It is the republicans in congress that pull the rating down. The democrats in congress have a much higher rating then the president.

You, President need to get to work You need to get in touch with the country. You will be the down fall of the republican party in the next election. The republican will have a very week hold on congress so week they cant sustain any VETO you do against the American people.

GO BIDDEN AND OBAMA

The President is absolutely right. This Congress has not done anything since they've taken over last year – except for minimum wage increase. Shame on them!

The Congress, Democrats and Republicans, are a failure. They all need to be voted out.

SO g.w.bush you have nothing for the end 2007 but higher Oil prices and everything screw up i hope that congress and senate give you nothing.

The vacation pres has a lot of room to talk! Congress needs to stick to it's guns it is George who doesn't sign the bill they sent him to fund the troops. The next bill should have proportionally less money for the shorter time and a moved up redeployment date. Eventually even Pres Bush will get the hint that this is all he is going to get and cut his losses and sign on the dotted line.

Remember when Bush was so surprised that being president was such "hard work… its really, hard work"

This pres has taken the record on vacations and has accomplished absolutely nothing positive as president.

I'm sure all our congressmen and women returned to their prospective states to dine on the PORK they are bleeding out of taxpayers. We have an obstructionist executive branch that is lamer than grandmas roasted duck. (Thank God they've done enough damage to my country.) I'm still optimistic that maybe 1/3 of the country could wake the hell up and smell the roses. Corporate Socialism= Fascism

"Spin it how you like, dead-enders, but any "crisis" in our current government is clearly the fault of GOP obstructionism.

Posted By Michael Sheridan, Grand Rapids, MI : December 3, 2007 5:39 pm"

WRONG! Congress, Republicans and Democrats alike, has failed to perform one of it's basic Constitutional duties. If bloviating Demoncrats would send a clean un-pork laden bill with no other agenda than to fund the government for the next fiscal year, this buget problem would have been a non-starter. But no – provisions for redicing troops in Iraq, provisions for increasing SCHIP three fold, provisions for billions in pork spending. No. A clean fiscally responsible budget bill has yet to be submitted. Too busy worrying about political advantage for 2008 to care about work in 2007. While Democrats dicker and try to play political 'Gotcha' with the president, the job they are supposed to be doing languishes.

Put the partisan crap aside.

Congress has failed in its basic Constitutional duty to pass a fiscal budget. Nothing else should matter until it is done. There is no excuse for this – they flat out aren't doing their jobs.

So Bush is telling Congress what they should be doing. I thought Congress was supposed to be an independent branch of the government, but whatever.

Between Republicans filibustering and Bush vetoing anything that does get passed, just what would he like them to work on? It seems the republicans are the obstructionists and when is CNN going to give equal airtime to the Democrats to explain that it is republicans gumming up the works???

Congress needs to get down to real work on America's issues i.e. ATM tax, gas prices, spending bill to name a few past issues. All the Post Offices have been renamed in the first 100 hours of Democratic Control. I know it must be so hard playing adult, wearing the grown up shoes, just ask Harry, Nancy, Joe B, Howard and Babs.

Sorry Mr. President, but no one gives a crap what you think anymore. You've vetoed important legislation Americans wanted this year. Now you whine because you can't return political favors by putting completely unqualified persons in political postions. So far most of the other appointments have shown your complete lack of intelligent choices and regard for the American citizen's needs or views.I have nothing but praise for the congressmen that have finally stood up to your arrogance by stopping you from making unscreened "recess" appointments.

August 2007
"Bush on track to become the vacation president," Julie Mason headlined in the August 9, 2007, edition of the Houston Chronicle:[1]

"…The presidential vacation-time record holder is the late Ronald Reagan, who tallied 436 days in his two terms. At 418 days, and with 17 months to go in his presidency, Bush is going to beat that easily."

…and these are just from his first term.

"The president jumped on a plane to start a five-week vacation. This will be the longest presidential vacation in 36 years. This means President Bush has now been on vacation for 27% of his presidency. That means the country could be 27% more screwed up than it already is." –Jimmy Kimmel

"The Washington Post reported that if you add up all the time Bush has spent in Texas, he's there for a whole month. Then you add up all the time he spends at Camp David, and his parents house in Maine and add up all the travel time getting to and from these places, and it adds up to 42 percent of his presidency. In fact, he'd actually have to win a second term just to complete his first term." —Jay Leno

My goodness! Any progress the Democratic Congress has made has been over the dead bodies of the kool-aide drinking GOP.

As for the pro forma sessions held by the Senate “a political maneuver designed to block bush's ability to make recess appointments,” … if he hadn't been in the habit of circumventing Congress, it wouldn't matter. He's just mad because he was outsmarted.

Add in the hypocritical "fiscal deathbed conversion" where was the ol' veto pen when Stevens was spending millions of dollars on the "bridge to no where" and other pork projects?

Sad, pathetic, little man … without even the ability to figure out what went so very wrong or the curiosity to ask.

We have a budget deficit of less than 1%, if we stick with last years budget, we'll save enough money to put us back into the black by June.

Then the only way we get back into the red is by letting the Democrats spend more of our money. And we don't want a bigger National debt do we…

Just what I thought the Righ wanted?

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/03/02/norquist-obstruction/

Bush thinks he can give marching orders to the Congress?

Newsflash, Bush: the Republicans lost Congress. The balance of power between the executive and legislative has been restored.

Trying to issue orders will only alienate them more, making your lame duck presidency that much more unproductive.

Maybe you should try working with Democrats, like you promised during your original campaign.

Unbelievable! Several bills were passed with bipartisan support in both houses, yet Spoiled Georgie acts like a child stamping his feet about war funding but not passing bills for childrens health care? Just goes to show you one reason I will never vote for a Republican for President ever again. It will take years to clean up the mess that this administration has foisted on the American people.

Why do anything? Bush will just veto and decent legislation…might as well just work on impeaching the scumbag.

The title for this piece should read

Bush to Congress: "My way or the highway."

could it be ? President bush is pissed ? didn't think he had it in him to stand up to congress and call them what they are,,,, a bunch of do-nothing cry babies both sides of the isle

o my god he really has some nerve huh??? the worst president in HISTORY talking about how bad someone else is doing? congress comes with a bill for childrens healthcare and he shoots it down thats the kind of president they are dealing with. the democratic congress is going up against the republicans and the president and to knock them for there job is crazy. we need a democratic president to make this system work it is obvious. we need a BIPARTISAN president that doesnt lead with IDEAS and BELIEFS. BUSH is a republican and will do only what republicans want him to do. how can a democratic congress make that work??? i am LOVING the fact that they are shooting this deal down!!! there is enough money to take care of our soldiers but alot of this money is dissapearing and im sure bush is planning to do this again for all of his business partners. he is a pathetic president and an embarresment to the office…..GO CONGRESS GO!!!!! FIGHT HIM AND DONT GIVE HIM AN INCH!!!! they are trying to pretend the situation in iraq is getting better WOW just in time for the presidential race!!! what did the "insurgents" just give up?? or are they changing there rules of what a casualty of war is like they did when they said someone getting shot in the BACK of the head wasnt a casualty????

Somehow criticism from our Presidential slacker doesn't carry quite the sting as it might from a more competent chief executive. George W. Bush promised a "robust" investigation after Hurricane Katrina.

However, his White House Lessons Learned report made no mention of the hospital with the largest number of patient deaths post landfall. LifeCare Hospitals had been acquired by The Carlyle Group just weeks before Katrina sideswiped New Orleans.

The Justice Department is currently exploring another Carlyle purchase, that of Manor Care, a huge nursing home company. One might expect patient safety to be front and center. But the slacker's Justice Department won't even raise the issue.

If Carlyle can fail one of twenty one LTAC's in a time of crisis, what can they do with 550 mostly nursing homes? No elected slackers have raised the issue and now is the time. Carlyle announced they expect to close the deal by the end of the year.

So George Bush calling Congress ineffectual is the pot calling the kettle black.

THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IS A DO NOTHING CONGRESS!! THEY JUST WANT TO HURT BUSH!! DO THEY CARE ABOUT AMERICA? NO, NO ,NO!!!!!!!!

How laughable!

A 'Borrow and Spend" Republican lecturing on fiscal conservatism.

And how much has government expanded, and how much has the deficit grown under your watch, you hypocrite.

I guess when you no longer control Congress and can pander to the electorate with the most earmarks know to man, you suddenly have an epiphany about fiscal conservatism.

Puh-lease.

This fool stays on vacation while New Orleans is under water and he has the nerves to say congress hasn't done anything. They've done a lot, just not for him.

Not many times in my life will I say this, but I agree with him! Congress made a mockery of their position, and that of the government in general by holding those pathetic meetings! Seriously, if you're not going to do your job, atleast let him!! Our congress has been the laziest, most combative group ever. They're too preoccupied with fighting Bush on everything, they have no real desire to actually DO anything…

I'm glad to see my hard earned tax dollars are funding the laziness that is our U.S. congress!!!

I foresee 2008 being a long year. I predict he will continue to be a stick in the mud–non-collaborative on domestic spending, and unwilling to concede on most issues. I pray Americans see how obstructive he is–and vote appropriately!!! Even though he's blown any similarity to conservative spending–he'll continue to blame the Democrats for busting his spending budget. Hey George–you already busted it!!!

Yeah, get to work. This from a guy who spends more time on vacation than any other president in recent history. GOD HOW MUCH LONGER DO WE HAVE TO LOOK AT HIM

Hey George,, keeping you from making any more appointments is a day's work in my book. If you weren't such a shifty fellow, antics like these wouldn't be necessary.
It appears that the House and Senate are finally in agreement with the American people. None of us trusts you!

I guess I am not as nice as I do think our President Bush is, he said the 30 second sessions were "a political maneuver to block my ability to make recess appointments"
Thats not what I would call what Congress did, I would say its more like a dirty tactic that some underhanded communist would do to tie the hands of a country's leader.
Last night I was watching Lou Dobbs and even today, I cannot believe the attitude dobbs had about our Federal government,
or the pentagon and our military. When dobbs said he would tell the Admirals that were upset because China wouldn't let our ships dock, even to get out of dangerous waters, he would tell the Admirals to "shut up" last night, I thought that beats about anything I have heard come out of dobbs mouth to date. And dobbs had some pretty dirty comments to beat, but he sure did last night.
I think the more the President asks congress to get back to work, the more 30 second sessions they will have, just to defy him.
Thats the bottom line, congress (majority) has the attitude they don't have to respect the President or the Federal govt. or the military, or what is happening in America since they were voted in.
They spend all their time pointing fingers at everyone else, but the President is correct, congress hasn't accomplished much.
Maybe that is their goal.

"Get to work." This comes from a president who spends most of his time cutting brush on a dusty
pseudo-ranch in Texas?

Congress – Get to work, hurry up and impeach this crazy guy!

Get to work you say? These are career politicians, Mr Bush and dont have your drive to succeed because they know with the right money backers they have job security their whole lives.

Whenever Karl Rove comes up, Bush appears. Is there a trend here. CNN don't know how much people are tired of these morons?

Legislation has been held up in 2007 because the Republicans used a Senate filibuster more times in 10 months than the Democrats did in the entire previous 2 years. Likewise, Bush never vetoed any bill, no matter how much extra spending was in it, when it was presented to him by Republicans.

Spin it how you like, dead-enders, but any "crisis" in our current government is clearly the fault of GOP obstructionism.