Where are my sparklers?

I'm just curious. Wondering if anyone else is feeling a little lighter of spirit this time of year? Less stressed maybe? Perhaps you're smiling a little more? I am.

Today it kinda hit me why. I turned the TV to one of those C-Span channels. There was only alternative programming, just like every August. That means, congress is in adjournment for the holidays! Woo Hoo!

Holy Hannikah, Batman. You know what that means? For the next couple of weeks, we can relax, not dreading tomorrow morning's newspaper, radio, TV, or internet stories on some new scandal revealed or how our congress screwed us while we were sleeping last night.

Not to worry about the latest senator or representative caught with his pockets reeking from the stench of tainted contributions from some felonious lobbyist that he's now promised to pay back.

And no more blocked extension of federal unemployment insurance to people out of work. Oh wait, Republican House leaders already did that before they took their leave. But that's because the economy's improving they said. But you can relax, all 8.7 million of you unemployed workers and 80,000 to 90,000 of you falling off the unemployment insurance rolls each week.

As one unemployed man was overheard saying of congress, "Well, I’d tell them I’d like to see them walk a day in my shoes, pounding the streets looking for work....These people are going home and having a nice Christmas dinner while some of us don’t know where our next meal is coming from."

Well, sure that's unfortunate, but buck it up because, for the next couple of weeks, your congress can't screw you any MORE. They'll be on vacation! For now, they can't extend your denied benefits into next fall, or 2007 or 08 or forever. Damn if that isn't cause right there to celebrate the holidays, huh?

And not to worry. For the next couple of weeks there won't be any slimy underhanded slipping of Arctic drilling for oil in Alaska attached to a Defense spending bill.

Nor will the bastards make further cuts in medicaid funding or student loans and grants to poor kids whose only other hope for college is dodging bullets in some Middle East shooting gallery. Oh, but while they may be axing the amount the government will help you pay for medications you can't afford, or higher education you may qualify for but not get, take consolation that your sacrifices--which won't go towards deficit reduction--will be helping to finance the continuation of Bush's tax cuts to rich bastards who already have wads big enough for 'em to all choke to death on.

No, for the next couple of weeks let's celebrate. Our representatives are gone. Washington is silent. With a government on break for the holidays, reporting of the latest revelation from 'this scandal' or 'that scandal' has slowed from a media who are always on break.

And remember, before they left town, congress renewed the Patriot Act until February. (Don't worry, they'll probably make it permanent when they get back.) But for now, kick back and enjoy. January is days away and "Tis the season to be jolly!"