We must stand up to the imminent threats to our democracy by pressuring Congress to radically reduce their elongated recesses this summer.
I understand that we are all eager for a prolonged break to find a path to normal, but mental exhaustion is not sufficient reason for us to abandon our democratic form of government.
2021 has been filled with fear for all of us living under the pall of the insurrection on Jan. 6; over 600,000 deaths, the disruption of our work and family lives, and the isolation caused by the pandemic; the confusion caused by the incessant conspiracy theories and lies; and the resultant polarization of politicians and voters.
All senators left town on June 24 and will not return until July 12 when they will be in session for four weeks before they break on Aug. 6 for 4 more weeks.
Even worse, all representatives will leave town on July 1 and return on July 12, but the House will only be in session for nine days between July 12 and Sept. 19.
We desperately need both houses of Congress in session full-time and working for as long as it takes to restore sanity to the congressional stalemate brought on by the obstructionist tactics of the minority leadership and the refusal of the Democratic party to allow the Republican party to carry out their threat of filibuster, thus exposing them to our outrage and our negative voter responses in 2022 to these divisive tactics.
Joy Beaver
Sequim