Feeling for the season

The Christmas vibe was all over the NCR this weekend.  The Champlain Valley Voices, presided over by the Divine Mrs. M performed on Saturday and we attended a Messiah sing in on Sunday in Tupper Lake.  The music was beautiful, as is the light snow this morning.  I hope it turns to rain this afternoon.  It seems Congress, however, wants to audition for the Grinch this year.  With time running out to renew unemployment insurance, reconcile the budget and get a farm bill passed, the House has decided to go on Holidays starting this Friday.  That means they are not only a do-little congress, but they been out of session more than in this year.  Of course, the plight of the 4 million long term unemployed mean little to our representatives, or so it seems.  By allowing their benefits to lapse, they are not only causing much pain to the individuals involved, but hurting everyone else as well.  When these people are cut from the rolls, family, friends and the overstretched local government agencies will have to deal with the fallout.  Lives are being ruined, families destroyed and no one seems to care.  Congress could pass a jobs bill this week and put these people back to work, but by some perverse logic, most republicans in the House seem to feel we should continue to punish those that can't find work.   Even though there are 3 times as many workers as there are job openings.  Logic is not a strong point with many of those who claim to represent us.