Tilting At Windmills

Davy Jones has an article from the 17th in the Salt Lake Examiner, taking one of our Congressional delegation to task for....

Who is Republican Utah Congressman Jason Chaffetz working for these days . . . his constituents or Mitt Romney?

If you were watching the January 23 Republican debate in Tampa, Florida and you live in Utah’s 3rd congressional district, you might have been more than a little surprised to see your Republican Congressman . . . the honorable Jason Chaffetz . . . sitting behind Mrs. Mitt Romney in the audience.

I hate to bring this up, but Monday, January 23, 2012, was the 7th legislative day of the second term of the 112th Congress and Representative Chaffetz was not where he was paid to be . . . 900 miles away, in Washington, D.C., in the House of Representatives, working on behalf of his constituents.

He is correct it was the 7th day of the session...and what pressing business was before Congress on the 23rd of January?  Well there was H.R. 3117 The Permanent Electronic Duck Stamp Act.  Then there is H.R. 1141 the Rota Cultural and Natural Resources Study Act.  Wow - pressing legislation.  But what about committees you ask?  On the Committee schedule for that day were a meeting of the House Armed Services Committee - a committee that Jason Chaffetz is NOT a member of and a meeting of the Rules Committee - a committee that Rob Bishop is a member of, but not Jason Chaffetz.

So given that there were votes on two inconsequential votes on two inconsequential bills and two meetings of committees to which he is not a member of, what exactly did Mr. Jones want Rep. Chaffetz to be in town to do that day?  Twiddle his thumbs?  

Davy Jones' attack article (and it is nothing but an attack article) is so transparent.  However, Rep. Chaffetz has little to worry about.  After all, his newly redistricted 3rd CD is probably even more solidly GOP than the old one.

No Jason has not abandoned his district to the wolves.  There was nothing important going on so he hit the campaign trail - that is what supporters and surrogates do.  Unlike others (who were actually running for President - Michele Bachamann and Ron Paul) when really important votes were to be made, Jason has been in DC doing his job.  We don't need more Electronic Duck Stamp votes....if anything - in my perfect world ALL members of the House would be out of the Capital for those kinds of votes.  

We have real issues to be sure, which is why wasting time in DC to take part in worthless political theater votes is the wrong thing to do.