Hard at work or hardly working?

[classicman]

State Legislators In Now-Infamous Solitaire Photo Identified

The Associated Press picture has appeared in any number of venues, and it shows two lawmakers sitting in the back row of the historic Hall of the House in Hartford during the lengthy debate over the two-year, $37 billion state budget.

On the left is Rep. Barbara Lambert, a freshman Democrat from Milford who won her first legislative election in November 2008. She replaced longtime Milford Democrat James Amann, who ended his legislative career as the House Speaker and is now running for governor against Republican M. Jodi Rell.

Lambert is playing spider solitaire in the photo, while Rep. Jack F. Hennessy, a Bridgeport Democrat who has served in Hartford since 2005, is playing regular solitaire. They both voted in favor of the Democratic-written budget, while Cafero voted against it.

During the long debates at the state Capitol, legislators often work on their laptop computers - as seen in the photograph. Sometimes they are answering e-mails from constituents, while other times they are researching important information on pending bills. Other times, they are playing solitaire.

When asked Tuesday about the photo by Capitol Watch, Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell laughed and said, "I think if they'd spend less time playing computer games and more time looking for spending cuts, then we would have been out of here a lot sooner.''

Republican Tom Foley, who is running for U.S. Senate against incumbent Democrat Christopher J. Dodd, said, "I was disheartened to see a Hartford Courant front page photo showing members of our Democratically-controlled legislature playing solitaire on their computers while debate was occurring on a new state budget that raises taxes and contains no net reduction in spending. This is not a time for the Democrats who control our legislature to be playing games with Connecticut's future. Our elected officials need to put away their computer toys and help working people by lowering taxes and keeping government spending down."

Why wasn't either of them asked to defend their positions?

I hope they both get removed from office immediately.

We need more of this reporting ON BOTH SIDES. These people are paid BY US to work FOR US. I don't care how boring this speech was or how long it lasted.... Thats the job they wanted and now they got it.

(notice the other guy looking at a sports site and still others sending emails)

[DanaC]

*Chuckles* I spend most of our Council meetings doodling. My papers are full of little sketches and doodles. Mostly I find it helps me stay focused...but sometimes I get so engrossed in the doodle I lose what's going on in the meeting for a few mins :P

[Shawnee123]

Dude. Are you at work right now?

[DanaC]

*grins*


There are two Councillors in the Tory party on our council, who are dating each other. They're both portfolio holders for Council directorates, so they are members of the council's executive cabinet. They spend the entire fucking meeting texting each other and trying to catch each others' eye. Very annoying. Particularly when you consider they get an additional £13k a year on top of their £10k basic, for being cabinet members.

[TheMercenary]

I saw the pictures. Must be great to be an elected official and caught with that on your computer.

[ZenGum]

Well, better than hardcore goat/midget porn, I guess.

[classicman]

Originally Posted by Shawnee123

Dude. Are you at work right now?

Yeh, and if my boss knew I was doing that I'd be fired, how about you. If you were their boss, what would you do?

[Shawnee123]

*shrugs* I'm a rabid multi-tasker...I don't really see a problem.

[morethanpretty]

Originally Posted by classicman

Yeh, and if my boss knew I was doing that I'd be fired, how about you. If you were their boss, what would you do?

Well since you're so full of integrity, you should report yourself to your boss so you can be fired. Why is you playin on your computer at work so extremely different from them doing similar?

[DanaC]

'Cause he's paying for them, and his boss is paying for him :P

[jinx]

If classic gets caught he'll be fired. Those people got caught.

Team politics says you have to argue against him no matter what though.

[monster]

Originally Posted by Shawnee123

*shrugs* I'm a rabid multi-tasker...I don't really see a problem.

all ur tasks are belong to us

[Shawnee123]

Back before computers people doodled when faced with a long-winded seminar. Are you telling me, Mr Classic, that solitaire is so difficult that you have your tongue poised at the left or the right, brow furrowed, because you have to concentrate so hard? Come on, people in tune pick up what they need to. The rest is just blah blah blah...

And this is what you're hanging your mouse on? Kinda lame, don't you think?

[monster]

it didn't work out too well for our local councilman...
http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/..._member_1.html
the pretty popular incumbent lost the primary by 6 votes to a candidate the elctorate have rejected previously.

For those who don't trust links, Greden sent emails taking the piss out of constituents and their issues during council meetings.

[morethanpretty]

Originally Posted by jinx

If classic gets caught he'll be fired. Those people got caught.

Team politics says you have to argue against him no matter what though.

Oh so its only wrong if you get caught! I am so gonna go sell some crack to kids.
Over exaggation of the issue, but a fun one!