Now that Lance is back with a vengeance I’m almost motivated to not be such a deadbeat. So here’s a neat little story I found. It’s apparently been a long tough few months of 3-4 day work weeks for Congress so they’re taking their August vacation. This is convenient for Pelosi and the Dems because they can further avoid debate on the increasingly popular offshore drilling topic. So at the end of the workday today (11:23 a.m of course), they leave and turn out the lights and microphones.

The half dozen or so GOP representatives however don’t leave. They stay and continue on with their debate in the dark with no microphones. Democrat aids have called the Republicans staying “morons” and are trying to shoo the press out and keep them from covering it after shutting off CSPAN cameras. Republican aids are in turn calling for all members still in Washington to come back and join them. Now a phrase thrown about in instances like these is “cheap political stunt” but it would be wrong to describe this as such. This is an “effective political stunt“, showing the clear divide between the two parties on this issue, while also highlighting the lax work ethic of Congress and contrasting it with their own (new found) desire to stay and debate.

At one point ASHC favorite Rep. John Shadegg (R-Ariz.) managed to get the microphones back on. The how is possibly my favorite part of the story

Also, Republicans can thank Shadegg for turning on the microphones the first time. Apparently, the fiesty(sic) Arizona conservative started typing random codes into the chamber’s public address system and accidentally typed the correct code, allowing Republicans brief access to the microphone before it was turned off again.

“I love this,” Shadegg told reporters up in the press gallery afterward. “Congress can be so boring…This is a kick.”

And it’s getting better.

Rep Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) just pretended to be a Democrat. He stood on the other side  of the chaber and listed all of the GOP bills that the Dems killed.

He then said “I am a Democrat and here is my energy plan” and he held up a picture of an old VW Bug with a sail attached to it. He paraded around he house floor with the sign while the crowd cheered.

Check back at politico for more updates.

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