We all know what busy work is. The boss is around and we need to look busy but we don’t really have much work to do, so we find busy work. These are things you do that, while technically cause you to work, are not really meaningful. If your boss actually saw the work you were doing, the questions about how useful it is would quickly follow, but you look busy so your boss has no reason to actually ask what you are doing.

Congress is littered almost everyday with this type of work. They sit in session to handle busy work. Work that makes them look busy but really is just stopping them from tackling bigger issues. Bills like the following:

H.Res.1131 - Expressing support for designation of the week of April 18, 2010, through April 23, 2010, as National Assistant Principals Week.

H.Res.1103 - Honoring the life and accomplishments of Sam Houston for his historical contributions to the expansion of the United States.

H.Res.1270 - Expressing support for Mathematics Awareness Month.

H.Res.1242: Congratulating the Duke University men's basketball team for winning the 2010 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship.

I could go on and on but you get the point I think. While there is nothing wrong with these bills it is really just busy work. These bills make no difference in America. Are we really paying these people in Washington to express support for mathematics, or Sam Houston’s life, or to congratulate the latest college sports team for winning the national championship?

They are meaningless because everyone agrees with these things. On resolutions like these everyone says “aye.” I applaud the few (very few) congressman who say “nay” on these based  on the principle it should never have come before congress in the first place.

We elected these people to create bills, resolutions and laws that help uphold and support these ideals, not spend the day agreeing they are important. Are they ever reprimanded for this busy work? Hardly ever, because “we the people”, the boss, normally never even ask what they are doing. Maybe we stopped because it got to complicated and hard to follow but we can change this fact. The real question is do we have it in us to start following what our employees are doing and making them eliminate the busy work?

To do this we must first start following what our congressmen are doing. This must go way beyond listening to the news or commercials every few years when it is time to cast a vote. There are many resources out there like Open Congress to help us. Let us start following what they are doing in Washington, for once we become educated we can start making a difference.