The Parable of the Hardworking Congresspeople

One day while teaching, Josh was asked, ”Teacher, how can congresspeople castigate working people for not working hard enough?”

Josh spoke thus:

Two congresspeople were watching a teachers’ strike on a bar television.

“Look at that!” one congressperson said, “Asking for more money again!  That’s all they do, demand more money!”

“Well they aren’t getting any more money,” the second congressperson said, “Our budget will see to that!”

“What budget?” the first congressperson asked.

“Exactly!” the second congressperson said.

The two congresspeople shared a toast.

“What do they want more money for anyway?” the first congressperson said, “They don’t do any work as it is.  How many vacations do teachers get?”

“They get their summers off,” the second congressperson said, “And they get Christmas.  And they get spring break.”

“And every federal holiday too,” the first congressperson said.

“Labor Day, Memorial Day, Columbus Day...” the second congressperson said.

“Don’t forget Presidents Day,” the first congressperson said.

“Or Martin Luther King Junior Day,” the second congressperson said, “You’d better not forget Martin Luther King Junior Day.  Not in your district.”

“Why don’t we just merge Martin Luther King Day with Presidents Day?” the first congressperson said, “If we can lump Lincoln and Washington together, why not add Martin Luther King?  That wouldn’t be an insult, would it, to be grouped with Lincoln and Washington?”

“King wasn’t a president,” the second congressperson said.

“But every president wants to be king,” the first congressperson said.

The two congresspeople shared a toast.

  “And all of us want to be president,” the second congressperson said.

“Not me,” the first congressperson said, “Look at the hours the president has to put in.  Twenty-four-seven, you have to be when you’re president.  Even when you’re on vacation, you’re on the phone to some world leader or senator, or rushing off to a flood or a fire or something.  Not me.  I like my schedule as it is.”

“That reminds me,” the second congressperson said, “What time is that committee meeting about the subsidies?”

“Don’t want to lose your subsidies, eh?” the first congressperson said.

“Somebody’s got to pay the bills,” the second congressperson said.

The two congresspeople shared a toast.

“The meeting was postponed,” the first congressperson said, “Until after the recess.”

“Well I might as well go home for the week,” the second congressperson said, “Without that committee meeting, my calendar’s empty.”

“Two days a week you can’t fill?” the first congressperson asked.

“Not if I can help it!” the second congressperson said.

The two congresspeople shared a toast.

“Say, turn off that teachers’ strike will you?” the first congressperson said to the bartender, “It’s depressing.  Isn’t there a football game on the other channel?”