One of the golden rules of negotiation is never to try to ask for anything when you don't have any leverage.
Unfortunately, it seems as though Democrat Congressional staffers missed that class back when they were studying gender ideology at Ivy League schools.
On the heels of a devastating election loss, where Democrats lost the Presidency and the Senate, and failed to take back the House, and just days before Donald Trump is inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States, the Congressional Progressive Staff Association (CPSA) decided that now was an ideal time to issue demands to Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
What do these bold, intrepid, young go-getters on Capital Hill want? A shorter work week.
JUST IN: Liberal staff members on Capitol Hill demand 32 hour work week - POLITICO
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) January 16, 2025
What? No juice boxes and nap time?
Politico's Nicholas Wu obtained a copy of the full letter the CPSA (and why does such an organization even exist?) sent to Johnson and Jeffries:
Progressive Hill staff are asking for a 32-hour workweek
— Nicholas Wu (@nicholaswu12) January 16, 2025
"We write today to encourage you to consider adopting a proposal that would improve worker satisfaction, increase staff retention in Congress, and model a more sustainable approach to work on a national level." pic.twitter.com/t1LmmcycNp
Naturally, they also demanded in the letter that they suffer no reduction in pay or benefits based on their new limited work week.
The letter concludes with the CPSA saying that they just want to serve as a pilot group. What they are really advocating for -- or paying lip service to, at least -- is a 32-hour work week for EVERYONE in the United States.
Hey, privileged, entitled kids: Europe is thataway. And there's no lock on the exit door from America.
Conservative consultant and former Capitol Hill staffer Josh Holmes let the CPSA have it with both barrels:
My first jobs on Capitol Hill, you couldn’t keep me away from it. Slept at the office some nights to ensure nobody thought anyone else could put in more effort. It was more than a job it was a recognition of the privilege. I hope republicans staffers see this progressive letter… https://t.co/fzaUBEht7Y
— Josh Holmes (@HolmesJosh) January 16, 2025
The tweet continues:
I hope republicans staffers see this progressive letter as an opportunity to work harder. The day The Capitol looks like a job or a career rather than a unique opportunity to help improve the lives of the American people is the day you should walk out and let someone else do the job. Working for the American taxpayer isnt something you should do if you’re worried about your comp time.
Bingo.
Meanwhile, you can guess how well this went over with the rest of Twitter.
I can arrange a 0 hour work week for them https://t.co/gECVquHpvZ
— Kaya (@sisterinferior) January 16, 2025
Counter proposal: give them 0 hour work weeks by firing them.
— Burt Macklin (@BurtMaclin_FBI) January 16, 2025
Say, now there's an idea.
Better idea for @elonmusk is to give them a 0 hour work week. https://t.co/XbwEJY192J
— Scott Wagner (@ScottWagnerFL) January 16, 2025
DOGE IS coming soon to Washington. Great timing, CPSA.
@elonmusk r n: https://t.co/mVyr84ETsu pic.twitter.com/pdRRgdMERD
— theRoddick (@OriginalRoddick) January 16, 2025
LOL. Yep, pretty much.
The CPSA represents more than 1,500 lefty Congressional staffers. If the work is too hard for them, we can think of hundreds of thousands of people who would be happy to take their jobs.
Meanwhile, they can use their vast array of marketable skills to become ... baristas, maybe?
https://t.co/0KxkSJtC97 pic.twitter.com/vmGBbC56oS
— Deebs (@DeebsFLA) January 16, 2025
Look, we don't want to be completely heartless. Recently on Twitter, there was a conversation about how anyone who worked less than an 80-hour week was 'lazy.' Even though that thought came from a conservative, Twitter dragged it and we covered it.
But demanding a four-day work week (or a 6.5-hour work day for five days) is going just a little too far in the opposite direction.
Joe Biden agrees to their demands: "That's still way too many hours for staffers. Heck, I haven't worked more than 12 hours a week the last four years as President." https://t.co/BQcKNwcUsK
— Margot Cleveland (@ProfMJCleveland) January 16, 2025
HA.
OK, that is a fair point.
No problem. No Health Benefits. No 401k. No Overtime. Thanks for helping. https://t.co/hpcpzPnQWe
— Dan (@dserrano2011) January 16, 2025
Most people who work less than full-time do not get any of those benefits.
But the CPSA thinks they are special.
I think they should try unemployment
— Paula Scanlan (@PaulaYScanlan) January 16, 2025
Suddenly, 40 hours a week won't seem all that strenuous.
Maybe don't work in a demanding job on Capitol Hill. Starbucks might be more their speed.
— Gimme3Steps (@TheSouthGAJohn) January 16, 2025
Hey, that's what WE said.
It's true that being a Congressional staffer can mean lots of hours and sometimes working on weekends or long into the night.
On the other hand, that job is a golden ticket for future opportunities. If someone does it well, the sky is the limit for the consulting, lobbying, or pundit job offers staffers could receive. Not to mention, as Josh Holmes noted above, it is an opportunity to serve the American people, not to watch a clock.
But young 'progressives' have no concept of the principle of 'paying your dues.' They demand the brass ring immediately, sometimes right out of college.
Regardless of what the CPSA wants, we're fairly confident that Speaker Johnson laughed out loud when he saw this letter, assuming he even read it.
We can only hope that Jeffries did too. In his case, however, that will probably depend on how many members of the CPSA are DEI hires. If enough of them are, he'll be all for it.
Thankfully, he has no power to grant this demand. Just like the CPSA has no power to issue it.
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