ZOLLER: August recess, getting things done and primaries — Oh my!

People like to talk of the congressional recess as a vacation. That’s not entirely accurate. Yes, many of the members will take a week or two of actual vacation and they deserve that. Most, however, are in their districts having meetings with constituents, visiting counties and other district-related activities.

Watch the travel schedule of members of the House and Senate and it will give you a good idea of which ones are thinking about running for President. If Iowa or New Hampshire are on the schedule, it’s a pretty good bet they look in the mirror and see a president looking back at them.

Congress ought to work more full work weeks on the floor and in committee doing the work they are required to do and should have more time at home in their districts, too. You can do both. My home state of Georgia wouldn’t/couldn’t end a session without passing a budget and they have to pass a balanced budget. They are so-called part-time legislators and, when they are in session, they are in session working. I know states are not a direct comparison to the federal government but they ought to work as hard.

Last year on the campaign trail, I advocated that Congress should take a 15-percent pay cut until the budget is balanced and use the cut-for-debt reduction, and I still stand behind that. However, we have another year where our elected Senators and congressmen can’t seem to pass a budget so they ought to continue cutting their salaries by an additional 5 percent a year if they don’t pass a budget on time. Continuing resolutions don’t count!

The time for the gamesmanship is over; it’s time to govern.

When your elected representatives are in Washington, they should be in session from Monday through Friday every week. They should work into the night getting the work done, not attending dinners thrown by lobbyists and special interests. There are too many congressmen and senators who come in at noon on Tuesday just in time for the first vote and leave on Thursday. That’s not a work week I’ve ever seen.

We are tired of the excuses; we want to see the work get done and if you can’t do it, there are plenty of people ready and waiting to serve. And that’s what it is: service, not a career. It ought to be a sacrifice, not the next step on the ladder of success.

In short, your U.S. Senators and Representatives should be putting the country’s needs first and they are not.

The American people have done a good job in shaking up some of the members of Congress since 2006, but no member — whether in their first term or 10th — should be safe.

Primary opposition should be encouraged and welcomed.

I lost a primary runoff for the Republican nomination for the 9th District in Georgia just about a year ago. I will never regret running and I will always encourage primary opponents for all offices. It keeps people honest.

Whether I’ll run again is an open question. There are roles for citizens to play and for candidates to play. There are roles for elected officials to play and for lobbyists to play. As a member of the media and a member of my community, I have a role to play. I love what I do every day because I am in touch with what voters and members of the community are thinking about. I am humbled to be asked weekly to consider one form of service or another. Until Congress gets its job done on time and per the needs of the American people, accountability will be my goal.

Until then, I’ll be holding elected officials accountable on zpolitics and on Zoller and Bryant on the airwaves. I’ll be watching.

Martha Zoller is the editor-in-chief of zpolitics.com and co-host of Zoller and Bryant on Fox News 1340 WGAU from 6 to 9 a.m. every weekday morning. You can reach her at [email protected].