Pope and American employers far apart on hard work

By Lee Russ

Sunday, August 20, 2006 at 04:46 PM

Do you see any contradiction between the Pope warning against the dangers of working too hard with too little contemplation, and the fact that 25 percent of U.S. workers in the private sector do not get any paid vacation time?

If the Pope, with his immense support network and entourage, is worried about working too hard, how do you think some sweatshop employee feels about it?

Maybe the solution is too perform all that relaxing contemplation while on the job?  Like Reagan was reported to do?  And like Bush obviously does?

Or perhaps the solution is the one that wealthy people tend to propose for poverty: don't be poor.  In this case, the solution would seem to be, be the Pope or the President.

Lack of perspective is a marvelous thing, especially when placed on public view, for all the world to see.