"Talk is cheap - except when Congress does it"

The statement humorously underscores a paradox involving communication and action, especially within the realm of government. It opens with the familiar adage "Talk is cheap", a saying suggesting that words cost nothing and that actions are far more valuable than idle conversations or promises. Typically, the phrase serves as a critique, encouraging people to move beyond empty words and actually accomplish something.

However, by appending the idea that "except when Congress does it", the source captures a biting irony about the legislative process. When members of Congress debate, deliver speeches, and hold hearings, enormous sums are expended. These expenses include the salaries of lawmakers and staff, the upkeep of grand legislative chambers, committee research, documentation, and the time invested not only by elected officials but also by the broader governmental apparatus. While the common person can talk at no cost, legislative deliberation incurs real, often significant, financial and social costs.

The wit lies in the suggestion that when those in power engage in endless debate without resulting action, the "cost of talk" becomes high. This could refer to actual taxpayer dollars spent during prolonged discussions that fail to generate concrete results. It could also allude to the opportunity costs, what else might have been accomplished had the time and resources been spent elsewhere? Furthermore, when governmental bodies delay or engage in excessive rhetoric, real-world issues go unaddressed. The “cost” then becomes multifaceted: both economic waste and the cost of inaction on urgent matters.

Ultimately, the wry observation packs a more profound critique: the value of speech is contextual. When those who are entrusted to lead the nation indulge in excessive talk without delivering outcomes, the result isn't cheap at all. Instead, the public pays for governmental verbosity through both financial expenditure and the societal consequences of legislative inertia.