Democrats’ Domestic Agenda Hits Gridlock

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Democrats’ Domestic Agenda Hits Gridlock

IMO anyone who favors "gridlock" must be extremely happy with the way the current situation in Washington is developing. The new Democratically controlled Congress has done little. I thought an increase in the minimum wage was a done deal after the November, 2006 elections. I was totally wrong about that. The Democrats seem to be a party comprised of many special interestes lacking a consistent message or vision on very many issues. You could probably say the same things about the Republicans but the Democrats were elected to change things and they've accomplished nothing except perhaps passing non binding resolutions. From the article:

However, that flurry of voting has produced only 26 public laws, 12 of which changed the name of a federal building, post office or national recreation area.

Others changed the makeup of the House Page Board (PL 110-2); reauthorized the U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy (PL 110-21); extended small-business programs (PL 110-4); and endorsed the expansion of NATO (PL 110-17).


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Broken Glass Can?

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SLP?

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Does it matter what I say?

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Yes, you were already banned three times. Get lost. The irony of you thinking adios was BGC makes it funnier.

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I don't think adios is actually BGC, I just think this OP is reminiscent of something BGC would post.

[bkholdem]

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I [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] gridlock. Nothing too drastic ever gets done. I wish the Patriot Act had gone through it. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

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I get the joke but dude....have amazingly low standards much?

Either gridlock happens (which is incredibly wasteful and sucks for us) or negative stuff happens which is incredibly wasteful and sucks for us.

[AzDesertRat]

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I [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] gridlock. Nothing too drastic ever gets done. I wish the Patriot Act had gone through it. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

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I get the joke but dude....have amazingly low standards much?

Either gridlock happens (which is incredibly wasteful and sucks for us) or negative stuff happens which is incredibly wasteful and sucks for us.

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Don't get me wrong--I would love to see meaningful legislation passed. However, each time a piece of legislation is passed, it has a way of adding billions of dollars in pork or adding more power to the federal government. I would like to see "common sense" legislation take place as opposed to bills coming out now which are dictated by special interest groups.

Now between doing nothing or very little and passing bad laws, I would like to see the former. Bad laws have a way of remaining on the books forever.

In society, I place the value of politicians somewhere between a pick pocket and a bank robber. Our forefathers never wanted to see professional politicians and the longer they remain in office, the less principled these politicians become. I may seem pessimistic, but they have done nothing yet to prove me wrong.

[adios]

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Democrats’ Domestic Agenda Hits Gridlock

IMO anyone who favors "gridlock" must be extremely happy with the way the current situation in Washington is developing. The new Democratically controlled Congress has done little. I thought an increase in the minimum wage was a done deal after the November, 2006 elections. I was totally wrong about that. The Democrats seem to be a party comprised of many special interestes lacking a consistent message or vision on very many issues. You could probably say the same things about the Republicans but the Democrats were elected to change things and they've accomplished nothing except perhaps passing non binding resolutions. From the article:

However, that flurry of voting has produced only 26 public laws, 12 of which changed the name of a federal building, post office or national recreation area.

Others changed the makeup of the House Page Board (PL 110-2); reauthorized the U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy (PL 110-21); extended small-business programs (PL 110-4); and endorsed the expansion of NATO (PL 110-17).


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Broken Glass Can?

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It's about gridlock and how it has come about. The Democrats made many promises after the elections which they haven't come close to living up to. Bush made a pledge to work with the new Democratically controlled Congress as well. Here's a link that has some quotes made by leading pols immediately after the elections:

Bush, Dems promise cooperation as Senate shifts

From the article:

"We won't agree on every issue," Bush said after dining with House speaker-to-be Rep. Nancy Pelosi and House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer. "But we do agree that we love America equally, that we're concerned about the future of this country, and that we will do our very best to address big problems." (Watch what "big problems" the president addressed after lunching with Pelosi -- 1:29 )

Pelosi agreed, saying she looks forward to "working in a confidence-building way with the president."

"We've made history. Now we have to make progress," she said.

Hoyer added that it's clear Americans hope "that we will work together -- we being Republicans and Democrats, the president and the Congress -- to solve the problems and make their lives better, more secure and our country more safe."

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Pelosi also has said that in the first 100 hours of her speakership she will push for action implementing all 9/11 Commission recommendations on national security, raising the minimum wage to $7.25, eliminating corporate subsidies for oil companies, allowing the government to negotiate Medicare drug prices, imposing new restrictions on lobbyists, cutting interest rates on college loans and supporting embryonic stem-cell research.

I think it's fair to say that the legislative record of this Congress is falling far short of what was promised. Not only what was promised but perhaps more importantly, what many people who voted for Democrats wanted when they cast their votes in November.

Also over the years there have been many posts on this forum regarding the desirability of gridlock. We're getting it in spades and I'm fairly certain we'll see it continue.

A increase in the minimum wage is supported by the majority of voters according to various polls if memory serves. It's something that's basically a "no brainer" politically speaking i.e. there's little downside to supporting it. Yet no increase has happened. Why is this? Here's an article about why Bush vetoed a bill that contained an increase in the minimum wage:

Bush Vetoes Bill with Minimum Wage Increase Attached

How important is it to Congress to pass a "no brainer" like a minimum wage increase when it be simple to craft a bill that pertained only to a minimum wage increase that addressed Bush's concerns about small business taxes? Instead we have it included with a time table for an Iraqi withdrawl. It can't be important at all and it's more than obvious that it's just about political gamesmanship. The "winners" are those who are opposed to a minimum wage increase at the Federal level. Apply to this to basically all the things that Pelosi's mentioned in her legislative agenda in the wake of the elections and basically we get the status quo which is what the proponents of gridlock want more or less.

[adios]

There were many high hopes for the 2006 elected Congress that gave the Democrats a majority in both chambers. Many posters on this forum expressed their optimism as well. I'm fairly certain that alot of those posters aren't too pleased with what's transpired but I'm beggining to think that they haven't noticed so the issues they wanted the new Congress to address arent' that important to them either. Attacking the messenger is standard as you note.

[adios]

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You realize that every single politician benefits from gridlock (at least over the short term) regardless of party affiliation don't you?

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I'll readily concede that the rhetoric spewed by the Democrats in the wake of the 2006 elections about helping the people is baloney and getting elected is much more important to many politicians than "helping the people."

[bkholdem]

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You realize that every single politician benefits from gridlock (at least over the short term) regardless of party affiliation don't you?

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I'll readily concede that the rhetoric spewed by the Democrats in the wake of the 2006 elections about helping the people is baloney and getting elected is much more important to many politicians than "helping the people."

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What do you have to say about the comparison between baloney and the republicans 'contract with america'?

[adios]

No-confidence vote looms for AG Gonzales

WTF is a no confidence vote for a U.S. AG? Apparently it's this:

Democratic Sens. Chuck Schumer of New York and Dianne Feinstein (news, bio, voting record) of California said they will seek a vote on a nonbinding resolution as early as this week to express what senators of both parties have said for weeks: that Gonzales has become too weakened to run the department.

Another non binding resolution, what a joke.

I think the following are accurate:

White House spokesman Tony Fratto said Sunday that Gonzales would not be affected by a potential vote of no confidence. "As for no-confidence votes, maybe senators need a refresher course on American civics," Fratto said while with Bush at his Texas ranch. "I think you find no-confidence votes in parliamentary systems, not the American system of government."

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Sen. Lindsey Graham (news, bio, voting record), who is on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said he did not believe that Gonzales acted illegally. If Bush chooses to support Gonzales, then senators should work on passing legislation such as immigration reform rather than playing "gotcha" games, said Graham, R-S.C.

"I want to focus on that, rather than pass a resolution, that's never been done in the history of the Congress, to play 'gotcha' politics with the attorney general," he said.

Graham's characterization of "gotcha" games is especially accurate IMO. Not much is really going on with this Congresss and this "no confidence" vote is a prime example of the silly actions that the newly elected Congress chooses to pursue.

[Misfire]

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The Democrats seem to be a party comprised of many special interestes lacking a consistent message or vision on very many issues.

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You just noticed?

[AzDesertRat]

It's been over 100 years since thhe last time a vote of no confidence was used in this country. Rumor is that Gonzalez doesn't want this on his [already tarnished] record and will resign before that happens. Still doesn't mean [censored] though.

I don't know how many times I have wished we had a parliamentary system where something like this would actually make a difference. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]