Media Mantra: It's "Congress" That's Historically Unproductive, Not The GOP

[babylonsister]

Media Mantra: It's "Congress" That's Historically Unproductive, Not The GOP
Blog ››› 8 hours and 11 minutes ago ››› ERIC BOEHLERT



As the calendar races towards 2014, and Congressional members log their final few days in session while facing daunting deadlines for a long list of pressing and unfinished initiatives, the press has been busy chronicling the futility, assigning collective blame, and giving the president permanent failing marks.

According to historians, 2013 is on track to become the least productive single legislative year in modern American history. And it's not even close. In 1995, 88 laws were passed, setting the previous low-water mark. This year, it's doubtful 70 will make it to the president's desk. (And lots of the bills that have passed are ceremonial or rather trivial in nature.) The press is not happy about the trend.

"The paltry number of bills Congress has passed into law this year paints a vivid picture of just how bad the gridlock has been for lawmakers," announced NBC. The Wall Street Journal noted this year's session has been "long on partisanship, indecision and brinkmanship." USA Today bemoaned the inability "to find common ground." And the Los Angeles Times pointed to "partisan dysfunction" as the main Congressional culprit.

See? "Congress" remains in the grips of "gridlock" and "brinkmanship." Congress just can't find "common ground" and suffers from serious "dysfunction."

So that's why immigration reform, the farm bill, a budget deal, unemployment benefit extensions, workplace discrimination legislation, and the defense spending bill haven't been passed or dealt with yet? And that's why the government was shutdown for 16 days in October?

Bipartisan gridlock!

Wrong. The current Congress obliterated all previous records for diminished output because the Republican Party, and especially those in the Republican-run House, purposefully bottled up as many initiatives as possible and unleashed "procedural sabotage." (They even obstructed disaster relief aid for victim of Hurricane Sandy.)


more...

http://mediamatters.org/blog/2013/12/09/media-mantra-its-congress-thats-historically-un/197195

[Jamaal510]

1. C'mon, let's be real here--

it would be far too much work for the media to say "Republicans in Congress" instead of just "Congress" who is unproductive, with all 2 of those extra words.

[Cha]

4. Especially since the US media wants those A$$holes to succeed with

their War on Women and JOBS, The Poor, and The Economy while President Obama's in Office.. or anytime really. They rooted for bush and he was shit on the Economy.

Guess they think bread lines would be good for business.

[Thinkingabout]

2. GOP says it is about jobs, just get one and get off of unemployment. They would be fired in the

Public sector performing on their current level. When union workers strike they are not paid but Congress continues to collect their salaries when they shut down. Thank goodness our military does not perform on the level of Congress.

[Cha]

3. The US mediawhore$$$$$$$ cover for their GOP

Kocheads in Congress. Would they have it any other way?

Water is WET. This needs to be VIRAL! Mahalo babylonsistah.