*Banging head on desk* a reminder of what Pelosi, Reid, and Obama accomplished 2009-2011

[Recursion]

I've seen the 111th Congress repeatedly called a waste of time in the past few days, by people arguing that it's not "worthwhile" to elect Democrats to the House and Senate. Here's a summarized list of just the major accomplishments of the 111th Congress; there were multiple smaller ones.

Lilly Ledbetter
SCHIP expansion (covering an additional 10 million children and pregnant women)
ARRA (the stimulus)
The last budget Congress has passed (it's a shame that I can point to Congress actually executing its Constitutional duty as a subject of praise, but such are the times we live in)
The Americorps expansion
A land management act that closed tens of millions of acres of public land to hunting, logging, and trapping
FERA, the act under which bank and investment frauds are being prosecuted at the greatest rate since Teddy Roosevelt's administration
HFSHA (what lets judges write down predatory mortgages rather than foreclosing)
A Pentagon acquisitions reform act that has already saved close to a billion dollars
The Matthew Shepherd Act, which expanded hate crimes laws to include targeting sexual orientation and gender presentation
Cash for Clunkers and the Big 3 bailout
ACA
VA and Tricare reform
Pay-as-you-go (which the GOP promptly gutted in 2011)
Dodd-Frank
Two unemployment extensions
9/11 responders relief
Iraq local employees emergency visas
The fair sentencing act
START (nuclear arms reduction and nonproliferation)
The confirmations of Kagan and Sotomayor
The repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell
Earmark elimination (I'm starting to think that was a bad idea, but still)
The first ever floor vote on DC voting rights (it failed, but that was the first time we actually got a vote)



What the hell do people who look at that and say "meh, they didn't do anything" expect from an actual real-world government? How do you expect people who work with policy to take what you say seriously if you call the 111th Congress a wasted opportunity?

I'm sorry, but government is boring. It's very, very boring. It's stuff like this that actually inches us forward.

[NYC_SKP]

1. Additionally, they turned around a downwardly spiraling economy.

They didn't just stop the bleeding, they turned it around and into a relatively thriving one.

Plenty more to do, but this infighting and bashing is counterproductive and, well, silly.

K/R

[Hoyt]

2. +A bunch.

Last edited Tue Apr 1, 2014, 11:11 AM - Edit history (1)

[Samantha]

3. Some people cannot distinguish between Obama the man, Obama the policitian and Obama the POTUS

Those three very different dimensions of this man carry entirely different responsibilities and massive varying weights.

This is a human being who told us after winning his first election in 2008 that we would not like everything he did. During his campaign, he uttered a gazillion times he did not want to be President of the red United States, or just the blue United States, but ALL of the United States. I believe that while this was not quite pleasing to all of his base, he has followed through with that personal goal he set for himself. And that was and is his prerogative.

Although I have spoken out against some of his goals, overall I do believe he will go down in history as one of the United States greatest presidents. He deserves it.

Sam

[pacalo]

10. That last sentence of yours is exactly how I feel.

Here on DU, though, I agree with both sides, I like the DUers on both sides, & I'm keeping out of the infighting.

In my judgment, Obama is one of the best presidents of my lifetime. The nonsensical, Carrollish abuse he's had to endure from the Republicans shows how desperately afraid they are of Obama -- most particularly, his people skills.

I believe that, in addition to the Republicans' sabotage against Obama in congress, Obama's hands are tied by the money-rich PTB. That's why I draw the line against blaming Obama.

I believe any other Democrat in Obama's place would have been put through the wringer as well (& may not have fared as well as Obama has -- who knows). Just the ridiculousness of the attacks against Obama should be proof enough how impeccable his character is. They have nothing.

At the same time, I agree with those who are angry about the issues that are lowering the country's standards. Obama has essentially told us, as FDR once did, "I agree with you, I want to do it, now make me do it." I interpret that to mean that Obama expects criticism; the people's voice gives him more power to act.

[Samantha]

28. I am keeping out of the infighting too, pacalo

I have been in since 2001. I do not visit to read inhouse slug-fests. I visit to learn important information thinking DU'ers would like to share. It is also a sanctuary from the MSM. So as long as I can still find the good, I am staying. Nice to hear from you.

Sam

[pacalo]

30. It helps to have a laid-back disposition & a good sense of humor

during these times.

But what have really helped me are the trash thread & the keyword auto-trash functions.

[Rex]

4. I wonder if the historic low number of bills passed in 2013 has anything to do with

the GOPs oath to obstruct anything the POTUS suggests or wants to do? Obviously the GOP doesn't want to work, they would rather shutdown Congress and read Dr. Seuss.

I think we know where the problem is, the do nothing Tea Party. They don't understand the basics of governance or just don't care.

[TreasonousBastard]

5. Yeah, but never underestimate the short memories...

or just plain stupidity, of the common citizens of either party.

No politician will be perfect in anyone's eyes, but will he or she do more good than damage is one good measure-- and Obama's record beats the crap out of every Republican but maybe three. Could've been four, but Nixon dug himself too deep a grave.

Better'n a lot of Democrats, too, but who cares when you just want to complain...

[Hekate]

6. Kick and sigh

[Cha]

7. THANKS Recursion..!

[kelliekat44]

8. Refusing to see is worse than being blind. nt

[NBachers]

9. Please, please, don't let this thread degenerate into rabid squabbling, insults, and finger-pointing

Isn't there that other website where people can vent their screeching hatred for President Obama and the Democrats?

[freshwest]

11. Little hope of that. And that other website gets their bashing material from DU now... n/t

[demwing]

17. Your post is bipolar

Bright side:

Please, please, don't let this thread degenerate into rabid squabbling, insults, and finger-pointing[/div

Dark side:

Isn't there that other website where people can vent their screeching hatred for President Obama and the Democrats?

"Screeching hatred"??? Yeah, no insults and finger pointing here...

[Recursion]

18. So, please, offer the alternative

Go for it.

[Bluenorthwest]

22. The alternative for anyone of any point of view is to speak their own mind about

policy without characterizing others who see it differently as 'worshippers' or as engaging in 'screeching hatred'. The objective of characterizing others is toxic in politics, harmful to DU and without any use or merit in a democratic society.

[demwing]

23. Exactly ^^^

thanks for the elegant summation.

[demwing]

24. An alternative?

I was just going to write "Don't be a dick," but Bluenorthwest said it so much more politely.

[DCBob]

12. short sighted, short memories, and short on patience.

They want more and they want it now. A very immature and childish mentality.

[KT2000]

13. +1 !!

[joshcryer]

14. Most productive congress since LBJ.

Let that one sink in. And they only had a few weeks to accomplish what they did thanks to Franken being rail roaded and Kennedy dying.

[Recursion]

15. Yes, literally, that was an eight-week window

Good point.

[malaise]

16. Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

+1,000

[Andy823]

19. +100,000 K&R nt

[Bobbie Jo]

20. One of the most productive in DECADES.

Thank you for this. Huge K&R!

Elections have consequences, and when Democrats control the agenda shit gets done.

GOTV!

[Proud Liberal Dem]

21. It was a very productive two years

However, it has now happened twice that a Democratic President only get a grand total of TWO years with a Democratic Congressional majority to do stuff- during most of which they have to contend with rampant GOP obstructionism, along with some conservative Democratic obstructionism as well. How do we change this dynamic? George W. Bush got SIX years (plus or minus a few months) with an incredibly loyal "rubberstamp" Congress to get his neocon/right-wing agenda enacted virtually unchallenged.

[Recursion]

25. "Change this dynamic"

Barring a change I can't see, I don't see a change. Do you?

[Proud Liberal Dem]

26. I hope there will be

We have a finicky electorate in this country. The Republicans always leave behind a huge mess to clean up and then when Dems don't clean it up fast enough and/or get to certain issues fast enough or pay them enough attention, they tune out and don't keep voting and/or vote Republicans right back in. I guess we just have to sit back and wait for Republicans to essentially go extinct.

[Bobbie Jo]

31. Good point.nt

[freshwest]

27. Maybe try not shooting our leaders and ourselves in the head locally or in the midterms?

DU encourages fraticide and suicide (politically) by cheering anti-Democratic disinfo at times.

[1000words]

29. We're gaining inches, they're logging miles

Last edited Thu Apr 3, 2014, 01:22 AM - Edit history (1)

And sending postcards along the way.

[Recursion]

34. No, they're even more frustrated than we are

The conservative agenda has taken several very serious hits lately. Their only recent President was a bigger triangulator than Clinton (Medicare Part D comes to mind), and their legislation never goes anywhere.

[okaawhatever]

32. K & R nt

[TroglodyteScholar]

33. Thanks for the reminder

For some, a failure to do everything amounts to a failure to do anything. I don't get it.