A productive Congress gets no respect from voters

[Xipe Totec]

Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON – The public panned it. Republicans obstructed it. Many Democrats fled from it. Even so, the session of Congress now drawing to a close was the most productive in nearly half a century.

Not since the explosive years of the civil rights movement and the hard-fought debut of government-supported health care for the elderly and poor have so many big things — love them or hate them — been done so quickly.

Gridlock? It may feel that way. But that's not the story of the 111th Congress — not the story history will remember.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101018/ap_on_bi_ge/us_prolific_congress

[zbdent]

1. I recall a certain rotund bloviator chortling with glee that the "economy was doing great"

when Congress was sitting on its thumbs.

Mind you, he was not pointing out that the Congress at the time was controlled by Republicans. Once they started working again, the economy slowed.

Then, after the House, the Senate, and the Presidency were controlled by Republicans, the economy which was going pretty good (but slowing due to a Presidential election, where the country held its breath wondering which way it would go) started tanking.

All through that time, the Republican DC was "working", and the economy was, at best, slowly and cantankerously moving slightly ahead.

After Nancy Pelosi took the House leadership, and the Democrats took the Senate, the Dow, which often is used as the "indicator" of the economy (and which was screamed about during Bush v Gore), returned to its winning ways, setting yet another record high.

Once the Republicans started blocking things, and causing a Democratically led Congress to stop working ... so did the economy.

[Bitwit1234]

2. That is because the "liberal media" strikes again they

fail to tell the people in this country what is going on. All they can spew and print is republican talking points. Get this for example. Palin and Steele give a rousing speech for 2,000 people, wonderful wonderful.

Obama DOES GIVE A ROUSING SPEECH for over 50,000 people, but CNN tells us that Obama is pleading with the group to vote. Now do you see why this country doesn't know their butt from a hole in the ground.

I am so sick the media I could scream when ever I see one of those fluffed up Ken and Barbie dolls spewing trash to the public.

[krkaufman]

10. No frickin' doubt!

The Steele/Palin comparison was just what I was thinking when seeing the numbers for Obama's recent events. The media has to stick with their narrative, however off the mark.

[Xipe Totec]

24. +1 nt

[MannyGoldstein]

3. The last time we had a depression...

The President and Congress passed 12 major bills in 100 days. And the bills were written primarily to help working Americans. And in the midterm elections that followed, the Democrats gained many seats: only 17 Republicans remained in the Senate.

What did we get this time? Two major bills in two years, both written by lobbyists?

Legislation is not the same thing as reform.

[jaxx]

4. Cheer up. The repubs may try to dump them all.

To hell with the people they helped. :sarcasm:

[MannyGoldstein]

6. Yes, the Democrats suck less

How does that work out? Well, this is the seventh time that the DLC has mooned working Americans while screaming "we suck less - who the fuck else ya' gonna' vote for, suckers?". In all six previous cases, Democrats either lost Congress or remained in the minority.

DLC = "Democrats Lose Congress".

[jaxx]

7. I don't know what to tell you.

It's not a feel good time, the country is at stake. If you think losing is the option for you, go for it. Me, I like to win.

[w4rma]

19. Then we probably should purge some DLCers. (nt)

[krkaufman]

15. that new logo cracks me up.

As if the Democrats weren't already targets enough this cycle, they put out a logo that looks an awful lot like a target symbol.

[jaxx]

18. It's kinda quirky, isn't it?

But it's an eye catcher.

[txlibdem]

8. The main difference between then and now is that we had a Democratic President

Today we have a center-right Republican (in Democrats clothing), vowing to continue to put "good ideas from the Republicans" in every piece of legislation.

FDR stood tall in the face of criticism and faced down the right wingers. FDR faced a coup attempt by right wing radicals and prevailed! He used the bully pulpit and whipped congress into shape by sheer force of will (and a lot of yelling).

Obama stands for compromise and changes direction at the mere hint of criticism. And he shrinks from even using the word "Republican" when talking about the opposition party's failed policies.

I think I see a bit of a difference there.

[krkaufman]

16. well said. nt

[txlibdem]

20. I calls 'em as I sees 'em... ... ... n/t

[Iowa]

21. Excellent post. I agree.

[krkaufman]

12. touche'. That does make a difference.

The situation would be hugely different had Omanuel not snubbed their base and gone the insider route on just about everything.

Ah, what might have been. I try not to think about the damage we're going to experience as a result.

[Evasporque]

5. MUSLIN Soshalizm!! TAX FREEDOM!! TAKE BACK AMERICA...

Yargle BARGLE BLAAAAARG!

[krkaufman]

9. What, do they figure there's no time left for the Dems to recover ...

... so now they can be objective about the accomplishments and obstruction?

[onehandle]

11. Gridlock? The next Congress and the opposition White House will get nothing done for two years.

The Republican House will try to pass crazy shit and will bring the Administration to a halt.

Nothing will get done.

[krkaufman]

14. Don't underestimate Obama's thirst for bipartisanship.

I can see him signing all sorts of Republican-/BlueDog-sponsored legislation.

[onehandle]

17. Oh, I know he's more than willing. But they won't let him pass anything if they win the House.

They will take a House victory as a sign that they should shut him out.

The billionaire backed raving lunatics will be emboldened to do whatever it takes to stop his re-election.

Including extending this jobless 'recovery' or forcing it back into recession for another two years.

[mikekohr]

13. Letting Perfection Get In the Way of the Possible

clip from article:

"In the 1960s Democrats paid the price for events largely outside their control — an escalating war in Vietnam going badly, rowdy anti-war protests and violence in American cities, said Linda Fowler, professor of government at Dartmouth College.

"I think that's what's going on this time too," Fowler said, "despite a very significant record of accomplishment."

John F. Kennedy wrote "Profiles in Courage," about legislators like this. Let us not forget that LBJ stated that after the passage of the Civil Rights Bill, "We have lost the South for a generation." Many of those we "lost" were "Dixie Crats" like Strom Thurmond, Saxby Chamless, and the like.

We also had those those complained that the Civil Right Bill did not go far enough. Just like we have those that refuse to recognise the accomplishment of this Congress and this President. Letting perfection get in the way of the possible is yeilding the field to the enemy. People and the Nation suffer everytime Republicans win. The Nation and Working People prosper everytime Democrats prevail.

Republicans come in a distant second to Democratic economic accomplishment see: http://bureaucountydems.blogspot.com/p/eco ...

Republicans explode the National Debt. see:http://bureaucountydems.blogspot.com/p/nat ...

Republicans CRUSH job creation see: http://bureaucountydems.blogspot.com/p/job ...

Republicans have been in charge when 9 of the last 10 recession have occurred see: http://bureaucountydems.blogspot.com/p/his ...

Democrats have the record, the facts and history on our side. Republicans have self discipline, unity, fear, failure, and falsehood on theirs. When they win, working people lose. And that's how they like it.

mike kohr
Bureau County Democrats
http://bureaucountydems.blogspot.com

[Iowa]

23. True - in the past...

"The Nation and Working People prosper everytime Democrats prevail."

Those days are over, unfortunately. Now Democrats prop up wars about nothing, rush to the rescue of mega-bankers, allow corps to write health-care legislation, appoint Republicans to high office, continue down the path of the destruction of our civil liberties... they even create a Cat-Food-Commission to slash Social Security benefits to help pay for their wars and banker hand-outs. The Democratic party you speak of is a pleasant memory that no longer exists.

[cosmicone]

22. The problem is with the White House

I remember back in 1982 when republicans were unpopular and the economy was reeling, there were commercials showing people from all walks of life stating that recovery was around the corner and "we should stay the course." The "stay the course" mantra was repeated over and over with a fear that a change in policy mid-stream would make things work.

Obama's WH should have done this all September and October. But alas ...

[Xipe Totec]

25. The accomplishments:

The two other landmark acts of this session were the health care overhaul, a giant step toward universal coverage that had eluded presidents back to Franklin Roosevelt if not Teddy Roosevelt, and the Wall Street accountability act.

Obama has also signed into law at least a dozen other pieces of legislation of significance. They include:

_ Making college loans more affordable.

_ The Cash for Clunkers program that helped rejuvenate the auto industry.

_ New consumer protections for credit card users.

_ Making it easier for women to challenge pay discrimination.

_ Increasing federal regulation of tobacco products.

_ Cracking down on waste in Pentagon weapons acquisition.

_ Making attacks based on sexual orientation a federal hate crime.

_ Giving businesses tax incentives to hire unemployed workers.

_ Tax credits for first-time homeowners.

So where is the love?

[CBHagman]

27. Practical stuff gets precious little ink and airplay.

The media stories (and there have been some, from some surprising sources) on the productive 111th Congress have been obscured and drowned out by ridiculous coverage of the noisier and less rational beings in our society (I will not name them here; they get far too much attention already).

[Juche]

26. Here is a list of the bills

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acts_of_the_111th_United_States_Congress

[Xipe Totec]

28. WOW! Just WOW

You don't hear about this in the lame stream media.

[TomCADem]

29. Because the Corporate Media and Chamber of Commerce Won't Allow Any Other Viewpoint...

...everything has to fit into the pre-ordained narrative that gives Republicans a free pass.