Many seem to be discounting the next two years of the Obama presidency as if lack of any new initiatives would make it a failed presidency. It should be noted that the President in his first 18 months accomplished more than many presidents have accomplished in 8 years. I think he will simply be happy if the new Congress simply did no harm thus allowing much of the myriad of legislation passed to take effect.
What is interesting is that much of his legislative difficulty that he had to navigate was at the hand of Blue Dog Democrats as well as Conservative Democratic senators. The President did not so much ignore his left flank in that he got the best he could. Unfortunately he was somewhat disingenuous in his approach; end justifies the means.
That said those of us in the more liberal domain need to provide direction and support to the president going forward. Until we become more than a fickle intellectual base whose vote can easily be dissuaded like elementary school students because we do not get all that we want we will continue to be marginalized by all sides. We know our policy desires are what Americans ultimately want and need. We must make the case to America and to the President and we must engage in the fight harder than the Right. After all we better represent the middleclass.
My Book: As I See It: Class Warfare The Only Resort To Right Wing Doom
Book’s Webpage: http://books.egbertowillies.com – Twitter: http://twitter.com/egbertowillies
WASHINGTON — Seven weeks ahead of the GOP House takeover, hobbled Democrats and invigorated Republicans return Monday to a testy tax dispute and a lengthy to-do list for a postelection session of Congress unlikely to achieve any landmark legislation.
With change clearly in the air, more than 100 mainly Republican freshmen arrive on Capitol Hill to be schooled on the jobs they’ll assume when the next Congress convenes in January. For Democrats, it’s another sad note as one of their most venerable members goes on trial on ethics charges.
Lame-duck sessions are usually unpopular and unproductive. Nothing suggests otherwise this year.
Republicans are looking ahead to January, when they will take back control of the House; many Democratic lawmakers and staff are more focused on cleaning out their desks and looking for new jobs. That doesn’t mean they can slack off.
Congress must act before year’s end on expiring Bush-era tax cuts to protect millions of people from significant tax increases. Lawmakers failed to pass even a single annual spending bill this year, and funds are needed to keep federal agencies financed and avoid a government shutdown. Doctors, meanwhile, face a crippling cut in Medicare reimbursements.
Democrats still command sizable majorities in the House and Senate, and have other ambitions for the lame-duck session. Most will go unfulfilled.
There are efforts to give Social Security recipients a $250 check to make up for no cost-of-living increase next year; to extend unemployment benefits; to allow gays to serve openly in the military; to ratify a nuclear weapons reduction treaty with Russia; and to extend government oversight of food safety.
Congress will be in session for a week, break for Thanksgiving week and return on Nov. 29. Lawmakers will continue until they complete their work or give up.
Most of the attention this week will be on activities off the House and Senate floors.
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Democrats, Republicans Prepare For Lame Duck Session Of Congress
