Here's another guest blog by Steve Urbanski.
This year Congress met for fewer days than any Congress since 1948. That year, Harry Truman campaigned against what he called the "do-nothing Congress." When we look at what the 109th accomplished, or more importantly, what they didn't accomplish, it becomes clear that if Harry Truman were alive today he'd be experiencing deja vu all over again.
Among the things that didn't get done:
Social Security: It topped Bush's agenda, but died when no one else wanted to touch the issue. His privatization plan never took off. Something needs to be done.
Lobbying Reform: With all the publicity Jack Abramoff received in his lobbying scandal, it seemed certain we would at least get some meaningful reforms. We got nothing.
Earmarks: Pork barrel legislation is still alive and well in Congress. The 2005 Highway bill contained 7,000 earmarks alone, while 15,000 more worked their way into other appropriations' bills. No reform is in sight.
Energy Legislation: Nothing meaningful here. After decades of talking about our "addiction" to foreign oil (even George Bush acknowledged it in his State of the Union speech,) it continues to be like the weather. To paraphrase Mark Twain, every talks about reducing our dependence on foreign oil, but nobody does anything about it.
Health Care: One of the biggest tragedies of our time is that approximately 46 million Americans, or 15.7 percent of the population, are without any health insurance. This is a disgrace, and Congress, again, did nothing.
We need to change the direction of our nation, let's begin by changing the make up of Congress. Get out there and do something. Volunteer your time, contribute your money, and make sure you cast your vote to change the direction of the 110th Congress, and perhaps, just maybe, we can look back in a couple of years at the 110th Congress as the beginning of a period where Congress began to address real problems and come up with real solutions.
Comments (7)
Can you please explain what an earmark is and who typically benefits(i.e lobbyist or corporations)?
As to the rest of your post, the DO Nothing Republicans go off the basis that if they talk about it publically for a brief period of time than they did something, they talked about it. Well that seems to be the case anyway. Its a shame b/c I half of the country is tricked into thinking the economy is doing great, when in reality (not to be confused with Bush world) the economy stinks. Higher health care and energy bills, which (higher energy) makes everthing else, food and goods more expencive. Not to mention the little tricks that were done to make it seem like unemployment is down(dont count them if they don't receive a check) and change the listing of fast food workers to make them now laborers. Does it stink in here or is that just a republican.
Posted by: BW on October 17, 2006 15:41
In the United States legislative budget process, Congress has the power to earmark (designate) funds it appropriates (revenue) to be spent on specific named projects. This differs from the normal practice where Congress grants a lump sum to an agency to allocate entirely at its discretion, according to the agency's internal budgeting process. Earmarks tie the hands of agency bureaucrats, obliging them to spend a portion of the budget on special projects chosen by politicians.
Earmarking became notorious in 2005 when $223 million was earmarked to construct a bridge nicknamed the Bridge to Nowhere, to connect an Alaskan town of 8,900 to an island of 50 inhabitants (saving a short ferry ride). In the ensuing uproar the earmark was removed, but the Alaska government apparently still has the authority to spend the funds on the bridge if it so chooses.
Posted by: Steve Urbanski on October 17, 2006 21:14
These politicians (does not matter what party) are only concerned about themselves, their families and what benefits them. Big business is running this country. They do not care about middle class america except when they need their votes. Real soon there will will only be poor & rich. Jobs are going overseas immigration is out of control. Everybody is worrying about being POLITICLEY CORRECT. It is time for middle america to take back OUR country.
Posted by: Fred on October 19, 2006 07:25
C'mon Steve, aren't you being a little hard on these guys? They did manage to keep the Foley scandal under wraps for a long time. That was not an easy task. Hastert deserves an Academy Award for his "I just found out about this last week" comments.
They did some other things, too.
They redefined "torture" not to mean torture.
They allocated $223 million dollars so 50 Alaskans wouldn't have to use a diesel guzzling ferry to get to the mainland.
They allowed 11 million illegal aliens to go about their daily lives without that fear of being deported.
They debated two of the most important and far reaching issues of our time --- Contitutional Amendments to stop rampant American flag burning and protect the sacred institute of marriage from the homosexuals (Let the heterosexuals continue to do the stellar job they're already doing)
They bent over backwards to allow the President to continue spying on us for our own good. Dick Nixon would be proud.
I would hardly call that "do nothing."
Posted by: Norton the Blogger on October 19, 2006 21:32
steve,
i'm with you one the idea that "something needs to be done" on social security.
out of curiousity, what would you have them do?
Posted by: rox_pubius on October 25, 2006 22:12
I don't know. I'm concerned about privitization plans, because there has to be a guaranteed benefit. If we allow people to risk even part of their money in the market, many will lose and then we no longer have a guaranteed benefit.
The whole system has to be studied in depth, a non-political panel should make recommendations to Congress, they should be implemented. The problem is creating a non-partisan panel and then making sure either party can't use the reform to scare the American people. It's a difficult issue that needs something more than some simple, political solution.
Posted by: Steve Urbanski on October 26, 2006 10:02
Concerning all this studying and looking further into things and temple tapping concern I see happening in political circles:
Like TK sez (that's Toby Keith to the yankees reading this)
Looks like "a little less talk and alot more action" is what we need.
Posted by: Joe on October 28, 2006 11:59