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| Last Binge Of A Condemned Congress |
| 2010-04-28 |
| Unchecked Power: Having nothing to lose as they tumble toward November's electoral cliff, Democrats have gone into legislative overdrive. With the hangman ready, the condemned are ordering the whole menu. The way things look right now, 2010 could go down in history as one of the biggest reversals of political power ever -- with even "safe" seats in big trouble. Take Rep. David Obey, D-Wis., chairman of the powerful pork-wielding House Appropriations Committee, who has held his seat since before man walked on the moon. He looks like a dead duck against a Republican challenge from a current county district attorney and MTV "Real World" alumnus named Sean Duffy -- who wasn't even born when Obey took office. "It's not a lifetime appointment," Duffy told the New York Times for a story on the numerous vulnerable Democrats who were once unbeatable. But like Thelma and Louise when they knew the jig was up, the Democratic Congress has decided it might as well put the pedal to the metal and go over the precipice with a crash and a bang. Unfortunately, they've got an already pummeled economy in the back seat with them. No one should misinterpret the rearranging of the cap-and-trade and immigration deck chairs on the Democrats' Titanic. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid want both -- bullying industry in the name of saving the planet and buying Hispanic votes with amnesty for illegal aliens. As Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., said over the weekend in reaction to moderate Sen. Lindsay Graham, R-S.C., angrily withdrawing his support on cap-and-trade, "We all believe that this year is our best and perhaps last chance for Congress to pass a comprehensive approach." In talking up an immigration bill, Democrats are scrambling for more votes from their base, but all it will do is fan the flames of anti-Washington sentiment. We've been assured before that this problem is fixed -- that we'll have one last, big amnesty -- only to find still more millions of people here in violation of the law. The big question is whether Republicans are smart enough to exploit the issue for what it is: an illustration of the divide between Americans who believe in the rule of law and politicians looking to import millions of new votes for their big-government agenda. Then there's the massive financial industry bill being pushed by Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn. It further institutionalizes the too-big-to-fail policy and claims to "end bailouts" by making financial firms give $50 billion to the Treasury. As on health reform, you won't see any outstretched hands across the aisle as Democrats try to steamroll GOP opposition into yet another monster spending and regulatory law. |
| Posted by:Besoeker |
| #10 Vote for the issues and the history. And if the Trunks had any brains at all, they would make another "Contract with America", including many of the ideals the Tea Party has proposed. Or they could just refer to the Constitution for guidance and inspiration. And don't forget to use the original meaning for words like "regulation", etc.. |
| Posted by: gorb 2010-04-28 22:30 |
| #9 I think very little of someone who changes party because he/she is just a cheap opportunist. They don't have any principles. They are carpetbaggers that will glom onto any party (or none) that will have them and that allows them to get elected once again. I would not vote for such a person. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2010-04-28 22:06 |
| #8 Republican leadership is too stupid to take advantage of this. Look at their support for turncoats and idiots lie Scozzofava, Specter, and now Charlie Crist who is going to backstab them and take millions with him by spending it on TV time so he will not have to refund it when he declares as an independent tomorrow. Until the Tea Party chases away the upper crust of the GOP, it will remain the stupid party. |
| Posted by: No I am the other Beldar 2010-04-28 19:59 |
| #7 House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid want both -- bullying industry in the name of saving the planet and buying Hispanic votes with amnesty for illegal aliens. Nancy and Harry, both tawdry crooks more interested in trying to save their party rather than the country. Thelma and Louise heading for the brink. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2010-04-28 16:28 |
| #6 But if somehow it is rammed through I'd lay odds that the resulting voters vote Dem. |
| Posted by: lotp 2010-04-28 16:00 |
| #5 Puerto Ricans are sick of the status issue. The had 3 votes on the issue in the 1990's. In all 3, commonwealth came first, statehood next, and independence last (<5%). I don't thing pushing this is going to make the Dems more popular. |
| Posted by: Frozen Al 2010-04-28 15:17 |
| #4 I don't see how the Republicans can expect to win big when their best slogan is, "We're not quite as bad as the other guys." |
| Posted by: Formerly Dan 2010-04-28 13:30 |
| #3 How well the Dems spin their financial regulatory reform bill and the Reps opposition to it will carry a lot of weight in the election. I heard an ABC AM radio news broadcast describing the Reps alternative bill as being "less muscular" and having "less protections for the consumer". If the Reps want control back they need to be organized and on message. I agree with lex that overconfidence could be a killer. |
| Posted by: Keeney 2010-04-28 12:14 |
| #2 The Trunks may be overconfident but the Dems really do have the pedal-to-the-metal, with a non-binding vote on Puerto Rican statehood scheduled. That would pick up a lot of Hispanic votes. |
| Posted by: Lumpy Elmoluck5091 2010-04-28 01:21 |
| #1 electoral cliff Count me skeptical. I'm with Krauthammer on this one: the GOP is way over-confident, and is seriously underestimating the impact of the Dems' superior money and organization (read: SEIU thugs). Most importantly, the Repubs are likely to go into their usual oligarch mode and wind up being perceived as Wall Street's best friends forever. Only if and when the GOP renounces the moneyfiddlers-- when it makes it clear that it sides with real producers against arbitrageurs and 2-and-20 scammers, with small businessmen against crony mega-capitalists, with ordinary Americans against the private health insurance mafia-- only then will the GOP have a serious shot at taking back Washington. Prediction: November's results will be decidedly underwhelming for the GOP. As it stands, the GOP is part of the oligarchy. 'Dum to the Dems' 'Dee. Pox on both, etc. |
| Posted by: lex 2010-04-28 00:26 |