#323027
WASHINGTON -- Battle-weary members of Congress are coming soon to neighborhoods near you to press for re-election, more eager to campaign before angry constituents than compromise in Washington on tax cuts, child nutrition or a federal budget.

Majority Democrats facing tough re-election fights rebelled in both chambers Wednesday against their leaders' decisions to call off controversial votes, pass a temporary bill to keep the government running and head home.

"The Senate should be more concerned about doing what's right for the country and less concerned about campaign season," said Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo.

The measure to adjourn passed both chambers despite the protests. In the House, it passed by one vote -- Speaker Nancy Pelosi's -- after 39 Democrats joined Republicans in voting no.

It was a messy end to a session fraught with partisan warfare, and it's not over. Within days of the voters' verdict, the same crew -- with a few newly elected faces -- will reconvene to take up a hefty list of legislation deemed toxic in the unforgiving pre-election atmosphere. Democrats will still control both chambers during the "lame duck" session.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/09 ... -campaign/
#323029
Take your pick:

Damned if you do, damned if you don’t or stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Either saying is appropriate for the dilemma Democrats now find themselves in as far as extending the Bush Tax Cuts.

On the one hand, raising taxes in the current economy is really not an option. But, on the other hand, going deeper into debt may be just as bad. And, of course, cutting spending and downsizing government is not in the Democrat’s lexicon. They simply will never consider smaller government.

So, the Democrat’s compromise position is to keep the tax in place for the “wealthy” and continue the break for those making less than some arbitrary figure, usually around $200,000.

The only people that will see a tax increase from this are also the ones that create jobs. And any increase on their taxes will slow down job creation.

The problem the Democrats have is that extending the Bush Tax Cuts for all, including the wealthy, is not popular with the Progressive base of the party, who are really into redistribution of wealth and punishing the rich for being successful.

But raising taxes on the jobs creation sector is unpopular with both Republicans and Independents.

So, faced with alienating the Progressive base by extending the tax cuts for all taxpayers and alienating the Independents by raising taxes on only the top jobs creators, the Democrats made the only play they had that alienated the fewest people. They did nothing.

Nothing!

Speaker Nancy Pelosi found it necessary to call a special session to return lawmakers to D.C. to bail out Teachers Unions, but letting Americans in on how much they will be paying in taxes come January 1 was not that important.

But you must understand, the Democrats are in serious trouble with voters not for something they failed to do, but for the things they did do!

To be sure, voters hold them responsible for the failures of their policies, but the largest dose of voter anger has been aimed at the horrific legislation they have passed.

People expect the Democrats to be do nothings, they are good at that. But they draw fire when they act on their Utopian pipe dreams.

So, do nothing replaces do something even if it is wrong when it comes to raising taxes.

We really should not set our expectations higher than that, should we?
#323031
astontibs wrote:Paesano,
I know, I work for the Navy and I was told by my sponsor in DC to come up with a bare bones budget for 30, 60 and 90 days because of the Continuing Resolutions (CR's). What a hassle.


Be happy you have a job. I thought we were turning the corner, but my wife's employer just announced layoffs, so we'll have to see how that plays out.
#323032
Boro Friend wrote:This Congress works better when they are out of town.There is an awful lot of reversal work to do.

How true.
More will get done in 2013.
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