Are DC Democrats the proverbial tree in forest?

People not heard enough about the Democratic Congress? That's Beltway blindness.

The truth is just the opposite. People have heard too much about the Democratic Congress, but all the fawning publicity in the world can't hide the fact that they haven't accomplished what they pledged to do.

The Congressional Democrats are not so much invisible as they are the laughing stock of the country. They try to represent the Move-On kook krowd. They somehow manage to be on the wrong side of nearly every issue with the majority of Americans. And then they cry wolf so much, trying to politicize every issue, that nobody pays attention to them. Couple all that with the total lack of leadership and communication ability with the Democratic leadership and you have the perfect storm...for the benefit of the Republicans in '08.

The reason everyone is mad at Congress is not just that they haven't accomplished much. It's that instead of working on actual problems, they spent weeks and weeks debating "nonbinding resolutions" of one sort or another, discussing whether they should condemn Rush Limbaugh, trying to anger one of the few allies we have left (Turkey) over something that happened almost 100 years ago, and various other examples of political showmanship that accomplished nothing. And no presidential veto prevented them from ending the war. All they had to do was cut off funding, and they didn't.

Brucie, Harry, and Greg:

The real problem is the GOP blocking everything that the Democrats are trying to do. Then when they do pass something, like SCHIP, there are enough lunkhead Republicans around to back W and his veto.

So how do you explain the President saying that $35 billion over 5 years is "excessive spending", but sending 5 times that amount to Iraq IN ONE YEAR isn't? And why is it that Georgie won't put this into the defense budget, but use supplemental spending?? Probably because this will not show up on the budget deficit.

Oh, and Greg - the Republicans aren't wasting time with resolutions against MoveOn.org, Pete Stark, etc.??

Face it - the Republicans did nothing in the first 6 years of the Bush Administration except rubber stamp every thing he did.

And Harry? Look at the elections next year. How many Republicans have announced they will not run again?

12

How many Democrats??

1

The Republicans have to defend 22 seats in the Senate, the Democrats 11.

In other words, look at the Democrats to INCREASE their margins in both houses.

Even the GOP national leadership is saying this will happen.

The problem with the Democrats is that they are led by two of the least articulate, least photogenic, least charismatic people they could find. It's downright frustrating listening to both of them either swallow or trip over their words. They seem to always dally in trivial issues that nobody cares about, like Reid's smear letter. Both Pelosi and Reid are embarrassments.

People not heard enough about the Democratic Congress? That's Beltway blindness.

The truth is just the opposite. People have heard too much about the Democratic Congress, but all the fawning publicity in the world can't hide the fact that they haven't accomplished what they pledged to do.

Posted by: Bruce | October 24, 2007 1:07 PM

Mr. Roboto,

You know as well as I do that the Dems have such a razor thin majority that it becomes easy for the lockstep Repubs and their robots (you) to block just about everything (Iraq,Healthcare) that they are trying to do.

You want to see a real Democratic Congress, RNC Brucie? just wait until 08 when we get rid of the rest of the Republics.

"The strategy of being obstructionist can work or fail...and so far it's working for us. Democrats are the ones taking the blame for not getting anything done".

(R) Trent Lott
Roll Call
April 18, 2007

"The reason everyone is mad at Congress is not just that they haven't accomplished much."

And what did the Republican controlled Congress accomplish in 8 years?

It sounds like the Democrats in Congress who are complaining that you never hear about all the great things they have accomplished have taken a page out of the propaganda playbook of the Republicans who complain that you never hear about all the great things happening in Iraq.

Democrats swept the 2006 elections because the public wants them to end the war and to hold this over-reaching executive branch to account. Until they have the backbone to do either of those things, they will be viewed as little more than buffoons.

Well, here's an idea: Let's a get a bipartisan coalition to override Bush's deplorable veto of kid's health care.

This would be a huge victory for not just Congress, but for America.

I'm doing some grassroots work with Families USA and we have an ad and a petition to pressure Congress. Check it out on our web site at http://www.familiesusa.org

"The reason everyone is mad at Congress is not just that they haven't accomplished much."

And what did the Republican controlled Congress accomplish in 8 years?

Posted by: Paul | October 24, 2007 2:20 PM

We tried to get a flag burning amendment, a gay marriage amendment, the ten commandments in our courthouses, prayer in our schools, you know, all the things that help create jobs, put food on the table, pay for health insurance. But the damn liberal democrats and activist judges, and liberal press and Bill Clinton stopped us at every turn. They wouldn't even let us intervene in the Terry Schiavo mess. We got our Iraq Fiasco, but the Lefties keep bitching about the cost, half-a-trillion, a trillion, who cares? What was it our esteemed VP told his treasury secretary?.."You know, Paul, Reagan proved deficits don't matter". Yes, I think that was it.

O.K., so we lost a few thousand troops. Sacrifices need to be made to keep the Military-Industrial-Complex humming. Besides, "If you're not one of us, your one of the little people"

So why don't all you whiny lefties go hug a tree or something. Or better yet, Cheney!

Wilson, excellent idea. But don't look at the Dems. They voted for it. See John E's note above for the reason for the problem.

So by JWB's account, the Republicans did not accomplish a thing in the 6 years while they had controll of Congress. The Republicans expect the Dems to have great accomplishments in 10 months when they failed to do anything successful in 6 years.

BobinATL wrote:

"The real problem is the GOP blocking everything that the Democrats are trying to do. Then when they do pass something, like SCHIP, there are enough lunkhead Republicans around to back W and his veto."

I disagree. The real problem with this Congress is that they are adverse to any form of compromise, which is a losing proposition when your party does not control the executive branch or have a veto-proof majority. Instead of negotiation and compromise, the Dem majority tries to ram rod through legislation. It's like watching someone repeatedly bang their head into a brick wall, then blaming the wall because their head hurts.

John E., when are you and the rest of the 11%ers that still support this Congress going to wake up? You knuckle-nut, wing-dragging neo . . . something, something

John E., when are you and the rest of the 11%ers that still support this Congress going to wake up? You knuckle-nut, wing-dragging neo . . . something, something

Posted by: Herbie H. | October 24, 2007 4:10 PM

Peaches & Herbie,

Is that the best you've got?
Com'on!

Jerry White's Brother - My guess is that your parents are cousins. That what happens in Springfield. Banjo music to follow ...

Hey! They've kept us out of Iran....so far.

Posted by: Herbie H. | October 24, 2007 4:10 PM

Herbie Hancock,

I don't support this Congress because we have yet to completely rid it of the cancer that is Republican part of it.

The radiation treatments should be complete after 08.

Herbie-

And what is the President willing to compromise on?

Is he willing to bend to the will of the Congress in any meaningful way? If he is, I haven't seen any signs of it.

Bobin,

I suggest you go back and look at the Congressional resignations and party-chnages that occurred in 1995-96 after the dems got their butts kicked in 1994.

It happens quite often that their are resignations when the party of the majority becomes the party of the minority - it just isn't as fun - the lobbyist dollars just don't flow in.

Speaking of lobbyist dollars - the dems are setting records on K Street.

The real problem is the GOP blocking everything that the Democrats are trying to do.

* * * * *

Posted by: BobinATL | October 24, 2007 1:54 PM

I hope you don’t entirely believe that.

The Democrats could have already ended the war in Iraq a couple times, but they failed to do so. This wouldn’t have required anything positive that needed 60 votes in the Senate to pass, either. If they simply voted against further funding requests, the requests would be defeated and the President would be forced to bring the troops home. This is a failure of political will to carry out what the American Public voted them into office to accomplish.

At least – this is true if the Democrats are correct when they say the American People want them to end the war.

I personally think the Democrats aren’t interested in getting a lot accomplished. I think they want everyone to believe they are trying to do something, so that they can later use it for political capital against the Republicans.

And, yes, the same is true of SCHIP. They are trying to pass a bill that won’t make it past a veto. What’s more important in the here and now – keeping SCHIP alive or getting exactly what they want with the dollar figures? The fact that they don’t seem interested in compromise tells me it is the latter and not the former. This, again, is beginning to look like the Dems are simply trolling for propaganda material to use against the Republicans in the next election.

BTW, even the 60 vote rule in the Senate to pass a cloture was the Democrats’ invention. The Democrats refused to give it up when the Republicans offered to rescind it. So, much of the stuff held up by the need for 60 votes for cloture is the Democrats’ own damn fault.

Speaking of lobbyist dollars - the dems are setting records on K Street.

Posted by: Terry | October 24, 2007 8:12 PM

Beanie boy,

You mean they're catching up to the records that Jack Abramoff and the Republics set?

Show us some Proof of this fantasy of yours, Terry.

PD,

I resemble that!

I agree with GW. listening to Dingy Harry Reid or Grandma Pelosi is just not inspiring.
The problem with do nothing low poll at 11 percent Democrats is they were elected to govern instead they have held some 700 oversight hearings and they have through their meanness squandered their chance to govern. Hopefull, in 2008 we can kick this bunch of Jackasses out with a GOP victory. Jerry White, Springfield, IL

AJF, Bush offered to compromise on a new SCHIP bill after he delivered his promised veto, to which Harry Reid responded "You cannot wring another ounce of compromise out of this." Another ounce? Where was the first ounce? Notwithstanding Reid's tough sounding rhetoric, it appears the Dems are making inroads toward a compromise, and if there were gifted statesmen on either side of the aisle, there would be no doubt in my mind that a version of the law would pass. As it is, we have a stubborn President and absolutely brutal Congressional leadership, so who knows.

Also, as far as Bush compromising, I think we have to remember that for the first six years of his presidency, Bush did not have to compromise, as his party also controlled Congress. Since the '06 elections, there has been a battle of wills between the President and the Congress, and the President is definitely having to make adjustments. I think one example was the minimum wage hike, which Bush initially opposed. After Democrats (gasp) compromised, addressed Republicans concerns over the impact of the bill on small businesses, a version was passed that was acceptable, if not favored, by all.

John E., you are right. That was a weak effort trying to insult you. I'll try to do better the next time.

Rush Limbaugh's infected pimple wrote:

"Herbie Hancock,

I don't support this Congress because we have yet to completely rid it of the cancer that is Republican part of it.

The radiation treatments should be complete after 08."

Right. All Republicans will be out of Congress after '08. Even though only a third of the Senate is up for . . . why I am even responding to this? You are an idiot.

Math Whiz,

Dead tree version of WSJ this week - go to your local library.

My apologies, the WSJ has no pictures. Maybe mom or dad can read it to you.

Math Whiz,

Dead tree version of WSJ this week - go to your local library.

My apologies, the WSJ has no pictures. Maybe mom or dad can read it to you.

Posted by: Terry | October 25, 2007 12:17 PM

What the hell are you talking about?

[quote]
The real problem with this Congress is that they are adverse to any form of compromise

[...]

Instead of negotiation and compromise, the Dem majority tries to ram rod through legislation.

Posted by: Herbie H. | October 24, 2007 4:10 PM
[/quote]

Gee, Herbie - do you think that the Democrats learned this by watching the Republic Party dominated Congress for the past 12 years?

John E and Math Whiz, one in the same.