Pelosi Falls Short On Election Promises; Water also wet, Sun rises in East

Pelosi Falls Short On Election Promises

Well, yes. Some of us knew this before the first ballot was cast.


Pelosi vowed that five-day workweeks would be a hallmark of a harder-working Democratic majority. So far, the House has logged only one. Lawmakers plan to clock three days this week.


That's pretty good considering their salaries. Not to mention they take August off. Add a dash of gerrymandering and you're set with a goldbricking job for life.


The speaker has denied Republicans a vote on their proposals during congressional debates -- a tactic she previously declared oppressive and promised to end. Pelosi has opened the floor to a Republican alternative just once.


Well, that was when she was running for office. Now that she's through the gate she slams it behind her. This is not new nor is it confined to Defeatocrats. The GOP does the same thing. The judicial spots are always held off as long as possible no matter who's in power.


Pelosi set a high standard for herself when she pledged to make this "the most ethical Congress in history" -- a boast that was the political equivalent of leading with her chin. And some critics have been happy to hit it.


I remember Clinton feeding us the same tripe. Didn't buy it then, sure as hell ain't buying it now.

And get this gem:


Pelosi promised an ambitious start to the new Congress, he said, and she had determined the best way to proceed was by limiting debate.


Can you imagine the howls of "squashing dissent" and "fascism" that would erupt from the soft white underbelly of DU or Kos if this were the GOP?



Pelosi seems to be following a familiar pattern. Twelve years ago, Speaker Newt Gingrich promised to reform the House and govern by principles of fairness and transparency. But, for leaders of both parties, the reality of ruling with a narrow majority translates into tight controls over floor debate, cozy relations with lobbyists and accommodating the needs of lawmakers (who hate working long weeks).


Yes, noted above. This has more to do with power hungry people than party. The fact that they're lazy is actually an upside because it means they don't dedicate themselves to screwing us every day of the working week.


"Pelosi had to put him somewhere," said Sloan, who has also worked as minority counsel for the House Judiciary Committee for then-ranking member John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.). "But I am troubled by the fact ... that (Jefferson) is the kind of guy who could not pass a security clearance test and yet now he has access to top-secret government info."


Precisely. We don't take national security seriously because members of Congress are exempted from background checks. I suspect a great many of them wouldn't pass muster. Don't look for either party to put forth a law requiring that one.

Now a startling admission:


In a recent newspaper commentary, former Democratic Rep. Lee Hamilton of Indiana expressed concern "that the new Democratic majority in the House, which certainly understands the sting of unfair treatment, has on occasion yielded to the temptation of its newfound power to shut down Republican participation."


the "on occasion" part is only due to their slim majority. If they had a wide one, you can bet they'd be hammering legislation through at breakneck speed.


So far, the GOP has been shut out of virtually every big debate. The most recent example was the House fight over the war in Iraq, in which Democrats broke their promise to allow the GOP a vote on its nonbinding resolution supporting the troops.


Emphasis mine.


"Oh, cry me a river," said former Democratic Rep. Tony Coelho. "For six years they ran a system that was autocratic, that didn't give the minority a shot at offering anything and now are saying 'mistreatment' …They never even let the Democrats have a voice."


I have yet to see Democrats offer anything since time out of mind. They give vague descriptions about "real security" or "going about the war a different way". No member of the MSM ever presses them to find out what that means. Kerry said he would force Iran to sign a treaty. Exactly how, Senator?


There is a practical reason for this approach, too. Alternatives are ripe for mischief. The minority party often puts together legislation designed to either embarrass or divide the other side.


Of course. When you're the underdog you need only sow confusion to win. If, however, the Democrats have a real solid plan that makes sense, there's nothing to fear.


"If we don't start seeing some opportunities for Republicans to offer real amendments on floor and to see some effort at collaboration that is genuine," said Thomas Mann of the Brookings Institution, "then she and Democrats will properly be subject to criticism."


Considering the source, that's practically call for open revolt. Bottom line: the party in power is smug and self satisfied. The party out of power is insane.

Comments

Anonymous said…
come on, did you really expect change? I know I hoped for it, but I didn't expect it

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