The Joke's On Us in the 110th Congress
Filed under: Anglosphere
2007 was the first year since 1994 that the Democrats, led by speaker Nancy Pelosi in the House of Representatives, controlled both houses of Congress. Yet, after a record-breaking number of votes on legislation (1,186) less than 13% of initiatives ended up becoming law (146) -- a pathetic record of failure for the Democrats.
On her website, Speaker Pelosi claims a number of accomplishments. Let's review them, shall we?
1. First minimum wage increase in 10 years
It was raised from $5.15 to $5.85 per hour. The starting wage at Mickey D's is $7.00. Less than half of one percent of the American workforce is affected by the $0.70/hour raise.
2. 9/11 Commission recommendations to screen all air cargo and overseas port cargo, improving communications between first responders
A recommendation is not law, is it?
3. Congressional ethics reform
Just name me one unethical thing Congress has been prevented from doing. I dare you. I double DOG dare you.
4. Overdue disaster aid to farmers and ranchers
George Will states: "Rebuffing George W. Bush, who advocates halting farm subsidies to those with adjusted gross incomes of more than $200,000, the Senate also rejected -- more bipartisanship -- a cap at $750,000. This, in spite of the fact that farm income has soared to record levels, partly because Congress shares the president's loopy enthusiasm for ethanol and wants more corn and other agricultural matter turned into fuel."
5. Emergency assistance to protect children's health coverage
Pelosi chooses not to mention that the only way this measure will be paid for is if smoking increases, because cigarette taxes are the basis Congress has provided for its funding.
6. Pay-as-you-go budget discipline restored to end six years of deficit spending with a balanced budget by 2012
It's wonderful that Nancy is proud of this. It's a Republican law. It's Clintonian in its Republicanness. It's also a boldfaced lie that it was done. Will states: "In January, with much preening, House Democrats embraced 'pay-go,' the pay-as-you-go rule that any tax cut must be 'paid for' by compensatory tax increases or spending cuts. In December, Democrats abandoned it because of the alternative minimum tax."
7. A comprehensive Innovation and Competitiveness agenda to double basic research & development and reinvest in math and science education
An agenda is not a law, is it?
8. Emergency funding to support and equip troops, including tripling Mine-Resistant Ambush, protected (MRAP) vehicles in Iraq
Will: "Representatives passed a bill containing money for the war in Afghanistan but not for the one in Iraq. The Senate added money for Iraq. House Democrats then voted 141 to 78 against final passage, but House Republicans and moderate Democrats passed it and liberals headed home to brag about having voted against funding the war."
9. Tighter rules against foreign investment that weaken national security, after the Dubai Ports scandal
It took Pelosi's Congress well over a year after the Dubai scandal to get this bill to the White House. If she's proud of that, she's a mental case.
10. Reduction of backlog on passports after 9/11 requirement through hiring boost
Congress caused this problem in the first place by passing a law requiring passports for travel to places they hadn't been needed before like Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean without making provisions for new demand. Notice how Nancy doesn't tell you that? And notice how she doesn't say how much "reduction" in backlog occurred?
11. Benchmarks and progress report required on Iraq
Osama bin Laden might just as well have been the sponsor of this measure.
12. Overdue hurricane aid to rebuild Gulf Coast housing, hospitals, schools, and levees
It's quite strange that Pelosi and the Democrats would want to take credit for this, since back in September when it passed they decried it as woefully inadequate.
13. Emergency funding to fight wildfires
How about avoiding wildfires in the first place? How about helping the people who've been burned out? Nothing for that, Nancy?
14. U.S. Attorney appointments protected from political influence
Blocking Bush's nominees isn't the same as passing a law, is it? Notice how she doesn't care to say how many were actually blocked?
15. Vigorous Congressional oversight restored after six years, saving billions of taxpayer dollars, exposing corruption and incompetence
Umm, not exactly. Will writes: "Hellbent on driving its approval rating into single digits, Congress adjourned after passing an omnibus spending bill larded with at least 8,993 earmarks costing at least $7.4 billion -- the precise number and amount will be unclear until implications of some obscure provisions are deciphered. The gusher of earmarks was a triumph of bipartisanship, which often is a synonym for kleptocracy."
16. Green the Capitol plan launched to cut carbon footprint 50%
A plan is not a law, is it?
17. National Summit on America's Children to align policies with latest science
A summit is not a law, is it?
Surprisingly, there are a few accomplishments that Nancy chooses to omit from her list: She chooses not to take "credit" for laws allowing unions to organize by "card check" rather than actual elections and to leave in place a gigantic restrictive tariff on cheap Brazilian ethanol, thus dissuading people from using green vehicles. She also doesn't care to mention that she is ordering us to stop using incandescent light bulbs and to drive only cars that get at least 35 mpg by 2020.
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