112th Congress

The Senate “Tea Party” Caucus: Jim DeMint, Rand Paul, And Mike Lee

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A “glorious” day is coming on January 27, when the so called Senate Tea Party Caucus is meeting with local Tea Party activists to consider making government smaller, and how to deal with the budgets, spending, and the deficit.

Three Republican Senators will be present at these meetings: Jim DeMint of South Carolina, Rand Paul of Kentucky, and Mike Lee of Utah.

All three are the most right wing members of the GOP, and by being involved with the Tea Party, they label themselves as the most extreme and loony members of the Republican Party! 🙁

What is fascinating though is that the other 44 GOP senators are NOT scheduled to be involved in this meeting, and realize that 13 new Republican Senators were elected to the 112th Congress, but only two of them, Paul and Lee, are willing to associate directly with Jim DeMint, who has become the worst of the worst in the party, so this move will label them as extremists who cannot be taken as rational and reasonable in their views! 🙁

Effect Of Tea Party Movement And New Membership On The 112th Congress

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As the 112th Congress opened today, the statistics showed that 43 Tea Party favorites were elected to the House of Representatives, and five to the Senate.

That means about 10 percent of the House and 5 percent of the Senate is affected by the Tea Party Movement.

While it sounds impressive, is it really so? Only if the GOP leadership in both houses chooses to let the extremists in this movement gain control, and it seems highly unlikely in reality.

It is much more likely that there will be “civil war” in the GOP, and it will affect the 2012 Presidential Election, and weaken the Republican ability to keep the House of Representatives, and gain control of the Senate and the White House.

Will Rand Paul of Kentucky, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, Marco Rubio of Florida, and Mike Lee of Utah gain a lot of influence and affect the direction of the GOP in the Senate? That will be one of the most interesting trends to follow in the new Senate!

At the same time, we also have more freshmen legislators than at any time since the late 1940s, with 87 new Republicans and 9 new Democrats in the House of Representatives, and 13 new Republicans and 3 new Democrats in the Senate.

There has never been so many new Republicans and so few new Democrats in a Congress since the 1920s! So this 112th Congress will be watched closely for the impact of the 20 percent new membership (108 out of 535)!

Eric Cantor: “We won!” Nancy Pelosi In 2009: “We won!” So Nothing New With GOP Control Except Who They Represent! :(

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House Majority Leader Eric Cantor was cocky yesterday in a news conference, asserting: “We won!”

Two years ago, Nancy Pelosi said the same thing, and the Republican Party jumped all over her and her party!

But what has changed with GOP control? Nothing new, except who the GOP represents: powerful corporations, the top few percent of the people in a war on the masses of the middle and lower classes.

It looks likely that the 112th Congress will go down as the most right wing, reactionary Congress since the 1920s, as even the 80th Congress in 1947-1948 and the 83rd Congress in 1953-1954 were notable for some of the things they did.

As much as the Newt Gingrich led 104th (1995-1996) and 105th (1997-1998) Congresses were seen negatively in the Bill Clinton era, their right wing and conservative bent pale by comparison to what seems likely to occur over the next two years, and the big difference is that in the earlier Congresses mentioned above, the economy was not in a deep recession, with a slow recovery as we have in the present.

So the nation needs to brace for the horrors to come as the new Congress begins today! 🙁

The Age Of Right Wing Republicans Begins! State, National, And Supreme Court Evidence Of The Changed Reality! :(

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A number of pieces of news today makes us aware of just how far right wing this country is to be taken by the Republican Party, once the new 112th Congress begins tomorrow! 🙁

News comes that the GOP Governors of many states are declaring “war” on public employee unions, making them the scapegoat of the economic crisis the nation faces! 🙁

The myth is that public service employees are overpaid, have too many benefits, and don’t work very hard. The facts are that people who work for state and local governments are NOT overpaid, and never have been, and while benefits might be better than average in a country where only 15 percent of private employers provide a traditional pension, the reason for their existence is exactly because pay in these jobs is below what many privately employed workers receive.

This is a case of turning the people of the states against their own teachers, police officers, firefighters, prison guards, nurses, social workers, librarians, and agency workers as a move of revenge, as if it is the fault of these workers that economic conditions are terrible.

Rather than blame corporations and the refusal of government to regulate their practices in the public interest, instead the goal is to destroy labor unions of all kinds, even though only NINE percent of all workers are union members! 🙁

Also, we learn that Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justice Antonin Scalia have no problem being partisan, when they are supposed to be objective and neutral on public matters.

Roberts has sworn in top aides of Speaker John Boehner, a highly unusual action, and Scalia, promoting his concept of “originalism”, now states that women are not protected constitutionally by the “equal protection” clause of the Constitution! 🙁

How outrageous such a statement is, and if that were to be utilized in the future by the Supreme Court majority, it could set us back to the 19th century, and include African Americans, Latinos, Jews, Catholics, and others as not being protected by the Constitution! Is this a move to repeal the 20th century by a reactionary Supreme Court, which would be overruling past Supreme Court cases upholding “equal protection”? 🙁

And finally, Darrell Issa is now asking corporations what laws they want considered for repeal as interfering with their economic activities, as he begins his term as head of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee in the House of Representatives! What could be more corrupt than that, and yet, Issa has the gall to say that the Obama Administration is the most corrupt in a long time! 🙁

It is hard to imagine that by 2012, there will not be “buyer’s remorse” about the Republican Party control of the House and growing influence in the Senate.

And realize that all that the Democrats need to regain control of the House of Representatives is a gain of 25 seats, certainly a manageable possibility!

The Five Most Accomplished Congresses Of The Past Hundred Years!

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As the 111th Congress officially comes to an end today, it is time to reflect on the accomplishments of the five best Congresses of the past hundred years.

The five most accomplished Congresses in chronological order would be as follows:

The 63rd Congress under President Woodrow Wilson (1913-1914).

The 73rd Congress under President Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933-1934).

The 80th Congress under President Harry S Truman (1947-1948).

The 89th Congress under President Lyndon B. Johnson (1965-1966).

The 111th Congress under President Barack Obama (2009-2010).

Notice all of the Congresses were under Democratic Presidents, but the 80th Congress was controlled by the opposition Republicans!

What makes these Congresses stand out?

The 63rd Congress–The Underwood Simmons Tariff, The Federal Reserve Act, The Federal Trade Commission Act, The Clayton Anti Trust Act, Internal Revenue Tax Act, La Follette Seamen’s Act.

The 73rd Congress–The Agricultural Adjustment Act, The National Industrial Recovery Act, The Tennessee Valley Authority, The Civilian Conservation Corps, The Public Works Administration, The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, The Securities And Exchange Commission, Home Owners Loan Corporation, Federal Emergency Relief Administration, The 20th Amendment, The 21st Amendment.

The 80th Congress–The Defense Department, The Central Intelligence Agency, The National Security Council, The Council Of Economic Advisers,The 22nd Amendment, The Presidential Succession Act, The Taft-Hartley Act, The Truman Doctrine, The Marshall Plan.

The 89th Congress–The Elementary And Secondary Education Act, Higher Education Act, Department of Housing And Urban Development, Department of Transportation, Voting Rights Act, Immigration And Nationality Act, National Traffic And Motor Vehicle Safety Act, Medicare and Medicaid Act, National Foundation On The Arts And The Humanities Act, Federal Cigarette Labeling And Advertising Act, Motor Vehicle Air Pollution Control Act, National Historic Preservation Act, Freedom Of Information Act, Highway Beautification Act.

111th Congress–Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act, American Recovery And Reinvestment Act, Credit Card Act, Hate Crimes Prevention Act, Patient Protection And Affordable Care Act, Student Aid And Fiscal Responsibility Act, Wall Street Reform And Consumer Protection Act, Tax Relief And Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization And Job Creation Act, Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Repeal Act, 9/11 Health And Compensation Act, Food Safety And Modernization Act, START Treaty With Russia.

Much of the progress that this nation has seen in the past century is due to the activism of these five Congresses, and the Presidents in office at the time.

As we look to a likely very negative, regressive 112th Congress over the next two years, with a Republican House of Representatives and a Democratic Senate, let us realize that we have seen great accomplishments in the past which should not be reversed by a reactionary Republican Party out to destroy all of the reforms that have made America a better place.

The fight to prevent regression and negativism begins tomorrow, and will be fought “tooth and nail” during 2011-2012. All progressives must unite in this battle and never give in to despair and cynicism. The battle for the future depends on it!

“Prima Donna” Senate Republicans: A Massive Headache For Mitch McConnell!

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It has often been said that the Democratic Party is not an organized party with any discipline, but it seems obvious that in the 112th Congress, that Mitch McConnell and John Boehner will have trouble controlling their membership!

This is particularly true in the US Senate, which can be said to have two distinct groups of “prima donnas”, people who are not good at working together and with others!

Dana Milbank of the Washington Post referred to a group of Senators, who complained bitterly about being “rushed” to do things, and feeling that the idea of having to work to just before Christmas was somehow an outrage!

Realize that it was because the Republicans asked for delays on many issues and procrastinated on them, that required the Senate to stay in session through yesterday, December 22. Also, these Senators seem to live in an unreal world, as if no one works to the day before Christmas. In other words, they are “petulant”, but also prima donnas, not an image designed to win support of the American people!

For the record, who fits into the “petulant” group of Republican Senators? They include Jim DeMint of South Carolina, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, John Thune of South Dakota, Jeff Sessions of Alabama, Orrin Hatch of Utah, and Jon Kyl and John McCain of Arizona.

Now in the new Congress, McConnell must work with the five new “Tea Party” Senators–Marco Rubio of Florida, Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Rand Paul of Kentucky, and Mike Lee of Utah.

This sounds like a massive undertaking, to gain their cooperation and willingness to do what needs to be done, not always what they want to be done.

Let’s just say that no one should envy the challenge facing Mitch McConnell, as well as John Boehner, now that their party has more seats in the Senate and controls the House of Representatives.

It is not just how the GOP relates to President Obama, but also how they relate to each other, that will be the biggest political news story of 2011!

An Amazing, Historic Day: Triple Victory And Culmination Of Brilliant Lame Duck Session, One Of Greatest Performing In American History! :)

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December 22, 2010, will go down in history as an extremely rare day in American history, as THREE major accomplishments came to fruition in just a few hours! 🙂

The signing of the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” for the military in a morning ceremony was a great civil rights victory, the greatest since 1965.

The ratification of the START Treaty with Russia was President Obama’s greatest foreign policy accomplishment in office, and won 13 Senate Republican supporters, winning 71-26 in the afternoon. This was an important step forward in gaining Russian support for dealing with the growing threat presented by Iran.

And then, in an ultimate vote of conscience, the Congress gave justice to September 11 First Responders by passing medical care legislation for those heroes who worked so hard under difficult conditions after the tragic attack on the World Trade Center.

This day just culminates a fantastic Lame Duck Session, in which unemployment compensation extension was accomplished, along with continuation of tax cuts that already existed (but unfortunately with continued tax cuts to the top two percent, which will add nearly a trillion to the national debt, but a necessary compromise under the circumstances), and a food safety bill which gives the Food and Drug Administration more authority over the subject than at any time since 1938 under the New Deal.

The only major failure and loss was the DREAM Act, which Obama made clear, at a triumphant, confident, press conference, was still a major goal to be accomplished in the 112th Congress, which seems doubtful.

But Obama certainly revived from the major defeat in the midterm elections just six weeks ago, and is seen as having made a “comeback”, which means no one should underestimate his ability to get things done, and to accomplish his goals, because as he said, when he feels strongly about some issue, he is “persistent”!

So we should all congratulate Obama and his party for having done what seemed to be the impossible–REAL accomplishments in a Lame Duck session, which many Republicans thought was a useless waste of time! HOW WRONG THEY WERE !

The Reality Of Budget Cuts To Come In The 112th Congress: The Poor, The Young, The Retired To Suffer Greatly While The Rich And Privileged Suffer No Pain! :(

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We hear a lot these days about “cost cutting”, and “budget cuts” and “reckless spending” as code words for what the 112th Congress under House Speaker to be John Boehner will be addressing next year.

What it comes down to, though, is that the rich and privileged and the corporations will suffer no pain at all, and instead the poor, the young, and the retired (mostly elderly) Americans will bear the brunt of such a dramatic slashing of the budget!

It means that medical care will be denied, as it is, for instance, in Arizona to Medicaid recipients who need heart, lung, kidney and liver transplants, and instead will die, being given a “death panel” decision by Governor Jan Brewer! 🙁

It means that class sizes will be dramatically raised, making educational conditions in thousands of school districts across the country far worse than they already are!

It means that crime fighting and fire fighting will be impeded, which will affect poorer communities more than wealthier areas within the states!

It means many prisoners will be released because of overcrowding and budget cuts in state prisons, and that will add to the crime rate, particularly in poorer areas!

It means that college students in community colleges and state universities across the nation will, in many cases, be priced out of higher education, or go so deep into debt with rising tuition and housing costs, that they will be forced into bankruptcy in future years! 🙁

It means that dedicated civil service employees who have devoted their lives to serving the public in many capacities will now be cheated out of labor arrangements and retirement plans that they thought were legally binding!

It means that basic amenities such as parks, beaches, libraries, and other public services will be cut back dramatically, making the quality of life far worse!

It means that basic services to the elderly poor will be cut back, endangering many in their health and safety, and the whole concept of the “golden years”!

The more one thinks about this series of realities, the more the inequities of the situation scream out. So the rich and privileged will do just fine, while large portions of the population will suffer in an age of selfishness and greed, unparalleled since the 1920s and the previous Gilded Age (1865-1897), which one would think we would not repeat.

And now we will have a Republican leadership that does not apologize for this circumstance, and instead embraces it with impunity! 🙁

The Harsh Reality: The Republicans Control The Senate, Even Though They Do Not Have The Majority Of Seats! :(

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The vote this morning in the Senate on the tax cut extension legislation proves what many do not want to admit! 🙁

The Republican Party controls the Senate, even though they do not have the majority of seats! 🙁

So the Republican Party will control what goes on in both houses in the 112th Congress, despite the fact that the Democrats will have 53 seats in the new Senate! 🙁

At this point, with more seats than they will have next year, the Democrats were unsuccessful in their goal of stopping tax cuts for the top two percent of the population, while continuing it for the other 98 percent of the population!

The amendment by Montana Senator Max Baucus to retain the tax cuts for individuals earning up to $200,000 and for couples earning up to $250,000 failed miserably! 🙁

But also, New York Senator Chuck Schumer proposed a modified deal, which would have kept tax cuts for incomes up to $1 million, meaning only the top ONE percent earning more than a million dollars would have seen their taxes increase, and still it was unattainable in a Senate with more Democrats than will be present next year! 🙁

Of course, the culprit is the Senate filibuster, which requires 60 votes to stop a filibuster, impossible almost always with 59 Senators who were Democrats and Independents, but certainly inconceivable with only 53 Democrats and Independents in the Senate for the next two years! 🙁

There will be a move in the new Senate by younger Democratic Senators to change the rules of the Senate to lower the number needed to overcome a filibuster, but it can be seen that it is highly doubtful that any change will occur, so reality is: The Republicans will control both chambers of Congress effectively for the next two years, and will do everything conceivable to prevent any successes for President Obama’s agenda, as their only goal is his defeat in 2012 and the destruction of the Obama Health Care legislation and other reforms in 2013, when they hope to win the Presidency and the Senate, and take us back to the past! 🙁

Republican “Blackmailing” Of Congressional Agenda: Hostage To Tax Cuts For The Wealthy! :(

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Immediately after the White House conference this week of Democratic and Republican leaders to promote cooperation over the next two years with a split Congress, Republican leaders made clear that they would NOT cooperate during the Lame Duck session on ANYTHING, unless the Democrats and President Obama agreed to extend the so called Bush tax cuts to all taxpayers, rather than the Democratic plan to only give tax cuts to all but the top two percent of taxpayers!

So the GOP is holding “hostage” the following: “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in the military; the START Treaty; the DREAM Act for undocumented children of illegal immigrants; unemployment compensation extension for those who have run out of benefits completely; and even a child nutrition bill for the poor and needy school children! 🙁

The Republican leadership in the Senate has no limits to its arrogance and willingness to hold up action until they get what they want! Barack Obama apologizes to them, and they respond by making his life a total nightmare! 🙁

It is one thing to be the “loyal opposition”! It is another thing to promote a total blockade, a total refusal to cooperate on the emergency conditions that exist in this country, and only be concerned that super wealthy people continue to gain a greater concentration of wealth unseen in the entire history of this nation! 🙁

Is this a country for only the top two percent, the millionaires and the billionaires, or is this a government “of, by and for the people”, including the middle class and the poor, the sick, the elderly, the young, the disabled, what was called in the past the “common man” during the time of Andrew Jackson, and the “forgotten man” during the time of Franklin D. Roosevelt?

This is a bad omen for the 112th Congress, when it now looks more likely than ever that NOTHING will be accomplished, and the nation will suffer for it as the bad economic conditions continue to plague the future of America! 🙁