The challenge for the 116th Congress
On January 3rd democrats regained control of the House of Representatives. After a widely covered display of "diversity" (AKA identity politics), Speaker Pelosi announced the House would pursue an agenda of "health care" and "draining the swamp". Employing a strategy (well planned, as democrats usually do) of putting Republicans on the spot for bills they previously put forward, Pelosi and the dems, with some House Republicans, passed two bills (without border wall funding) to reopen the government. One is a major spending bill to fund most shuttered departments and agencies through Sept. 30 and the other is a stop-gap measure to restart the Department of Homeland Security for a few weeks. Both were bills formerly sponsored by Republicans.
HR 1 and HR 2 will go to the Senate where they are not only dead, but will not even be taken up for a vote. Senate leader Mitch McConnell has stated in no uncertain terms that bills which are not supported by the President will not take up the Senate's time.
On Thursday night the dems initiated some rule changes for the House. Some to improve order, others to make it easier to introduce bipartisan legislation. Noteworthy was the rule described as a " pay-as-you-go provision", which requires all new spending to be offset by equal cuts or tax increases. Some hard left dems resisted this measure, but again Nancy got em in line. Also of note was a rule that would force House lawmakers to be financially liable for discrimination settlements as well as sexual harassment settlements. Good rule. One can't really criticize the President for paying out hush money when congressmen have their own fund. More rule changes are expected next week.
Next came the outbursts of the Trump haters and impeachment advocates less that 24 hours after being sworn in. We heard from America's new moral arbitor Senator Mitt Romney slam the President in an op-ed piece in the Washington Post. The "piece" which reads like a campaign speech, complete with policy recommendations, laments that "Trump has not risen to the level of the office ". The question is will Romney support the GOP's agenda or will he obstruct everything the party stands for to defy Trump and position himself for another Presidential run?
Then there is the beyond the pale, nastiness from the left. Hours after Rep. Rashida Tlaib was sworn in as one of the two first Muslim female members of Congress, she told a cheering crowd about her mission against Donald Trump: “Impeach the motherfucker.” No apology followed.
Rep Rashida Tlaib.
She made the statement in front of her children and a small crowd which gave her a rousing cheer. It is hard to say which is more disturbing. House Republicans issued a denunciation and asked Nancy Pelosi to discipline the new Rep. Pelosi deflected by questioning the Presidents rhetoric. I will leave for another day the question of who is voting for such people or why Minnesota ended up with more refugees per capita than any other state in the US.
Adam Schiff (arguably the most partisan man in congress) will lead the House Intelligence Committee
For now I am concerned with the gridlock that faces the 116th Congress. The government is shut down over the most highly charged of political symbols - a border wall. Although negotiations are ongoing, Pelosi would lose her Speakership if she ever agreed to a wall. President Trump might lose the 2020 election if he fails to insist on it. Thus the shutdown will continue indefinitely.
The new Speaker will be walking a fine line in what will be her final term. She has moderate democrats elected in red states to consider, while trying to hold off the far left, which has become the dominant wing of her party. We will be seeing new House committees led by radical democrats going all out against the President. Other leftists want impeachment immediately. Can she hold them off? How about all this legislation democrats want on health care and gun control? Based on the first few days of this congress, any form of bipartisan cooperation seems unlikely.
For Republicans there is one bright spot, maybe two. First the Senate will proceed with a record number of judicial nominations and cabinet level nominations without much trouble. The second? If the democrats do (and I hope they do) impeach this President, which will fail conviction in the Senate, they will then be destined to lose everything in 2020.
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Pelosi is 0 for 2 so far.
Personally, I foresee the most partisan, deadlocked, unaccomplishing government in America's history, but then of course obviously I was never schooled much in American history. On the other hand, perhaps blocking any accomplishment whatsoever may well lead to loss of voter's loyalty.
And the past 8 years of republican rule hasn't been, research, research
So by your comment, are you saying because republicans did obstruction for the past eight years it's ok now for democrats to do it? Or are you saying that this is the expected standard and it's ok for the democrats to do it now as it's expected, thereby saying it was ok for the republicans to do it?
In my mind this is the bigger problem. We have too many people who are so invested in party politics that they lose track of doing right for the country.
2 things wrong with this.
1. The ACA destroyed the healthcare system in this country. If you want to even call it healthcare.
2. Pelosi doesn't quite understand what the "the swamp" is. Nor does she understand that she is part of it.
Don't know why the author even entertained cuts. Democrats have already, on several occasions, stated that they WILL raise taxes.
Seriously? Romney is really no different than McCain. He'll obstruct every chance he gets and defecate on everything.
Well we see another example of the false news
And which is false news? I know this will be hard for you but, be specific.
Is there not one area the dems and the President agree on? What about infrastructure?
Lol! What advances in infrastructure took place since Trump took office? Republicans were too focused on further enriching the rich through further expansion of the federal deficit.
So dems don't want it any longer?
Dems are hungry for anything infrastructure related. Stop pretending that the right is too. Clearly, responsible spending is anathema to Republicans.
Then we should expect a bill from the House on infrastructure?
The House is busy opening back up the government, and stopping Trump’s idiotic quest to waste billions of American (not Mexican) dollars on an ineffective and unbuildable wall. If Trump would stopping failing America and shitting out roadblocks to progress, then yes I believe infrastructure will be high on the House priorities list.
They are opening up government? Oh that would be impressive. When does it reopen?
I have little doubt that they will do everything they can to make the governments runway spending worse and drive up the debt so they can blame it on Trump.
When does it reopen?
When Republican in Congress finally realize their constituents can no longer go without paychecks. The President’s* supports are far from intelligent, but everyone understand poverty once they are swimming in it.
You clearly don’t understand infrastructure. The longer you wait, the more expensive and more urgent the problem becomes. Though, as a libertarian I expect you to be in favor of privatization of every road and bridge in the country. Hell, let’s go all the way and put a card swipe on every toilet.
Oh, I thought you said the dems were going to take care of it. In other words, dems have to work with Republicans....Got it!
Let's address the argument please don't make it personal
Wonder why Dems have been doing a lot of talking about infrastructure and republicans ignore it, can you explain
Look it up Wally, it's called "google it"
Why don’t you just let the man answer to the comment? Trust me, Dean does not need your protection.
Maybe you can. What talk are the dems doing?
Why? Because Dean is not on right now, in case you didn't notice
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Why not blame it on Trump?
After all it is the policies that he and the Republicans foisted off onto our country, ( after he & those same policies were rejected by the American voters but he became President anyway ), that are to blame for the current spurt of debt growth.
US national debt has increased $2 trillion since Donald Trump took office, new data shows
The Red states used it to balance their budgets instead of put people to work.
"As one of their first big-ticket legislative proposals of the new Congress, House Democrats on Friday unveiled a sweeping anti-corruption, campaign finance and ethics reform package that takes aim at long-simmering concerns about President Donald Trump ’s possible conflicts of interest between his actions as president and his family business.
The massive proposal, known as “ The For the People Act ” and designated as “House Resolution 1,” also includes dozens of measures from Democrats on ethics and campaign finance reform, voting rights and election security. It would also require presidential and vice presidential candidates to release 10 years of their personal tax returns and require sitting presidents and vice presidents to do the same."
Political posturing? or Trump derangement syndrome?
Is this what the House will be like for the next two years?
Nothing will rally Trump's supporters better than this.
Dead on the vine...
hmmmmmm, gee, let's see.. that's a tough one... sigh
The needle might not point so hard to the latter if they had included themselves in the requirement to release personal tax returns, but they didn't.
Ya know, I really love listening to these politicians talk about "Compromise", and whatever shit "Caring" wording they want to throw at us folks.
They want "Compromise" for what "THEY" want. It's like they live in their own little world of "THEM", and the Ideolog surfs of this country, cheer "Them" on ! (Scratching head)