Republican "Do Nothing" Congress' Last Act is to Sabotage New Democratic Majorities by Leaving them 9 of 11 Appropriations Bills
A BUZZFLASH NEWS ANALYSIS
Not content with wrecking their own party during the 2006 midterms, the current "Do Nothing" Republican Congress' final act while in power will be to sabotage the incoming Democratic Congress by leaving 9 of the 11 annual appropriations bills unpassed during the final lame-duck session. Earlier today, BuzzFlash posted a press release from the DNC full of news excerpts blasting the GOP inaction, and incoming House Appropriations Chairman Rep. David Obey (D-WI) has released his own statement of criticism.
"Now that the campaign is behind us, it appears that (Republicans) are walking away from their responsibility to pass all of the remaining domestic appropriations bills," Obey said. "The new Congress needs to be able to start with a clean slate. And the President needs to be able to do the same thing with the presentation of his new budget. Republican inaction prevents that. The reckless and irresponsible inaction of the Republican Congressional majority does a disservice to the Congress, the President, and the country."
As you might suspect, the Republicans are being deliberate and calculating, not just lazy. For a clue why, just look to this AP story posted today, "Senate Will be Tough on 2008 Hopefulls: Heavy Workload, Committee Responsibility may Limit Campaign Time." Basically, the article notes that many of the leading Democratic contenders in the Senate will be chairs of important committees or subcommittees and thus face bigger stresses as they navigate the election season.
By leaving unpassed the 9 annual appropriations bills - covering roughly $460 billion - Democrats will have to spend great time and energy finishing the work from the previous term before they can even start worrying about a new agenda. More importantly, Republicans will be able to blast them for their spending binge and the conflict that will doubtlessly arise from the inevitable squabbling.
"If the Republican majority walks away from their existing obligation to finish their work, they will forfeit any right to complain about any action that we are forced to take on appropriations bills next year to clean up their chaotic mess," Obey charged with obvious foresight. "And they will forfeit any right to go to the public two years from now asking to once again be put in charge of carrying out the duties that they appear determined to walk away from now."
Unfortunately, Republicans don't need a right to do anything. They just do it. After all, if Republicans were concerned about responsibility and rightfulness, they would have passed the appropriations bill during the current term like they were supposed to!
Leaders Pelosi and Reid - along with whoever decides to run for president - will certainly have their hands full during the next two years.
Click here to read Rep. Obey's full statement
A BUZZFLASH NEWS ANALYSIS
Technorati Tags: Analysis- Login or register to post comments
- Printer-friendly version
Buzz this on Buzzflash.net
Fight Ignorance: Read BuzzFlash.com
BuzzFlash: Editorials | Interviews | News Analysis | Alerts | Perspectives | Radio Ads | Reviews: Books, Movies, Music | Television | Books, DVDs, CDs, Hats, T-shirts
Community: BuzzFlash Mailbag | Reader and Guest Contributions | News Releases
Columns: Wings of Justice | GOP Hypocrite of the Week | Last Chance Democracy Cafe | Libby Defense Fund | Jeffrey Feldman's Frameshop | The Daily Buzz | Independent Thinker of the Month | World Media Watch | Blue State Jukebox | Verse-Case Scenario | Ms. Smith Goes to Washington | Caption This
Columnists: P.M. Carpenter | David Lindorff | Barbara's Daily Buzz | Ann Davidow | Thom Hartmann | Steven C. Day | Steven Jonas | Tony Peyser | Shirley Smith
Cartoonists: Kirk Anderson | Steve Bradenton | Tony Peyser | Andrew Wahl
Poets: Tony Peyser
Other: About | Frequently Asked Questions | Headlines | Search BuzzFlash | Put BuzzFlash Headlines on Your Web Site | Get BuzzFlash Alerts | Contact | Home
Support Independent Media: Click Here to See How
Unless otherwise noted, all original content
and headlines are © BuzzFlash.
Contact BuzzFlash for reprint rights.
General Disclaimer: Guest and Reader Contributions, News Releases and Mailbag Letters posted on BuzzFlash are the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily represent the opinions of BuzzFlash or its editors.
What do we expect from the Schiavo/Baseball drugs Congress?
In the wake of the midterms, in which Iraq sunk the GOP Congress like a lead albatross, I expected to see them throw W. under the bus and embrace old conservative values. This would have called for a return to work, including such necessary important duties as drafting a lean, mean budget free from Democratic extravagance. Instead, W. has thrown the GOP Congress under the bus along with Rummie and the NeoCons and embraced the new Democratic Congress in his best former Governor of Texas style.
I guess this is why the lame duck GOP Congress is pitching a hissy fit. They can not bear to admit that W. did not doom them to defeat. They did it to themselves. This is the most worthless Congress in my memory. In 2008, the voters will remember that their last act was a variation on Newt's Federal Gov't Shut Down.