Congress: Help! Having a senior moment here......

[Senior citizen]

Would somebody remind me of any Democratic-sponsored legislation that has passed in the last four years?

And also, I'm having trouble remembering any legislation the shrub wanted that did not pass.

This can't be as big a charade as I'm thinking this morning. I must have forgotten something. Surely, at least in order to raise money, they must have some bi-partisan pretense.

[wryter2000]

1. Kick

I'm drawing a blank, too. I do know that Whistle Ass hasn't vetoed anything. Does that help?

[Senior citizen]

2. What's there to veto?

If he gets everything he wants, and if nothing he doesn't want has a chance of getting anywhere near his desk, I don't suppose he'd have much use for a veto.

I still think I'm forgetting something. If it were really true that everything the chimp wants gets passed by Congress, and that nothing the Democrats introduce gets passed, Congress really isn't of any use whatsoever anymore, so why should I both to vote for or contribute to Congresscritters? I know there are still a few really great Democrats in the House and Senate (Boxer, Filner), but if the outcome is predetermined, I see no further reason to support this charade of a Congress. All it does is give the appearance of democracy without any of the substance whatsoever.

[wryter2000]

3. I hear you

But we may be able to take Congress back. We've kept repug presidents from running amok in the past by having a Dem Congresses. I think Howard Dean will be concentrating more on Congress than just going for the top spot, as we have in the past.

Otherwise, we might as well pack it all in and move elsewhere.

[Senior citizen]

5. If the elections weren't rigged, I'd think it was possible.

But the pukes have just ousted the Secretary of State of California and replaced him with somebody who will follow in the footsteps of Harris (Florida) and Blackwell (Ohio).

Obviously, no REAL voting reform legislation will pass this Congress, so it must be time to pack it in. I'd have moved long ago if I could afford to and there was anywhere that would let me in.

We can't win elections without voting reform, and we can't get voting reform through a puke-controlled Congress. So as far as I can see, game's over--we lost. Why whip up a pretense of elections when it is impossible to get a majority, what with redistricting, voter suppression, and all the rest, and without a majority, it is impossible to change the situation?

Do you really think it is still possible to get a majority, and if so, what makes you think so?

[MissWaverly]

7. I think things are changing

It's not going to be based on party affiliation, it's going to be based on the anger of their constituents, I surf local papers across the country, the budget has angered the entire country, I remember reading somewhere that a lot of the progressive legislation in the 30s came from the grassroots, people demanded better working conditions, help for farmers, etc. Even though it supposed to be government by the people, for the people of the people, it's really been government by the polls, of the polls and for the polls. Along the way someone got the bright idea of fixing the news and the pollsters so the compass would always point up. I think that's gone.

[MissWaverly]

4. well I don't know if this is true

Bush said that he wanted the ban on assault weapons continued, but he couldn't drum up enough congressional support to pass it.

[Senior citizen]

6. That's not really a money bill.

He doesn't really seem to care about things that won't get billions for Halliburton and the rest of the war profiteers. And while he might SAY he wants something, that doesn't necessarily mean we should take it as gospel. My guess is that his big contributors include the arms industry, and that he therefore wouldn't have tried very hard to get that one passed. If he REALLY wants something, it passes.

[slackmaster]

9. That's not how I remember it

Bush said that if an AW ban renewal came to his desk, he'd sign it. He made no effort to drum up support for it.

I doubt that his position on that one made any difference one way or another. Knee-jerk gun control supporters tend to vote Democratic no matter who is running or what is said.

[cindyw]

8. The answer is none. Some things passed that Dems signed onto in order

to show bi-partisanship (back before they saw that there was non), take for example. Kennedy and No Child left Behind.

The Repubs since 2002 have not let a single piece of Dem legislation or Dem alternate to hit the floor.