Is The Current Congress Effectively Neutered Until 2008 ???

[WillyT]

It's not just the Gonzales No Confidence Resolution, although I will say to those here who considered it meaningless...

If it was so goddamned meaningless, why did the Republicans block it? They didn't want to embarrass the president, right???

Well I want to embarrass the President. I want to embarrass the President, his administration, the entire Republican Party and the 25% of this country that would make perfect little Nazis if this were Germany in the early 20th Century.

I want to see if ANY of these motherfuckers are capable of the most simple of human emotions, SHAME!

But because the Republicans blocked a "straight up or down" vote on the No Confidence Resolution we will not get to see if there is any shame in these unamerican fuckwads. And that in itself is truly a shame.

But...

What I'm wondering after today, and after the similar results in the fairly non-binding War Appropriations Bills, and now the Immigration Bill... is...

Is this congress going to be able to get anything of real substance done?

After the Immigration Bill got garroted, some talking news head was saying that, "Well, you have to understand, it's an election year."

It isn't supposed to be. These odd numbered years are supposed to be EXACTLY when real legislating occurs because it is the even numbered years when the campaigning is supposed to occur. But since we've moved up the calendar so ridiculously, and since candidates need to fund raise and campaign continuously, there is no "legislative year". There is only the constant campaign.

And if this is all true, then will anything of substance happen between now and November 2008???

Hell... will anything of substance happen after 2008???

I'm truly starting to have my doubts.

And BTW... if we don't see Republican Presidential and Congressional candidates peeling away from Bush by the end of summer, then you have to believe that the fix is already in for 2008. And if THAT is true... then the Dems better use this one shot they have, and bring these fuckers down.

:rant:

[BlooInBloo]

1. Only if one had o'erweening expectations of what a bare majority could accomplish...

... Basically, a bare majority can stop the bleeding coming from Congress - nothing more. A supermajority could get some positive work done. Getting 2 out of 3 branches could get even more so.

[WillyT]

2. I'm Taking That As A Yes, We Are Neutered

As you say, stop the bleeding, and block some judges, but not much after that.

Also a crying shame.

[sampsonblk]

20. We are getting less than that

We are getting far less than what a bare majority ought to get us.

And the GOP is getting far more than what they ought to get from being a minority.

[theoldman]

3. I don't think they are neutered, they just have a very small

pair of balls. Let's hope that the voters put some heat on them.

[Robson]

5. They didn't have the balls to filibuster, now they don't have the balls to impeach

The Democrats in Congress could have stopped most of the legislation that Bush passed, but they didn't. Instead they cowered in a corner waiting patiently for their chance at the Whitehouse. That's what this is all about 2008. That's the reason they won't do what they should be doing ... impeachment charges against Bush. Now they are going to sell out American workers with Bush's pro-amnesty bill.

[frogcycle]

10. look at the gonzales vote and tell me

how far an impeachment vote would get.

the republics are just drooling over the prospect of a failed impeachment.

I don't like it any better than anyone else; I want him unceremoniously frog-marched out of town, but it pretty much seems like not only has the bill of citizens rights been canceled; so has the basic framework of checks and balances. We don't have a constitutional government; we have a junta.

[tammywammy]

6. Yep

:)

[frogcycle]

9. it does not matter how vehemently the dems vote

their votes still each count as one

yes, this congress is largely neutered. Only if they can "turn" some republics, which would probably require blackmail, will anything get done. Because basically, bush opposes anything the dems want to do, and the dems pretty much oppose anything he wants to do. and the republic senators are just sock puppets.

[Robson]

11. Bush is working on the blackmail

He wants to ensure that his boyz in Congress vote the way he wants them to on the co-written US Chamber of Congress / La Raza scamnesty bill.

[WillyT]

17. LOL !!! - Which Is Worse Neutered, Or Impotent ???

I guess with impotency, there are treatments.

:rofl::shrug::rofl:

[triguy46]

4. Yep. Neutered, cut, spayed, clipped. Pick your metaphor, same result. nt

[OHdem10]

7. This makes the case for making getting more real Democrats

electd in the Senate. This is more important than
the Presidency.

The message should go out to the Locals how Republicans
are blocking legislation. You better believe Fos will
be putting out the Democrats are no better than Republicans.
They have not accomplished anything.

[BuyingThyme]

8. Reid and Pelosi have created a lame-duck Congress.

It's a sad fact, and one which calls for accountability.

Had Dems been paying attention we would have known that neither Reid nor Pelosi has any interest in, let along the credentials for leaading Congress in a desirable direction.

They've squandered everything.

[Warren Stupidity]

13. I knew from Reid's track record doing nothing where he was going.

His leadership of the opposition was one of retreat, retreat, retreat. He lead the cave-in on every major issue.

I had more hopes for Pelosi.

[BuyingThyme]

14. Pelosi was a failure long before November.

The best she could do was to jump in front of the anti-war parade at the last moment. Had she wanted to lead, she would have led.

[KoKo]

16. I still have hopes for Pelosi...never had any for Reid with his track record

as you point out.

[Edweird]

12. I'm of the (richly debated) opinion that congress missed its opportunity

to get a firm grip on chimpy's cojones with the war funding bill. This was just window dressing in my not so humble opinion.

[Hippo_Tron]

15. Here's the problem, Bush doesn't care anymore

Clinton was forced to compromise with the Republican Congress because he needed legislative accomplishments to campaign on for re-election in 1996. Bush can just veto everything because he doesn't need legislative accomplishments.

On the bright side, the GOP can't pass any new damaging legislation.

[leftofthedial]

18. self-neutered

no opposition party

both sides stalling and running out the clock

while thousands die

and our economy is further crippled

and the belief of rational people in democracy, truth and law is all but destroyed

[WillyT]

19. Last Kick !!!

:kick: