That’s what E.J. Dionne wants to know
The lame-duck session of Congress that kicks off this week will test whether Democrats have spines made of Play-Doh and whether President Obama has decided to pretend that capitulation is conciliation.
Sorry, wrong premise, E.J. The actual question is: will the Democrats listen to the results of the midterm elections, which were a repudiation of Democrat policies and legislation. Oh, right, sorry, I forgot that they and the media are spinning the losses as an inability to properly spin their most super duper awesome agenda to the stupid American people. My Bad!
Congress faces an enormous amount of unfinished business, largely because of successful GOP obstruction tactics during the regular session. Republican senators who declare themselves moderate helped block action on important bills, objecting to provisions they didn’t like or to Democratic procedural maneuvers.
Which, other than passing the tax cuts in full (I’ll predict now that Pelosi and Reid do not even bring that legislation to the floor), the American People are saying “NO! Stop!”
Okay, let’s test that. One of the bills blocked was the Disclose Act, designed to end the scandal of secret money in election campaigns. If this year’s contests prove anything, it’s that voters should have the right to know which millionaires, corporations and special interests are flooding the airwaves with attack ads on behalf of candidates who can blithely deny any connection to the slander and any knowledge of who might be trying to buy influence.
Why? My copy of the Constitution does not say anything about that. Furthermore, said Disclose Act gives many left leaning groups waivers, and would certainly be challenged as unconstitutional, under the Equal Protection clause. Anyhow, apparently E.J. is still having a hissy fit over *GASP* people spending money to elect Republicans.
E.J. also discusses repealing don’t ask don’t tell, which, based on the military reporting, in multiple ways, that it is time to end that measure, but, Dems may not have the backbone to bring it up for a vote. It is apparently stuck in a defense spending bill. Why not simply have a vote on it on its own?
He also thinks leaving Washington without extending unemployment insurance yet again would be a scandal. Because that has worked wonders to get people employed. Let the adults, and people with actual real world solutions, clean up your messes, E.J.
