Shutdown Blues & The Promise of Reform in 2014

Yes, it’s been quiet here, as I warned it would be after the election.  There may be another post on that later.

Shutdown.  Blah, blah…  All the stuff from the webs.  Been posting a ton of stuff on the Facebook page about this…

But this is where we may see some change in the future.  Maybe things needed to get this bad in D.C. before real change in Congress was possible.

First, a little about how this happened, in my eyes, at least. 

The Tea Partiers who are pushing this are concerned about jobs, this is a job retention strategy.  Their jobs, yes, self-preservation, yes, but that’s what it is.

The districts that elected them want to see some action against Obama and Obama care is about the only real policy / legislation they can find true fault with.  If they don’t do what they are doing, a lot of these radicals will be voted out and replaced with another round of amateurs who will flounder in futility as badly as the current crop of self proclaimed patriots.

Now, yes.  Anger against the GOP over this fiasco may cost some Republicans from more balanced, moderate districts their jobs in 2014, but it won’t be the far, far right minority.

This may be enough to toss the House back to the Dems, which may actually lead to a functioning Congress for a while.

But it doesn’t fix the problem.  The real problem is the procedural rules in both houses.  These arcane and, often, insane rules emerged over decades as one party or the other struggled against the domination of the other.

A silver lining to come out of all of this may be that rules reform could be a real winning campaign issue in 2014.  Usually, when the minority party comes into power, they, for many reasons, leave this stuff. 

However, I think candidate that campaign on reform could really do well in 2014, which may or may not lead to reform actually happening, but let’s cross one bridge at a time here.  For the GOP, this may be a critical strategy.  Yeah, my party broke the country, but I want to fix it.  Depending on how bad things get, this may be the only strategy they have.

If this comes to pass, then this current fiasco may lead to some really positive change down the  road.  And it really will take a disaster to make such change possible.  But maybe it will be worth it, in the long run.

For there to be any hope of reform, though, things are going to have to get a lot worse first.  If this stalemate is resolved soon, and if we end up not defaulting on our debts, then the electorate will have forgotten these events 13 months from now.  Sad but true.

And make no mistake, this is exactly why this is happening right now.

I am not rooting for disaster.  But, if it comes, then this will be my happy thought as I rummage through the dumpsters trying to keep the boys fed. 

Senate Less Broken Than News Media

This is such an important clip.  The meat and bones is a couple minutes in, but beyond the confirmations finally being passed, O’Donnell words on how the media covers the “narrative” of the Senate versus the truth of how the institution actually works are just dead on.

Really, the news media is much more broken than the Senate, and that is saying quite a bit.  Unfortunately, it also contributes quite a bit to what is broken in our government these days.

This first clip is from the end of the segment, and is the most important part.  The entire clip, covering Reid and, it is important to note, McConnell’s actions on New Year’s Day is also worth watching and at the bottom of the post.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

VIA I love it when I wake up in the morning and Barack Obama is President on Facebook:

No vacation for Harry Reid in the Senate...

"That may look boring to you, but that's the most exciting moment in Senate history..." (for someone appointed by Obama - who can't get anyone confirmed in a grid-locked Senate.)

~Lawrence O'Donnell, on watching the C-Span video of Reid reading the list of nomination bills. O'donnell is apparently the ONLY one other than the C-SPAN live coverage to even mention this phenomenal accomplishment! ~m

 

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

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Go Republicans! Another case of keeping millions unemployed to put one man out of work

Hint: Much of what we say about you pulling this crap is meant as a joke, not as a suggestion.

This...

Americans, unlike the Senate, approve of Obama’s jobs bill, poll says | The Ticket - Yahoo! News:

Senate Republicans Tuesday may have blocked President Obama's jobs bill, but a new poll suggests that's not what a majority of Americans want.
Nearly two-thirds of the respondents to a survey from NBC/Wall Street Journal voiced their approval when pollsters were told them the details of the president's "American Jobs Act"-- including that it would cut payroll taxes, fund new road construction, and extend unemployment benefits. NBC reports that 63 percent of respondents said they favored the bill, with just 32 percent opposing it.           'via Blog this'

...reminds me of this...

PS: I stole the second one from here: http://www.republicanjobcreation.com  It is worth a look.

Email from the Obama Campaign: Republicans' Kamikaze Political Strategy

But Senate Republicans want to block it. Not because they have a plan that creates jobs right now -- not one Republican, in Congress or in the presidential race, does. They only have a political plan. 

Their strategy is to suffocate the economy for the sake of what they think will be a political victory. They think that the more folks see Washington taking no action to create jobs, the better their chances in the next election. So they're doing everything in their power to make sure nothing gets done.

The full email:

Friend -- The U.S. Senate is supposed to vote on the American Jobs Act as early as tonight. It's a bill that will put people to work immediately, and it contains proposals that members of both parties have said in the past that they'd support. But Senate Republicans want to block it. Not because they have a plan that creates jobs right now -- not one Republican, in Congress or in the presidential race, does. They only have a political plan. Their strategy is to suffocate the economy for the sake of what they think will be a political victory. They think that the more folks see Washington taking no action to create jobs, the better their chances in the next election. So they're doing everything in their power to make sure nothing gets done. There's still time for principled Republican senators to declare their independence from this kamikaze political strategy. Senator Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader in the Senate, needs to hear what Americans like you think. You can reach his office at (202) 224-2541. Tell him not to let politics get in the way of creating jobs. Will you take three minutes and call now? Then click here to let us know how it went. If Sen. McConnell's office says he won't support the American Jobs Act, ask which parts he doesn't support:      -- Making sure that those who served our country can get good jobs at home by providing incentives for businesses to hire unemployed veterans?      -- Preventing layoffs of teachers, cops, and firefighters, while supporting the hiring of tens of thousands more?      -- Rebuilding our crumbling roads, bridges, railways, and airports with a bipartisan, public-private infrastructure bank?      -- Modernizing at least 35,000 public schools in rural and urban areas?      -- Providing job training for the unemployed, especially young people who have been hit especially hard? The President has been forceful and clear: Action on jobs is desperately needed, and Congress should pass this bill right away. And he has specifically asked those of us who agree to make sure Republican lawmakers know it. This bill -- and the simple idea that every American who works hard and plays by the rules has a fundamental right to economic security -- is a big part of what we stand for as a campaign and as a movement. There's no good reason for Congress to delay any more -- and if they do, you deserve to know why. Call Sen. McConnell's office. Tell him you're watching, and you expect Republicans in the Senate to do the right thing and move forward on this bill today. Then let us know how it went: http://my.barackobama.com/Call-For-Jobs Thanks, Messina Jim Messina Campaign Manager Obama for America

SPIN METER: Obama disconnects rhetoric, reality - AP

The Edwardsville Intelligencer : AP General News:

Oct 10, 6:24 AM EDT SPIN METER: Obama disconnects rhetoric, reality By ERICA WERNER Associated Press

The disconnect between what Obama says about his jobs bill and what stands as the political reality flow from his broader aim: to rally the public behind his cause and get Congress to act, or, if not, to pin blame on Republicans.

He is waging a campaign, one in which nuance and context and competing responses don't always fit in if they don't help make the case.

For example, when Obama says his jobs plan is made up of ideas that have historically had bipartisan support, he stops the point there. Not mentioned is that Republicans have never embraced the tax increases that he is proposing to cover the cost of his plan.

Likewise, from city to city, Obama is demanding that Congress act (he means Republicans) while it has been clear for weeks that the GOP will not support all of his bill, to say the least. Individual elements of it may well pass, such as Obama's proposal to extend and expand a payroll tax cut. But Republicans strongly oppose the president's proposed new spending and his plan to raise taxes on millionaires to pay for the package.

The fight over the legislative proposal has become something much bigger: a critical test of the president's powers of persuading the public heading into the 2012 presidential campaign, and of Republicans' ability to deny him a win and reap victory for themselves.

"He knows it's not going to pass. He's betting that voters won't pick up on it, or even if they do they will blame Congress and he can run against the `do-nothing Congress,'" said Sherry Bebitch Jeffe, a senior fellow at the University of Southern California's School of Policy, Planning and Development.

'via Blog this'

Can this government be fixed? Three steps that might help – USATODAY.com

Can this government be fixed? Three steps that might help – USATODAY.com: "three "wave" elections in a row shifted political power but failed to fundamentally change the way Washington works, or doesn't work. They have some ideas for steps that could help.

Perhaps the most significant would change the way congressional lines are drawn, making more districts competitive and increasing the odds that centrist candidates could prevail. Revising the rules for Senate filibusters could prevent a few senators from routinely blocking action supported by a majority. And changing the congressional calendar could encourage legislators to build personal relationships with colleagues from the other party."

'via Blog this'

A Small, Subpoena-Less Step: Senate Democrats to Investigate Bush Administration

Wow, I actually got this one off one of the politics feeds I have on "My Yahoo."

Senate Dems Plan Investigatory Hearings

This is actually the best news that I have heard in a while. This will essentially be an indepandant investigation lacking actual Senate support, and supoena power, but at least the Democrats are girding up their loins and actually saying, essentially, "This stinks and we are going to poke it with a stick and see if we can get it to ooze."

I fully expect the networks to put their full attention on these hearings when they get started now that the Peterson Matter is resolved... Ah, oops. I forgot about the appeals. And Jacko. And...

11-02-04: The Election of George W. Bush as President of the United States Of America…

So, it happened... Now what do we do about it? More than that, what do we do with the real threat of losing the Democratic Party as a viable voice of opposition to the Republican controlled Executive and Legislative branches of our Federal Government, and to increasing Republican control of our State and Local Governments, as well?

On November 2, 2004 we lost a battle, but we did not lose the war. However, we must not roll over. We must not lose track of that tremendous store of energy that the Democrats mustered for this election. At the same time, we also must take a hard look at why the Presidency was lost and at why seats in both houses of Congress were lost.

We must look at, explore and understand why the vast majority of the country comes up red in the Presidential Election every four years. We must understand why the Republican Party always seems to control the debate in these elections; why the Democrats are always responding to their attacks on the character of the candidates instead of the Republicans responding to attacks on their stance on the issues.

It is only a few days since the election, but it is not too early to start focusing on the future. Rightfully or wrongly, there will be a bloodbath in the Democratic Party power structure. In the gap created by this, the people need to step in and demand change.

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