Hot Winds Subsiding

The 111th Congress is wrapping up its lame duck session with a rare Saturday session today. They are currently considering the language of the START treaty proposal. It appears that the Dems will be able to fend off the language changes that the Repubs want.

Since we last visited the Hot Winds, the bill that maintains the Bush tax rates, and extends unemployment benefits did make it past both houses and was signed by President Obama. Staying in the money arena, a $1.2 trillion (holy crap, did I just write trillion?) "omnibus budget bill" was blocked by Republicans and will not be decided by this Congress. They will have to pass some sort of extension/emergency funding of the government's activities through the first bit of next year, and this will be the first real issue to face the 112th Congress with its new configuration of majorities and minorities.

The "DREAM Act" which would create a path to citizenship via education and/or military service for those brought into the United States illegally as children did not pass and will not become law.

"Don't Ask Don't Tell", the policy that homosexual people can not serve openly in the military will be dumped as a result of the votes taken yesterday and today by the house and senate.

I think after they pass that emergency appropriations bill, they get to go home.

I found that this section of The New York Times on line does a pretty good job of keeping up with the directions of the Hot Winds.