Friday, December 10, 2010

What Is Going On In Washington?

This lame duck session of the congress has been the most amazing thing I have ever seen in my life time. You'd think that with both the house and senate under the control of one party that it would be easy to get things done. This post won't make much sense, because the actions of the last weeks of the 111st Congress have not made much sense. They haven't been very easy to follow either.

First, we have a deal on taxes. The tax rates of the past 10 years preserved for two more years. Another year or so of funding for benefits for the unemployed. A renewal of the inheritance tax, but at a lower rate. A 2% reduction in the amount withheld by FICA from people's paychecks. Not a perfect thing--a legislative sausage with a little of this and a little of that.

The house just plain refused to vote on it. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt) yapped for over eight hours in the senate against it (It's hard for this writer to remember that Bernie is a Senator now!), and now it appears to be tabled.

Other crap got hung on it--ethanol subsidies and alt energy stuff.

President Obama had a press briefing which he left early, leaving former President Bill Clinton to preside for 20 minutes.

Meantime, the Republicans in the senate managed to stall changing the policy of the military regarding homosexuals serving openly. Republicans also led the way in voting down aid to ill 9/11 rescue and recovery workers made sick by the environment at Ground Zero.

Many democrats are mad at President Obama for even thinking of continuing the Bush tax rates for those with yearly incomes over $250,000. They've been fulminating in the chambers and to the press.

Meantime, the Dream Act, with regard to immigrants and education, is sitting on the table in the Senate. And whither the START arms treaty thing?

To borrow a phrase from blogger bud Ann T.--a LOT of Hot Wind.


5 comments:

Ann T. said...

Dear The Observer,
Yeah, cows may come and bulls may go, but the Hot Winds just blow and blow around here.

LOL!!
Ann T.

Bob G. said...

T.O.:
I love the way you describe this as a "sausage"...excellent.
(but now I'm liking sausage less for some reason)

I also liken this to some sort of "pot luck" dinner, or a smorgasbord of bad food.

Don't think the "death tax" should exist...God knows the moneies were taxed SEVERAL TIMES OVER already.

And MORE unenployment?
Cripes, we're breeding another generation of NON-working stiffs (as if we don't already have ENOUGH, thanks to welfare and other freebies)

Who knows...with all the HOT WIND, you'd "think" some EPA boss would figure out the whole ALTERNATIVE ENERGY issue...LOL.

Excellent summary of D.C. shenanighans.

Well done.
Stay warm & safe.

Ann T. said...

Dear The Observer,
I was listening to C=Span today on and off and as usual uhhh.

Ann T.

The Observer said...

Ann T:

The reports of what is going on here are impossibly confusing. Even the good old New York Times seemed confused.

Ugh.

The Observer.

The Observer said...

Bob G:
Cut revenue and add spending?

That is not how my household budget works!

I realize some of the larger economic issues that may be in play here, but still...

Thanks for coming by--sorry for the delay in commenting back.

The Observer