Now that the Democratic Party controls the United States House of Representatives, and probably the US Senate if Joe Lieberman remains in the The Party, are you wondering what they plan to do right after being inaugurated in January? I suggest everyone watch the speech below from incoming Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. Delivered on June 13, 2006 at the "Campaign For America's Future" conference, Pelosi identified what the Dems would do not just in their first week, but on their First Day in power. On the first day, we can expect:
*Passage of a "Civility Package" that will replace the "most corrupt and closed" Congress in history with the most honest and open.
*Passage of a bill that would mandate no new deficit spending. [Note: The problem with deficit spending in Washington has never been deficits per se; using the family metaphor employed by Pelosi in her speech, everyone agrees that it is okay for a family to go into debt for things like purchase of a home, quality transportation, or education. The problem is that since Reagan we have, as a nation, been going into debt in order to enrich mostly hi-tech and military producers--we have NOT been going into debt to benefit the population at large.).
So civility and no new deficits are just the first day. In the first week, Pelosi says that we can expect:
*Passage of legislation putting into place the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission.
*Passage of an increase in the minimum wage.
*Passage of legislation making prescription drugs more affordable.
*Passage of legislation cutting interest rates for student loans in half.
*Passage of legislation rolling back tax cuts for the oil industry and other energy producers.
Let's assume for the sake of argument that the conservative, "blue dog" Democrats sign on to this agenda. Is it a progressive agenda, or even a moderate one? Consider this:
*The 9/11 Commission Report is deeply flawed, casting all of its recommendations in doubt.
*We need national living wage legislation; another paltry minimum wage increase does little to help struggling workers.
*The Democrats' allegiance to the pharmaceutical companies is almost as great at the Republicans' and will make any reform of prescription drug pricing difficult. Even if we do get it, that gets us no closer to a national health care plan.
*Making student loans more affordable is nice, but progressivism requires legislation to REPLACE loans with GRANTS.
*Cutting back breaks for the oil industry is necessary, but the Dems like the Republicans still haven't a clue as to what real "energy independence" means. See Jim Kunstler's blog for November 13th.
Whether you agree or disagree with Pelosi's direction, we should all be sure to make sure she and the Dems stick to their word.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
I think when it comes to establishment politicians we should never, as you say, "give it a rest." One of the mistakes that grassroots Democrats and Republicans make is in thinking that their citizen watchdog role becomes easier or lesser when "their guys" are in power. I think they've got the picture upside down: if you're a Democrat or a Republican your "harping" should INCREASE when your team wins elections--otherwise they will simply follow the agenda of the highly placed insider lobbyists and be damned with the rest of us.
Please also let us not forget that this "Bushian downhill plunge" was aided an abetted by SIGNIFICANT Democratic support along the way, and not just Lieberman.
I agree plushpussycat, let's let the dust settle, let us see what the "plan" is.
I do believe we are much better off with the Democrats controlling congress, how much they will accomplish only time will tell but I don't believe it will be worse than what has gone before.
To a great degree we have only ourselves to blame... we (I don't specifically mean you and me -- cuz I do vote and assume you do too -- I mean generically "the people") don't vote (you can blame special interests all you want but if 100% of eligible voters went to the polls and were INFORMED voters the special interests wouldn't matter because a corporation can't vote. We allow those interests to sway us,rfhsn we believe the lies. Why do politicians pander to us? Because it WORKS...
Post a Comment