Is it just a coincidence that economy stalled again when Republicans took over the House?

[TomCADem]

And starting putting their promised approach of job growth through spending cuts into action? Or, would we be in the same spot we are in today if Democrats still controlled the House?

[krispos42]

1. Oh, hell no.

They haven't passed a single jobs bill. It's been... 7 months?



And they're on vacation!

[midnight]

2. It's hard to say... When we seemed to have a majority all the powder had to stay dry....

[TomCADem]

4. Powder Dry? Are You Serious? HCR, Financial Reform, DADT, SALT II...

Is keeping your power dry? My goodness people tend to buy into the corporate media narratives very easily these days.

Can you name a similar Congress that accomplished more left leaning legislation in just two years over the past three decades? Go ahead, try. Also, remember that Democrats did try to pass bills that only extended the tax cuts to those making less than $250K as President Obama promised, but that these bills were filibustered by the Republicans. While I would be happy to let all of the tax cuts expire, President Obama was boxed in by his promise not to raise taxes on those making less than $250K. Otherwise, the record speaks for itself. I can't think of a similar two year period with respect to progressive legislation. Can you?

http://www.nationaljournal.com/checklist-legislative-accomplishments-of-the-111th-congress-20101223

Lilly Ledbetter Act, January 29, 2009
Makes it easier for workers to file employment-discrimination lawsuits.

SCHIP, February 4, 2009
Expands health care coverage for children.

Stimulus, February 17, 2009
Provides $787 billion in tax cuts and additional spending to aid U.S. economic-recovery efforts.

Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, April 21, 2009
Creates incentives to foster volunteer opportunities through programs such as AmeriCorps.

Credit Card Bill of Rights, May 22, 2009
Enhances safeguards to protect consumers from abusive practices.

Tobacco, June 22, 2009
Provides the Food and Drug Administration with enhanced authority to regulate tobacco products.

Cash for Clunkers, August 7, 2009
Provides consumers with a cash incentive to buy automobiles with higher fuel-efficiency standards.

Hate-Crimes Bill, October 28, 2009
Enhances law-enforcement resources to prosecute crimes based on gender and sexual orientation.

Health Care, March 30, 2010
Overhauls the U.S. health care system to provide insurance coverage for more Americans.

Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act, March 30, 2010
Makes the federal government the provider of all student loans.

Financial-Regulatory Reform, July 21, 2010
Expands federal government’s role in regulating financial markets.

Tax Cuts, December 17, 2010
Extends for two years the tax cuts enacted in 2001 and 2003.

'Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell', December 22, 2010
Lifts the ban on openly gay men and women from serving in the military.

Food Safety, December 21, 2010 (House passed; awaits Obama's signature)
Strengthens regulatory standards intended to protect the nation’s food supply.

New START, December 22, 2010 (Senate passed; awaits Obama's signature)
Implements a new arms-control treaty between the U.S. and Russia.

9/11 First-Responders Bill, December 22, 2010 (House passed; awaits Obama's signature)
Funds medical care for first responders sickened after the September 11 terrorist attacks.

[upi402]

5. HCR??????????????????????

uhh Financial-Regulatory Reform

?

Who's buying corporate media bullshit?

[TomCADem]

6. Oh Yeah, The House Republicans Are Strongly Supporting The Consumer Protection Agency, Right?

And, Wall Street is not spending millions trying to repeal Financial Reform, right?

Indeed, I guess I must have imagined Eric Cantor and Mitch McConnell fundraising on Wall Street while they were trying to kill the Financial Reform Bill.

Also, speaking of corporate media bullshit, please direct me to the Fox News/Wall Street Journal editorial that defends Health Care Reform or Financial Reform, because I must have missed it.

Anyone? Anyone?

:rofl:

You have been served.

[upi402]

7. please pay attention

it's serious at this point

[TomCADem]

13. Yes, Please. The Republicans Overwhelmingly Voted Against HCR and Financial Reform!

And collected millions while it! The Chamber of Commerce vehemently opposed both bills. Yet, you insist that the corporate sponsored media is propping these bills up?

Up is down when the "left" is marching in lock step with the Chamber of Commerce.

[MessiahRp]

25. You should see how that wonderful Consumer Protection Agency is going forward...

In fact Jon Stewart skewered the fucking thing last week. They never had any intentions of protecting jack shit.

Rp

[BlueCheese]

11. Extending the Bush tax cuts is an accomplishment now?

[TomCADem]

15. Frankly, I Would Prefer That All Of Bush Tax Cuts Expire. All of Them

Of course, you know the corporate media would have hammered Obama read my lips style if he let tax rates go up for those making under $250K.

Personally, I think in 2012, President Obama should say that he is willing to let ALL of the Bush tax cuts expire, but that if Republicans are willing to work with him, he is willing to preserve lowers tax rates for some folks making under $250K. In other words, make expiration of all the tax cuts the default position.

My belief is that after the deficit deal, Americans are more willing to tolerate taxes now that the alternative of massive cuts has been put in front of them. But, you have to be upfront with the choice for the American public. We may have to pay more taxes to preserve successful entitlement programs. Tax cuts are not cost free.

In other words, make Republicans continue to run on the austerity and pain from everyone but the rich, but acknowledge that Republicans may block tax cuts to the middle class.

[deacon]

23. +1

[Armstead]

3. It's a coincidence. Only thing that wuold have made a difference would have been...

continued public spending to stimulate demand. And the Democrats abandoned that one before the teabaggers took over.

[Kalidurga]

8. It is not a coincidence it is a badly orchestrated plan....

they aren't even trying to be sneaky about trying to destroy the economy. It is almost as if they want everyone to know what they are doing and are daring us to stop them.

[hfojvt]

9. I disagree with that

the uncertainties created by both the budget fight and the debt ceiling fight have not been good for the economy and neither have the budget cuts agreed to. An end to the Bush tax cuts for the rich would have provided a better fiscal picture with which to pursue increased spending/investing.

[Armstead]

10. End to Bush cuts would have helped too..,That was also tossed out by Obama and the Dems

Well, it was tossed out by thev GOP but Obama and Dems went along with it

[Tx4obama]

12. The GOP put a stop to that by holding the Extension of Unemploymet benefits hostage.

The blame for the extension of the Bush tax cuts falls at the feet of the GOP!

[Armstead]

14. The Dems did not have to let it get to that point

I've written this too many times before but Why didn't Obama and the Dems start submitting bills in early 2009 to extend tax cuts for middle class and expiring them for the rich, and keep submitting it, and calling out the GOP out. "We're trying to givev you a tax cut, but Republicans are stopping it to protect the rich."

Might have gotten the Bush tax issue off the table a lot sooner, so the Dems would not have to cave just to extend unemployment. Maybe even changed tge results of the 2010 election by tarring the GOP.

Can't guarantee it would work but it would been worth trying, instead of ignoring it until their backs were put to the wall.

[Tx4obama]

17. You are missing the fact that Senator Franken was not sworn in until July 2009

and Senator Kennedy died August 2009. That means the that democrats had 60 democrats in the Senate for a TOTAL OF 49 DAYS in the Senate since the day Obama was sworn in. The majority of those days Senator Kennedy was unable to come to the Senate floor due to the fact he was at home on his death bed.

It takes 60 votes to invoke cloture on all the bills that the GOP is obstructing.

There is no way a bill would have passed in 2009 or in 2010.

[Armstead]

18. No I assume the GOP would have kept blocking it

What XI am saying is they could have gotten it on the agenda, and used it as a cudgel as evidence to the public what shits the GOP are.

Eventually they would have either agreed to pass it -- or looked like shits if the Democrats had kept pounding it.

[Tx4obama]

19. There are tons of bills that the democrats put on the agenda that did not get passed....

due to GOP obstruction.
Go do some research.

House: http://clerk.house.gov/

Senate: http://democrats.senate.gov/

[Armstead]

20. This one would be a biggie

And the Democrats would have had to keep pointing this out.

The teaagger, a pirtion of the GOP in the house were able to drive the agenda with ridiculous demands.

I refuse to believe that as a majority, Democrat could not have made an issue of something most people wanted. Sorry but I just don't buy into the Democrats are impotent because if the nature of government. The GOP manipulates the system, no matter what the composition.

[Tx4obama]

21. Until you can explain how the Senate can pass a bill without 60 votes

needed for cloture, your argument is moot.

[Armstead]

27. Until you stop starting from a defeatist "so answer" position....

your argument is moot.

And I would just ask you to consider why the GOP always seems to find their way around such things -- and on the rare occasions when they don't they still find a way to extract major conscssions (80 percent "compromises") and make the Democrats look bad in the public mind.

I am sure if the numbers had been revered in terms of positions held by Rs and Ds over the last two years, you'd have seen a GOP dictatorship with them smashing through anything they wanted, with the Dems on the ropes.

I am not advocating that the Dems also be GOPlike bullies -- But there is a point between that and "helpless do nothing" victimhood and perennial excuse making.

[deacon]

24. They need obama (and Americans) to fail, to win and have said so. n/t

[indurancevile]

16. i think it's more the bipartisan austerity program & the drop in stimulus funding.

[deacon]

22. The GOP came in with the intention of putting the brakes on. They're succeeding. n/t

[begin_within]

26. Republicans have never cared about the economy. They only care about getting what they want.

[Waiting For Everyman]

28. If your car was stalling out, would you put on the brakes?

If it did in fact stall out, would you then drain the gas tank?

That's where we are.