Obstructionist Congress

Congress is having a hard time getting anything done.  This is true in general but has been especially true with this specific session.  The common complain from the left is that the minority won’t even let votes come to the floor and live by a simple majority.  Everything requires 60 vote to pass.

The republicans are just blocking everything Obama wants to do.  For example:

Senate Republicans on Thursday blocked an “insourcing” bill from Democrats that would have ended tax breaks for companies that move jobs overseas.

The Bring Jobs Home Act also would have given a tax incentives to companies that bring jobs back to the United States. The measure failed to advance on a 56-42 vote, with 60 votes needed to end debate on the bill.

Earlier in the week, Republicans also blocked the Disclose Act, which would have required the disclosure of campaign contributions of more than $10,000.

Seemingly another example of the republicans abusing the power of the minority.  However, might there be another side to the story?

Republicans were considering supporting the insourcing bill until Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said he wouldn’t include any GOP amendments.

The democrats have “ruled” as the majority since Obama took office.  He even referred to his unwillingness to consider republican ideas when has said, “I won.”  There may be fewer bills being passed, there certainly is debate on whether that’s a feature or a bug.  But f blame is going to be cast, it needs to be cast where it belongs.

5 responses to “Obstructionist Congress

  1. How about on the GOP members that use a filibuster threat to prevent anything from passing or, if they get to add those amendments, just use it to add pills to everything. That’s why Reid doesn’t allow amendments.

    • How about on the GOP members that use a filibuster threat to prevent anything from passing or, if they get to add those amendments, just use it to add poison pills to everything. That’s why Reid doesn’t allow amendments.

      Dude. You’re at the 3rd derivative of this conversation.

      Equation: The senate fails to pass bills.

      1st derivative: republicans filibuster.
      2nd derivative: democrats fill the tree.
      3rd derivative: republicans threaten poison pills.

      Are you prepared to say that republicans fill the tree more often than democrats?

      • No, filling the tree is intended to prevent amendments. Poison pills are amendments. So the process is Dems propose legislation, GOP uses poison pill. Next time, Dems fill the tree to prevent that, so GOP threatens filibuster. And that’s where we are now.

  2. Pingback: Senator Harry Reid: Filibuster, Amendments And Debate | Tarheel Red

  3. So the process is Dems propose legislation, GOP uses poison pill. Next time, Dems fill the tree to prevent that, so GOP threatens filibuster. And that’s where we are now.

    I agree.

    So we would have to try and figure out if one, the other, or both parties abuse this process.

    That said, I wish bills would come to a vote with only true germane amendments. And that goes for both sides of the aisle.

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