Posted on 06/03/2007 10:21:52 AM PDT by forty_years
The Democrats promised to restore bipartisanship and openness, tighten ethics rules for lawmakers, and reign in pork barrel spending in their "first 100 hours" pledge made after taking control of Congress in November 2006. They haven't kept their promises. In fact, they have actually moved in the opposite direction on several of their pledges. Is this what voters really wanted last November? I doubt it. I would venture that the American electorate was fed up with Republicans controlling Congress too long, and tiring of an Iraq war seemingly spiraling towards disaster. The Democrats have sought to exclude Republicans from decision-making (there goes bipartisanship), failed to enact meaningful lobbying reforms (there goes ethics), and have gone full-steam ahead on hiding pet pork spending in legislation (there goes pork reform).
According to an article from the AP today, 36,000 earmark (pork) requests have been submitted to the Democratic-controlled Appropriations Committee (36,000):
After promising unprecedented openness regarding Congress' pork barrel practices, House Democrats are moving in the opposite direction as they draw up spending bills for the upcoming budget year.Democrats are sidestepping rules approved their first day in power in January to clearly identify "earmarks" -- lawmakers' requests for specific projects and contracts for their states.
Rather than including specific pet projects, grants and contracts in legislation as it is being written, Democrats are following an order by the House Appropriations Committee chairman to keep the bills free of such earmarks until it is too late for critics to effectively challenge them. ...
Such requests total billions of dollars. ...
A month after Democrats took control of the Congress, and promised to control uncontrolled spending, tracking of pork was stopped according to the Washington Times:
The federal agency that tracked pork-barrel spending during the 12 years of the Republican congressional majority has discontinued the practice since Democrats took power, riling lawmakers suspicious of the timing and concerned about the pace of fat being added to bills."To me, something doesn't smell right," said Sen. Jim DeMint, South Carolina Republican. "I just hope no one is pressuring" the Congressional Research Service (CRS).
While not blaming the Democratic leadership, Mr. DeMint added: "I guess if you're looking for a motive, you'd have to look in that direction." ...
Regarding Democratic promises of "bipartisanship," the Washington Post wrote:
...But instead of allowing Republicans to fully participate in deliberations, as promised after the Democratic victory in the Nov. 7 midterm elections, Democrats now say they will use House rules to prevent the opposition from offering alternative measures, assuring speedy passage of the bills and allowing their party to trumpet early victories. ...
Here's what Democrats have accomplished in terms of "lobbying reform," from the Chicago Tribune:
...On Thursday, after months of wrangling, House Democrats managed to pass a stripped-down version of lobbying reform that would shed more light on how lobbyists help finance congressional campaigns. But, bowing to pressure from rank-and-file Democrats, party leaders dropped a proposal that would have required members of Congress and their staffs to wait two years instead of one year to cash in on their government service by taking highly paid lobbying jobs.Many Democratic House members, as Republicans gleefully point out, are resistant to surrendering the perquisites of power now that they finally enjoy some access to them. In the view of reformers, Democrats have passed the absolute minimum ethics package, and they struggled to do that. ...
It took Republicans 12 years to get too cozy with power. It took Democrats a few months.
Do you have a link on the poll numbers? Thanks.
Last poll numbers I saw, congress was at a record low of the low 20s
What’s the hurry? Neptunian Hours were the measuring sthick!!!!!
President Bush Job Approval
RCP Average
Approve33.3%
Disapprove61.2%
Spread -27.9%
Congressional Job Approval
RCP Average
Approve32.6%
Disapprove58.0%
Spread -25.4%
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/
Scroll down once on the right hand side of the page you will see congressional poll averages. You can click on the link for more detail.
Bookmarked.
Who is surprised by this?
The American voters that elected them?
Plus, I do not think anyone really expected the Democrats to keep their "promises".
Thanks for the link. Good future ammo...
No surprise here.
Figures.
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