with the Democratic controlling congress - why is nothing being done?

Question

Seems since they took over both houses they spend all day making political hay of Iraq. Some want us to go into Africa to stop genocide, but isn't that Iraq with another name plate? With social security imploding Big Brother should be tackling cost of private health coverage. Big Brother goal should be to end income tax and start a fair sales tax (Those who make more or inherit alot do spend more). Do we need a third party or just vote in democratics or republicans with a more centrist position. These extremes in each party are wrecking this nation - including George and Nanci

Answer 1

Because the only thing the left has figured out is "WE HATE BUSH" and that doesn't amount to actually getting anything done.

Answer 2

One improtant thing to remember is that the house alone has no power. All legislation must also go through the senate, where it takes 60 votes to actually get anything controversial passed. The current split is 49-50, with Lieberman generally voting democrat on everything but the war. And even if they could get anything passed, it takes 2/3 of the house and the senate to override a veto. At the moment, the government is basically in a stalemate.

Answer 3

The libs won't stand up for what they believe because if they acted on their true beliefs they would get massacred in the next election. The electorate according to polling data do not want to lose the war. The electorate is not happy about the war either.
In the Senate the magic number is 60 and at this point in time the democrats have a one vote majority, Joe Liebermann caucuses with the Democrats but he supports the war. If Reid decided to be stupid, he could easily become the minority leader.

Answer 4

Good question and points. However you have to understand that decisions cannot be made instantly. Change takes time, and its only been 56 days since they've been in control. A Bill has to be introduced, time has to be spent discussing it, often the origional bill has a lot of little other bills attached to it, a vote has to be taken in the house and passed, it has to pass the senate, and a lot of times it doesn't get past both. Having control of the senate doesn't mean that everyone agrees with you or the bill you want to pass. The members of congress have to be responsible to the american public and act with our best interests at heart. They represent us and if they want our vote they must vote what we would like. Polls are taken to determine what the public leans towards. I think there is so much red tape involved that it takes forever to achieve anything....and then the stupid president can vetoe any bill that passes if he doesn't like it, and we all know what a jerk he is.

Answer 5

You speak out of both sides of your mouth at the same time, you talk of socialist problems and then you talk like a libertarian. maybe I should ask you. How many times did you contact your congress person this year? You seam to have a problem with rich. They are paying about 67% of the monies that are collected by the IRS. I would like the Fair (sales) Tax that way I would only pay on the money that I spend and a lot of that would be exempt, but it would insure that the poor in this country would start to pay their fair share. Please undersatand that the monies that go into the war in Iraq are mostly spent here in this country and raise the economy. You have addressed Health care. What would you perfer a reasonable tax, or do you want health care. One way or another you ae going to pay for your health care.

Answer 6

why? because democrats still have to deal with republicans

this is how our congress works..

1 democrats they propose a new resolution and ask the congress to vote yes or no

2 the republicans refuse to vote in that way they block the democrats resolution

3 the republicans they propose a new resolution and ask the congress to vote yes or no

4 the democrats refuse to vote in that way they block the republicans resolution

and they going going going going in this way forever
you get the picture now?

Answer 7

the house did more in a month than the Republicans did in 6 years... pretty much everything they said they would...

but... the senate is a supermajority... so they need about 9-10 republicans to vote with them to pass anything... which is stalling the process greatly...

but, to be frank... they aren't concerned about the issues you're talking about... and never have been... it's not what they ran on... and not what they promised to do... (some discussed healthcare, which hopefully they will get too, but it wasn't their main goal)

so... you're crying about them not doing things they never said they wanted to do... which is a bit silly...

I don't like the flat tax... but health care is crazy... but Republicans won't let it go anywhere in the senate...

Answer 8

because in order to get something done they have to have more than a simple majority in the senate. They need 60 votes instead of 50. And then they would need 2/3 majority to over ride a Bush veto of any bill they pass.

Answer 9

After twenty years of a Republican Congress and after almost seven years of the worst President in the history of this nation and after the largest, most obscene national debt in the history of mankind, it's going to take a little longer than a hundred days to get THIS wreck out of the ditch. What I can tell, is that the new Congress is going after the roots of the enormous corruption among Republican leaders. It's like a snake with thousands of heads. The corruption is SO bad, admitted by BOTH parties, that enormous intelligence is required to overcome the mess the Party of Plunderers has gotten this nation into. It has been such a long time since people with actual intelligence have been allowed any say that it's going to take people awhile to get accustomed to solutions and problem-solving techniques other than torture, bombing people, plundering, lying, bribery and borrowing BILLIONS and BILLIONS and BILLIONS from China and Korea to get this nation back on its feet. Patience. Save your energy for paying back the national debt. The Republican Welfare party is over. Time to sober up.

Answer 10

because the dems are out of touch with reality. they want "feel-good" policies, like the fairness doctrine, assault weapons bans, pro-choice agendas...what about the choice of the unborn? we have third parties, but they just eat away from the base, our political system is here to make us feel like we're still involved, and to keep us occupied while these wolves steal our rights

Answer 11

My friend! the democrats just have the name democrat, there all Republcan, the Democrat will not do nothing without the republican. just forget about Democrat and look at the US politics. nothing will change.