The lame duck session of congress is a dangerous period for us as the two members of the troika (Reid and Pelosi) try to push through their liberal agenda through before the new congress comes into play in January 2011. Reid already is trying to ramrod the DREAM ACT through which is designed to legalize illegals and sign them up as Democrats. It seems though that the new GOP leadership is finally willing to take on the Democrats and not give in to the “reach across the aisle” mentality of Denny Hastert/JohnMcCain Republicanism. Let us hope so.
by Andrea Tantoros
Congress might be in what’s technically referred to as a lame-duck session, but it’s looking more like a game of political chicken.
In perhaps the brashest legislative strong-arming Republicans have mustered in months, all 42 current members of the GOP Senate conference signed a letter to Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) threatening to block his last- minute leftist agenda if it doesn’t stick to issues that include tackling taxes and spending.
The letter calls for a filibuster of any legislation not directly related to time-sensitive votes that would prevent taxes from going up for all Americans. In other words, it argues for extending the Bush tax cuts and the passage of a budget, things that Democrats have long delayed. (It’s also worth noting that if Congress doesn’t pass a budget, the government risks shutdown on Friday evening.)
The move is gutsy. It’s no holds barred. And, quite frankly, it’s necessary.
This effort, if acted on successfully, would effectively end Reid’s hopes of pushing through controversial measures — in the waning days of a Democratic majority in the House of Representatives — like the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, which would permit gays in the military to serve openly , and the DREAM Act, which would give amnesty to young illegal immigrants who attend college or volunteer for the military.
By asking Democrats to focus not on their favorite social causes but the one issue Americans care about most — the one in their wallets — this letter serves as a dose of tough love for the left.
Democrats, who have long been addicts when it comes to spending, need the discipline. Call the GOP move obstructionist, call them “The Party of No,” but it’s a must if we hope to help get the economy back on track.
“Enough” is really the message the right is sending. Democratic leadership — President Obama, Reid and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — has been detached and distracted when it comes to addressing the issues paramount to the people. They passed a climate change bill when the public wanted jobs. They rammed through a costly new entitlement program on health care reform when voters wanted spending to stop. And the Obama administration was busy suing Arizona while the stimulus bill was doling out funds to build tunnels for turtles and a sidewalk to nowhere. (Those are both real. Google them.)
After the electoral shellacking of last month’s midterm elections, the President promised that things would change. He said “we owe” it to the American people to “focus on those issues that affect their jobs.” Yet, his agenda is still honed in on issues like food safety, gays in the military and amnesty for illegal aliens — none of which even remotely address our collective economic woes.
[…]
Read the rest here: Sen. Harry Reid, Rep. Nancy Pelosi are sitting ducks and the GOP is taking aim
