Democrats In Charge, A Mixed Bag

With congress's job approval poll number so low, and the Democrats now in power with only 8 months holding the majority. It's just common sense to ask what has the Democratic Congress accomplished? Well, after 6 years of the Bush White House having free reign, with no one to answer to while the Republicans were in charge. We are finally seeing some oversight. Now there's some light being shed on some shady dealings of the Bush administration.

Passing the 9/11 commission recommendations. Passing the first minimum wage raise in 10 years. Passing legislation for stem cell research. Revamping pell grants so low income students can compete. Getting the interest rates for student loans lowered in half. So that students won't be saddled with high interest loans long after completing college. Earmark reform, which requires house members to publicly acknowledge specials projects they are seeking. Pay-as-you-go budgeting, which requires spending increases to be offset with revenue enhancements or budget cuts. Clean air act which repeals tax cuts for big oil companies and, to create a pool fund for renewable energy initiatives. Permit medicare to negotiate with drug companies to potentially lower prices to program participants. Ethics and lobbying reform. These are some of the bills the Democrats in the house have to passed. Of course President vetoed stem cell research.

And there are things the Democrats have not done. The have not gotten a timeline for getting the troops out of Iraq. They have not reeled the President on domestic wiretapping. They can't seem to get truth on firings of the 8 U.S. attorneys. Congress can't seem to get together on immigration. And they won't impeach Bush.

The public is down on the Democratic Congress. Maybe congress had better start paying closer attention to their true employers. The citizens of the United States. But maybe the public should be more accommodating also. After all the Democrats don't have a veto proof majority, and hardly any help from the Republicans in Congress. The Democrats must stop beimg afraid to stand up to Bush. If they would call Bush's bluff, and take him on they would see he's not such tough guy. After all he walked away from the chance he had to fight, he skipped Viet Nam.