As the situation facing working people continues to worsen across the board, Congress has returned to Washington to take up business for the coming year. The battle lines are clearly drawn; the Democratic Party majority remains disunited, paralyzed, and unfocused, while the Republican Congressional minority is absolute in its opposition to every single legislative initiative launched by Democrats. The only people unaware of this situation appear to be large numbers of Democrat lawmakers.
No change in behavior is to be expected from the Republican Congressional minority. Their opposition is part-and-parcel of their strategy for the November elections. For the past year the Republican minority in Congress has blocked and derailed every single initiative put forth by Democrats, most notably the failed health care legislation. And, in a painful repetition of history, Democrats have fallen into every political trap set for them by Republicans. Never in recent history has a Congressional majority failed so completely to win passage of its agenda, or passage of any of its significant components. Amazingly, in spite of all of the previous years’ evidence, large numbers of Democrats still beg and plead for support from Republicans who can barely conceal their contempt. Voters observe this political situation with increasing frustration and anger.
Working people remain hungry for aggressive action on jobs and the economy, for sweeping health care reform, and against the corporate crime wave. Will the Democrats provide that leadership? Will the Democrats put their majorities in the House of Representatives and Senate to use on behalf of working people? Will they use their majorities at all? Will President Obama finally prioritize his scattered agenda and set to work putting the Democrat Congressional majority to work? The answers to these questions will decide whether or not the Democrats will find their political fortunes rejuvenated – or wrecked completely. If the coming year is no better than a re-run of the 2009 Congressional disaster, then Democrats will find themselves abandoned by voters in November. Voters may not even support the Republicans they will vote for and help elect, but in a corrupt two party “system” the Republican is most frequently the only other name allowed on the ballot. The recent election debacles for Democrats are proof that working people are fed up with their failure to utilize their Congressional majorities to fix any of our nation’s major crises.
Commenting on the return of Congress for the new session, UE General Secretary-Treasurer Bruce Klipple said, “Someone please remind the Democrats that they have a Congressional majority. Then remind them that we face too many crises to count; the ongoing loss of good jobs, a health care crisis that grows each day, more and more foreclosures, corporate crime and fraud run wild, two endless and costly wars that must be ended, federal and state budget disasters, just for starters. Do the Democrats ever intend to use their majority to fix these problems? It’s time for Democrats and the White House to stop having press conferences, and start passing and enforcing legislation. Period. Working people are fed up. How could it be otherwise? Democrats ignore this reality at their own peril. People are in no mood for more talk. They want action They want results.”
One of the first tests of whether the White House and Democrats have learned anything from the previous year will be the coming jobs legislation which must now move through the Senate. The House of Representatives passed their version of the “Jobs for Main Street Act” (HR2847) in December, which provides $154 billion to address the jobs crisis. The Senate will likely act on this bill by mid-February. Democrats are also maneuvering to salvage some parts of the failed health care legislation. It is expected that Congressional Republicans will continue their sabotage of any legislation to address the jobs or health care crisis, and working people will have their eyes focused on whether or not the Democrats finally use their majority, or continue to waste precious time in fruitless pursuit of bogus “bipartisanship.”