October 5, 2007

Ten Months of Dysfunction

By Congressman Joe Pitts

The 2006 midterm elections were a turning point in the American political landscape.  The new Democratic majority, led by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (CA-08), swept into power on bold promises of a new direction.  Pelosi and her associates made a number of promises, commitments, and pledges. 

Now in the tenth month of the new majority’s reign, Congress finds itself with little to show for accomplishments.  Of the bold new direction promised by Pelosi and the Democrats, there is not much beyond lack of real accomplishments, commitments left unfulfilled, and promises broken.

The cornerstone of the Democrats’ “New Direction for America” is the vaunted “Six for ‘06” agenda.  Of the six major policy objectives, one has been fulfilled.  It was not until May 25 that a single objective in the Six for ’06 agenda became law when the President signed legislation increasing the federal minimum wage.

It took five months to get just one of their most important, highest priority objectives accomplished.

Perhaps some of the slow progress could be attributed to Democrats adjusting to life in the majority, but much more of the blame for the failure in achievement lies in the Democrats’ obsession with scoring political points on the war in Iraq.  They have made no secret of their attempts to spend time forcing supporters of the war to take votes they believe will prove unpopular.

So we find ourselves in October, a week into the new fiscal year, with not a single appropriations bill sent to the White House for a signature.  They are needed to pay for the functioning of the government.  Passing these bills is one of the most basic legislative responsibilities of Congress.  This is one of the most striking examples of the dysfunction of this Democrat led Congress.

Earmark abuses have been a large part of the public’s dissatisfaction with Congress.  On this, reforms have actually backtracked under the new Democrat majority.

Earmarks are less transparent than they were in the final months of the Republican controlled 109^th Congress.  The Democrats’ view on the subject is easily summed up by the comments of Congressman Jack Murtha (PA-12).  When asked why he would not provide transparency in earmarks for a bill going through his committee, he replied: “So you have to work.  Tough [expletive].”  This doesn’t sound like the most open and honest Congress in history as promised by Pelosi and her colleagues.  Yet earmarks are just a symptom of the larger problem of government overspending.

It is true that Republicans lost our way on spending.  That's why I voted against one-third of my own party's spending bills when we were in the majority.  But the Democrats seem to be saying you spent too much, so we’re going to spend more.  The bills that have been considered are billions of dollars above and beyond the President’s budget.    

And when spending increases, taxes are likely to follow.  Since January, the House has passed legislation that would increase taxes by $431 billion.  That is a substantial accomplishment, but not one the Democrats ought to be bragging about. 

How about children’s healthcare?  This was an issue so important to the Majority party that they waited until September to pass legislation, when they had known in January the SCHIP program would expire on September 30.

Democrats have every right to pass legislation that spends too much and overreaches its purpose and then cry fowl when the President vetoes their programs.  The also have the right to shut Republicans out of the legislative process entirely, as they did with SCHIP.  In the mean time, however, nothing is getting accomplished.  The Democrats may be energizing the extreme left with their political posturing, but to the average American this just looks like a dysfunctional Congress. 

Perhaps if Congress had worked more, the Democrats might have more to show for accomplishments.  The five day Washington work week was another much hyped promise to the American people, and another failed promise at that.  Of the forty weeks so far this year, there have been only eight in which the House spent all five days considering legislation.

This is to say nothing of the Democrats’ policy promises on energy independence, lower gas prices, access to higher education, homeland security, or lower healthcare costs, all of which have gone unfulfilled.  This is shaping up to be one of the most dysfunctional Congresses in history.   

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