Americans thought Congress was awful last year, maybe the worst ever. At one point, it received a 9 percent approval rating.
But what will Americans be thinking when this Congress is finished?
This Congress is making the last one look like a Mensa gathering, treating the Treasury like a piñata full of free money that they take whacks at while blindfolded.
Congress and the president may be merrily leading us to a collapse of the dollar.
They're passing massive, unprecedented, scattershot spending bills that none of them have read. They're attempting a takeover of private commerce in the form of "cap and trade" limits on emissions. They're trying to sneak a highly controversial and most likely unconstitutional hate-crimes bill through, under the cover of a defense spending bill.
And now they're barreling toward a health-care reform package that could cost a trillion or more and grind the economy to a halt -- in bills that, again, may be too long for anyone to have read all the way through.
In short, this Congress is doing infinitely more damage to America than last year's "worst-ever" crowd did.
You have to wonder why the public voted last year's Congress among the worst -- and then added to the majority. But we've made our bed.
Meanwhile, a president who, by a few percentage points, won an election that was primarily a rebuke of his term-limited outgoing predecessor, is behaving like a man with a mammoth mandate to turn just about everything in the nation inside-out.
Now, just six months in, many Americans see the nation careening out of control.
Count the Congressional Budget Office among them.
"The coverage proposals in this legislation," nonpartisan CBO director Douglas Elmendorf told Congress last week, "would expand federal spending on health care to a significant degree and in our analysis so far we don't see other provisions in this legislation reducing federal health spending by a corresponding degree."
He was being polite. In short, he was saying the health-care bills will break the bank even further than it is already.
How broke is it now? We've got some $11 trillion in national debt already, and Washington is going to add close to $2 trillion in debt this year alone. Future required spending on Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security is expected to be north of $50 trillion.
Not all debt is bad. It's OK to borrow for capital improvements, for infrastructure improvement. That's an investment. But that's not what Washington is doing; our leaders are borrowing from our children and grandchildren to pay for ongoing expenses -- in other words, for current consumption.
That's immoral. And it's what our leaders are giving us.
With our tacit approval at this point, sad to say.
"The federal budget is on an unsustainable path," CBO director Elmendorf wrote on his blog this week.
If we stay on that path, this Congress may be adjudged by history as the worst ever.
And those who put them there will be no more favorably viewed.
Comments
Geeez, I do believe everyone is tired of listening to the republicans whine. Get over it people! Your party destroyed the economy, got us into a never-ending war that was unjustified and misrepresented, and made the US look like idiots to the rest of the world. Go hide under a rock, and let the Democrats once again repair the damages left by a bush.
Nice to see the AC so concerned about spending now that the dems are in charge. Where were you from 2002-2008 don't remember much. Funny how you left out the trillions spent in Iraq. For a war that by all reasonable accounts was unneccessary. Congress will always have a low approval ratings now that our county is so divided. They can't make dems or repubs happy.
When the Dems took over congress (2006) after 6 years of unrelentingly abusive reporting by the msm, (some of which was justifiable), the tottering economy collapsed. Since, only steps to make things worse have been initiated. If you have a cut hand with lots of blood, you don't cut off both arms because "anything is better than what we started with". Yet, that's the exact approach we're currently taking in respect to our economy. Obviously, "anything is better..." is a false mantra taught to the foolish voters to justify the assault on this country. The congressmen don't read the secret bills before them, yet vote in unison. Maybe, through the help of lobbyists, they're being told how to vote and when. It's great for their personal income, but very bad for the nation. This is the change the first two posters today seem to be endorsing. This is the "hope and change" so many fools seem to be endorsing.
We can solve a lot of the problems facing the nation in 2010 and a lot more in 2012. Remove the socialists from office. I can't believe all decent people have left the Dem party, but they sure have left the leadership.
The AC was all for our big spending, big government, proamnesty SOCIALIST Saxby Chambliss. We could have had a fiscal conservative but the AC likes big Spenders who are controlled by LOBBYIST. We are getting what the LOBBYIST pay for.
I try to be reasonable and listen to both sides and realize spending was excessive under Bush also, but we all have to understand what the right solution to debt is and isn't. It is not to go trillions more in debt. It is also not what VP Joe Biden said. "We have to spend money to keep from going bankrupt." That's a fundamental lapse in logic the Democrats appear to have. Now is the time to tighten our size 50 inch belt.
I just hope these folks all have the $1,000.00 to pay the fine when they don't have insurance, or perhaps maybe they already get free medical insurance. OStupid is not taking the necessary time needed to study and see if things would work or not... You can't come in from nowhere and cram bills down peoples throats and say reform... His own people are telling him this won't work and he pulls out the stick and whacks the hands of those do dare go against him, folks wake up please, yes we need health care reform I agree but you can't do it in a couple of months, explain to me why is he in such a hurry to get everything shoved down our throats? Is he going someplace in a hurry? I think really by this time next year his party is going to turn more against him than ever, they will get tired of him shoving things down their throats without even reading the what is in these bills. This man in 6 months has out spent every one who has been in office, don't say it was from cleaning up after Bush folks cause that is a cop out, Clinton was responsible for the Glassman act that caused the fraudulant loans in the housing area, another example of a bill shoved down peoples throats.
The A/C is doing what is expected of them; be a watchdog and bark when something goes awry. The A/C is likely the most influential media in Augusta and is solidly against this reckless spending orgy coming from DC. It would be appropriate for the A/C to report on what they (the A/C) is doing about it. I do not know of a more powerful voice in this area that can make a difference. Doing so will likely cause a lot of controversy but then the A/C thrives on controversy. The A/C has contacts and resources in D.C as well as all over the country. I am being dead serious about this suggestion.
concerned, "trillions spent in Iraq"?? Ah, no..not yet. Please quit listening to the MSM.
If Conservatives thought they were doing right by the American people, why would they tell us the economy was fine when in fact we were already in a recession when Obama came into office. I believe white Conservatives are the stupidest people alive!! They lecture everyone about loving the country, being patriotic, and the importance of morality except when we they are discussing one another... Rush Limbaugh asked 20 million white Conservatives to pray to God that all of Obama's plans fail and they are crying everyday that God honors their minor white Prophet Rush so that the last eight years won't seem so bad afterall. White Conservatives give new meaning to freedoms of speech and religion.. Please God, if you love America you would allow the plans of our first black President to fail and white Americans can rescue them. Please God, we all know you are a Republican and there is no way you would ever love a Democrat. Please God, forgive all white Conservatives and punish President Obama for blasphemy for seeking solutions to feed the poor. Please God, show America white hypocrisy is not so bad and give Rush a better way of explaining racial hatred. Amen, Amen, & Amen...
We have forgotten that ours is a government of, by and for The People.
The GOP Congress will continue to vote NO because that is all they seem to be capable of doing right now. I am more concerned about the Democratic Congress who are not following the President in his efforts to improve the country from the last several decades of GOP buffonery.
your so called president couldn't run a mcdonalds
Who wrote the headline? The headline is not supported by the piece itself. "(M)ay be adjudged" does not equate with "this one's the worst."
Hey, confederate, your side lost...150 years ago. You side also lost 8 months ago. I'm amazed at all the crackers who comment that Pres. Obama is stupid, a teleprompter puppet, couldn't run a McDonalds, etc. To believe that, you've got to believe in a conspiracy that started decades ago, when he first went off to college. Yeah, I can just see the admissions committee at Occidental ("You know, I bet we could make this moron into the first African-American president! Call Columbia! Summon the folks at Harvard Law! And get the people in charge of birth records in Hawaii on the phone...this is gonna be BIG!") You people are pathetic.
HotFoot; I agree 100/per cent!!!!!
Where was all this hand-wringing from the right about "government spending" when Bush was in office? We've poured BILLIONS of federal money into Iraq (wrong war, wrong country) since 2002, but nobody on the right wants to bring that up. Why not? For 20 of the last 30 years, Republicans have ocntrolled the White, House, and Congress for 12 of the last 16; in that timespan our health, eduation, transportation, economic meets have not been met. You lost in 2006, lost again in 2008, and need to accept that your party has been given the chance to lead for the vast majority of this country's recent history, and has done little to improve it.
Limited government was the premise on which our country was founded. Down with the KING and up with the common man. It didn't last ten years. President Washington ordered federal troops to attack American citizens who had fought for FREEDOM at the peril of their lives for NOT PAYING TAXES. They grew corn, made alcohol and bartered same for a living. Where was the FREEDOM from government. We have always had a KING and PRINCES. We have always had PEASANTS. We have always had POOR MEN WHO DIE IN WAR. Wow, were those history books tainted.
Oh yeah it was white cracker republicans that really screwed this country up....couldn't be the black welfare thugs that sit on their behinds all day and never contribute to society other than breeding other worthless vermin....thats what your comments look like hotfoot & cparker..blame the white man blame the white man...my president is black all is well now....what a moron!
All government is corrupt by nature. It feeds off those it controls. It grows without limitation like a cancer.
Government destroying the economy is good! Government assuming control of the banking industry is good! Government nationalizing the auto industry is good! Government assuming control of health care in the country is good! What a wonderfully knowledgeable and experienced leader we have. (not)
I think all cparkers are the stupidist people alive and I think they're proud of it. (racial distinction not necessary)
Let's bring back the 1994 Congress and the Contract for America. It was full of GOP failures, Gingrich, Sanford, Foley, et.al. And thanks a lot for that Conservative Contract, you really knew how to implement that one Newter! And please run in 2012. Just what the GOP needs a poor performer and thrice-divorced guy who could not do one sit up to save his bloated body.
It seems that as long as the President and Congress spends money to satisfy people in order to gain votes it is fine. When a President and Congress spends money for the good of the country and world it is wasting money. Wake up people it is time to get off our rear and take care of yourself and your family. Quit allowing these officials to buy your vote while selling your country to China.
I assure you that I will take Bush's 8 year deficit over Obama/Pelosi's 6 month deficit and certainly over Obama/Pelosi's 10 year projected deficit ANY DAY. Sure, a lot of people were unhappy with Bush and the Republican spending. Then we changed control of the Congress....and the spending got worse. Now we have given the Democrats and their Czars total control of the government and the deficit went up x 10 in six months. The polls are indicating that this was NOT what the crossover voters wanted when they voted for CHANGE. They wanted good CHANGE. They did not want bigger deficit CHANGE. They did not want Socialist/Marxist CHANGE. They did not want Universal Healthcare with HUGE costs CHANGE. They did not want Cap and Trade CHANGE. They did not want "midnight legislation" change. They did not want "no debate, no amendment" change. The crossover voters are rolling there eyes and saying "what in the hell have we done", and rightfully so. This generation has never seen what a totalitarian government results from an absolute majority. I do not think this will be allowed to happen again beginning with 2010. Radical change requires DEBATE and FULL DISCLOSURE of impact, costs, and tax.
ACES, if you're going to remove my comment for employing the C-word, please do the same to GnipGnop. Oh, and btw, "black welfare thugs" is a term at least as offensive as the C-word I used. But perhaps you don't agree.
I hope they do delete it...I made it offensive to prove a point. That's what yours and cparkers and justus and jovan's posts look like everyday. White man this and all white that and my black president won you white republicans lost quit whining all you racists because you didn't vote for the black man...it gets old.
Niko Mahs on Sun Jul 19, 2009 10:43 AM Isn't it interesting that the OHSA, minimum wage, and many other bills to protect working men and women passed by congress DID NOT APPLY TO THSE THAT WORKED IN THE CONGRESSIONAL OFFICE BUILDINGS UNTIL THE REPUBLICANS TOOK OVER!! The Democrates always talk a good line but NEVER WALK THE WALK. Look at health care reform, why the Democrates congress and exmpted and labour unions. Look at Al Gore and his tenants living in slum like conditions. Look at Al Gore the ecology president letting Ocidential Aluminium dump waste in the Chaney river THROUGH AL GORE's property! Look at Pelosi screaming culture of corruption against Republicans while having Dodd recieving sweeth heart deals with country wide, Jefferson with freezer full of bribe money, Murtha getting corrupt earmarks this list is long. Pelosi and Obama screaming at corperations for flying corperate jets, yet Pelose flys her family all over the world on the taxpayers dame and Obama has $250,000 ddollar date nights, yet the Democrates have a hissy fit if some one taps his foot under a toilet seat..
Carcraft, is it OSHA and "Walk the Talk". I lost myself trying to correct you and read your rambling grammar.
Obama stated all this in the campaign. His healthcare plans and all. How is this not what they wanted? Everyone had the right to vote. Clinton left us in Surplus and by 03 under bush debt was 500 billion???? So dont try and blams thison the dems. Between 97-07 the dems controlled congress 2-3 years. The failed economy is all rep. Please review. The Dems left the budget in a surplus. It would have been nice if the REP knew how to manage money and did the same. We should have took heed to the insider trading allegations about Bush Oil Co.
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