Obama-Pelosi Lame Duck Strategy

[Foxfyre]

It seems that our fearless leaders are planning all sorts of stuff for the waning months of the current Congress. Union Card Check, a modest cap and trade energy bill to be seriously upgraded behind closed doors in conference, a universal federal voter registration program that would override state laws, a lot of new taxes, and a lot of spending including a lot of pork.

As the clock ticks relentlessly on and the stomach turns, it's anybody's guess how much of it they'll get done, but since everybody seems to be resigned that it is the Democrats' last chance to do it, they're going to try to do a whole lot of it.

Or of couse they could take the statesmanlike approach and hear the people and not act hastily and without careful thought.

What do you think the chances are of that?

Odds anyone?

The Obama-Pelosi Lame Duck Strategy
By JOHN FUND
WSJ - July 9, 2010

Democratic House members are so worried about the fall elections they're leaving Washington on July 30, a full week earlier than normal—and they won't return until mid-September. Members gulped when National Journal's Charlie Cook, the Beltway's leading political handicapper, predicted last month "the House is gone," meaning a GOP takeover. He thinks Democrats will hold the Senate, but with a significantly reduced majority.

The rush to recess gives Democrats little time to pass any major laws. That's why there have been signs in recent weeks that party leaders are planning an ambitious, lame-duck session to muscle through bills in December they don't want to defend before November. Retiring or defeated members of Congress would then be able to vote for sweeping legislation without any fear of voter retaliation.

John Fund discusses the Democratic agenda for the lame duck Congress, including cap and trade, card-check, and pork.

"I've got lots of things I want to do" in a lame duck, Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D., W. Va.) told reporters in mid June. North Dakota's Kent Conrad, chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, wants a lame-duck session to act on the recommendations of President Obama's deficit commission, which is due to report on Dec. 1. "It could be a huge deal," he told Roll Call last month. "We could get the country on a sound long-term fiscal path." By which he undoubtedly means new taxes in exchange for extending some, but not all, of the Bush-era tax reductions that will expire at the end of the year.

In the House, Arizona Rep. Raul Grijalva, co-chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, told reporters last month that for bills like "card check"—the measure to curb secret-ballot union elections—"the lame duck would be the last chance, quite honestly, for the foreseeable future."

Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin, chair of the Senate committee overseeing labor issues, told the Bill Press radio show in June that "to those who think [card check] is dead, I say think again." He told Mr. Press "we're still trying to maneuver" a way to pass some parts of the bill before the next Congress is sworn in.

Other lame-duck possibilities? Senate ratification of the New Start nuclear treaty, a federally mandated universal voter registration system to override state laws, and a budget resolution to lock in increased agency spending.

Then there is pork. A Senate aide told me that "some of the biggest porkers on both sides of the aisle are leaving office this year, and a lame-duck session would be their last hurrah for spending." Likely suspects include key members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Congress's "favor factory," such as Pennsylvania Democrat Arlen Specter and Utah Republican Bob Bennett.

More here:
John Fund: The Obama-Pelosi Lame Duck Strategy - WSJ.com

 

[Charles_Main]

Oh they will push for everything they can get in congress. I think Obama has already resigned himself to being a 1 term President so he knows he only has a few months to make a lasting fundamental change.

 

[Foxfyre]

John Fund, who wrote the piece partially quoted in the OP, was interviewed about that piece this morning. He talked about who he talked to in order to know what's coming, and what the strategy will be from now until the new Congress is sworn in next January.

You remember how we had been assured that healthcare reform would be 100% transparent, debated in the bright light of day, with no backroom deals or underhanded stuff going on? And then they did the absolute opposite?

Well all this other stuff will be done pretty much the same way. And because in this political climate they probablly can't get it done in 2000+ page bills, it will be done incrementally, Marxist style. They probably can't get card check through all at once, but they will pass some side legislations forcing employers to 'cooperate' more with unions, and then gradually ratchet it up until unions will have total power to do whatever they want wherever they get a foothold. And it will be accomplished through quiet executive orders and clandestine backroom deals.

Of course if they decided to go ALL the way with something like that, they will force employers to accept a union, and once they have business completely controlled by the unions, then they make unions as we know them illegal and the government steps into the void. Voila, socialized industry for all practical purposes.

Cap and trade is going to happen much the same way, and again for the purposes of increasing government control over commerce and industry.

Obama is going to need two terms to get all that done, however, and REALLY leave his mark in a way tha can't be undone, so I wouldn't count him down and out for a second term yet. He may be a really incompetent President, but he is surrounded by people with high ambitions who know how to work the system. And he is more than willing to allow them to work it.

 

[The T]

And sadly they're pushing a political agenda down the throats of the people whether the people like it or not. I have no doubt their intent to do alot more damage upon their exit that they know will take decades to undo. It's what they do. Create problems, and then come in on their steeds to 'fix' it...while blaming it upon others.

It's sick and twisted.

 

[Big Fitz]

I want congress so hopelessly gridlocked they pass nothing for the rest of the year. Not even approving a supreme court justice. Then I wish for the next congress to repeal all new spending back to 2006.

 

[boedicca]

I want Congress to respect the will of the people and not RAHM through unpopular legislation against the will of the people, especially when the only way to pass it is via the votes lame duck reps and senators who have no accountability.

 

[Oddball]

In a rational world, such a lame duck session would put democratics out of power for nearly a generation.

But this is the topsy-turvy political world, where the sheer ineptitude and political cowardice of republicans will find a way to squander the majority that they are about to obtain....Just like they did the first six years of the Bush administration.

We are soooooo screwed.

 

[boedicca]

I feel a great deal of sympathy for the Romans who recognized their civilization was on an inevitable decline with no way to keep the leviathan from crashing.

 

[WillowTree]

In a rational world, such a lame duck session would put democratics out of power for nearly a generation.

But this is the topsy-turvy political world, where the sheer ineptitude and political cowardice of republicans will find a way to squander the majority that they are about to obtain....Just like they did the first six years of the Bush administration.

We are soooooo screwed.

I hope the Republicans have wised up. The democrat party has put a fowl taste of dooo dooo bird in everyone's mouth. They make everyone want to puke. The list of democrat bastiches is a long long long one.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

It's just a few more things that President Palin will have to undo by January 22, 2013.

No sweat

 

[Big Fitz]

In a rational world, such a lame duck session would put democratics out of power for nearly a generation.

But this is the topsy-turvy political world, where the sheer ineptitude and political cowardice of republicans will find a way to squander the majority that they are about to obtain....Just like they did the first six years of the Bush administration.

We are soooooo screwed.

It all depends on how many conservatives reach power and are willing to wreck their political careers to do the right thing. If we get more weak sisters like we currently have, yes... we are fooked for another 2 years. Then unless elections have been suspended in 2012, it's pretty much a guarantee the GOP is finished and a new party will replace them.

 

[Zoom-boing]

What do you hope for from Congress for the rest of 2010?

Is a six month vacation out of the question?

 

[Oddball]

In a rational world, such a lame duck session would put democratics out of power for nearly a generation.

But this is the topsy-turvy political world, where the sheer ineptitude and political cowardice of republicans will find a way to squander the majority that they are about to obtain....Just like they did the first six years of the Bush administration.

We are soooooo screwed.

I hope the Republicans have wised up. The democrat party has put a fowl taste of dooo dooo bird in everyone's mouth. They make everyone want to puke. The list of democrat bastiches is a long long long one.

I'd bet that they haven't.

My money wagers that squishy halfwits like Boehner and McConnell will wuss out worse than the party did in '95.

 

[rightwinger]

I want congress so hopelessly gridlocked they pass nothing for the rest of the year. Not even approving a supreme court justice. Then I wish for the next congress to repeal all new spending back to 2006.

How would you imagine that would happen?

 

[rightwinger]

In a rational world, such a lame duck session would put democratics out of power for nearly a generation.

But this is the topsy-turvy political world, where the sheer ineptitude and political cowardice of republicans will find a way to squander the majority that they are about to obtain....Just like they did the first six years of the Bush administration.

We are soooooo screwed.

It all depends on how many conservatives reach power and are willing to wreck their political careers to do the right thing. If we get more weak sisters like we currently have, yes... we are fooked for another 2 years. Then unless elections have been suspended in 2012, it's pretty much a guarantee the GOP is finished and a new party will replace them.

Fantasy Island......

 

[Foxfyre]

This is not--repeat NOT--from John Fund, but I have been watching the 'underground' media and blogs lately as well as listening to lots of talking heads on TV and disembodied voices on the radio. And there is an undercurrent that may be pure fabrication, but. . . .

That theory is that the first order of Congress when they return from summer recess will be immigration reform which will include general amnesty WITH a fast track to citizenship. With 10 to 12 million new loyal grateful voters at their disposal, plus they expect the entire Hispanic community to reward them, they could not only keep control of Congress in 2010 but solidify their power in 2012 and retain control long enough to finish dismantling America as we have known it.

I have consistently resisted this as foolish and fictitious internet banter. But when you look at the agenda for the next six months, it is beginning to feel more and more plausible.

 

[Charles_Main]

In a rational world, such a lame duck session would put democratics out of power for nearly a generation.

But this is the topsy-turvy political world, where the sheer ineptitude and political cowardice of republicans will find a way to squander the majority that they are about to obtain....Just like they did the first six years of the Bush administration.

We are soooooo screwed.

I hope the Republicans have wised up.

Highly doubtful I am afraid.

 

[Charles_Main]

.

That theory is that the first order of Congress when they return from summer recess will be immigration reform which will include general amnesty WITH a fast track to citizenship. With 10 to 12 million new loyal grateful voters at their disposal, plus they expect the entire Hispanic community to reward them, they could not only keep control of Congress in 2010 but solidify their power in 2012 and retain control long enough to finish dismantling America as we have known it.

If they pulled something like that there would be violence.

 

[SFC Ollie]

I think they might just listen to the people this time. It seems the shoutiing is a little louder about illegals than it even was about healthcare, not that the heath care business is over yet.

56% Oppose Justice Department Challenge of Arizona Law; 61% Favor Similar Law In Their State
56% Oppose Justice Department Challenge of Arizona Law; 61% Favor Similar Law In Their State - Rasmussen Reports

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

This is not--repeat NOT--from John Fund, but I have been watching the 'underground' media and blogs lately as well as listening to lots of talking heads on TV and disembodied voices on the radio. And there is an undercurrent that may be pure fabrication, but. . . .

That theory is that the first order of Congress when they return from summer recess will be immigration reform which will include general amnesty WITH a fast track to citizenship. With 10 to 12 million new loyal grateful voters at their disposal, plus they expect the entire Hispanic community to reward them, they could not only keep control of Congress in 2010 but solidify their power in 2012 and retain control long enough to finish dismantling America as we have known it.

I have consistently resisted this as foolish and fictitious internet banter. But when you look at the agenda for the next six months, it is beginning to feel more and more plausible.

That's highly improbable and more than likely not even possible. It sounds more like a conspiracy theory to me.