Why has the lame duck session been so successful?

[Political Junky]

Ezra Klein - Why has the lame-duck session been so productive?


By Ezra Klein
So far, the lame-duck session has managed to pass an $850 billion tax-cuts-and-stimulus deal, the repeal of DADT, the Defense Authorization bill, a continuing resolution to keep funding the federal government, the START treaty, the food-safety bill, and probably a few more pieces of legislation I'm forgetting.

This is vastly more than anyone expected, and even if I'm disappointed by the failure of the omnibus spending bill (for reasons explained here) and the DREAM act, I can see why Sen. Lindsey Graham summed up the session by saying, "When it's all going to be said and done, Harry Reid has eaten our lunch."
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[Revere]

Lindsay Graham is always good for a quote indicating he likes to lose.

 

[Avatar4321]

Is success just passing bills? or is it actually making a difference?

Oh and why is it no one is bothering to ask where all these bills came from?

 

[WillowTree]

Ezra Klein - Why has the lame-duck session been so productive?


By Ezra Klein
So far, the lame-duck session has managed to pass an $850 billion tax-cuts-and-stimulus deal, the repeal of DADT, the Defense Authorization bill, a continuing resolution to keep funding the federal government, the START treaty, the food-safety bill, and probably a few more pieces of legislation I'm forgetting.

This is vastly more than anyone expected, and even if I'm disappointed by the failure of the omnibus spending bill (for reasons explained here) and the DREAM act, I can see why Sen. Lindsey Graham summed up the session by saying, "When it's all going to be said and done, Harry Reid has eaten our lunch."
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Because it's been DEEMED successful by the Annointed One.

 

[Jarhead]

Because Obama is pulling a Clinton...but better than Clinton did it.
Clinton waited for nearly a year. Obama moved toward the right within days.

 

[Sarah G]

Ezra Klein - Why has the lame-duck session been so productive?


By Ezra Klein
So far, the lame-duck session has managed to pass an $850 billion tax-cuts-and-stimulus deal, the repeal of DADT, the Defense Authorization bill, a continuing resolution to keep funding the federal government, the START treaty, the food-safety bill, and probably a few more pieces of legislation I'm forgetting.

This is vastly more than anyone expected, and even if I'm disappointed by the failure of the omnibus spending bill (for reasons explained here) and the DREAM act, I can see why Sen. Lindsey Graham summed up the session by saying, "When it's all going to be said and done, Harry Reid has eaten our lunch."
<more>

Harry was a big part of it, he got tough, he told the president he could get votes.

We got a bock of Senators who we can trust that the president will enlist down the road. Both Democrats and Republicans. It's been a good month.

 

[(R)IGHTeous 1]

Because Obama is pulling a Clinton...but better than Clinton did it.
Clinton waited for nearly a year. Obama moved toward the right within days.

Yup, and that allowed us to finally vote for some sane, good bills, like DADT repeal. Our votes are critical in how/why this LD session has become successful.

 

[Avatar4321]

Why on earth do people presume Congress passing bills = success?

This has got to have been one of the most morally bankrupt and deficit creating Congresses in the history of the Republic. And it's somehow a successful Congress now that they are passing more crap onto the American people?

Success should be measured in what benefits the people. The people got screwed by these guys.

 

[cutter]

I guess if you define success as passing bills with no plan to pay for them or restricting your right to locally grown food it's been a real success. At least they stopped the nightmare act.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

Why has the lame duck session been so successful?

Bipartisanship, which everyone says they want, but are bitching about because it occurred.

 

[LordBrownTrout]

Why on earth do people presume Congress passing bills = success?

This has got to have been one of the most morally bankrupt and deficit creating Congresses in the history of the Republic. And it's somehow a successful Congress now that they are passing more crap onto the American people?

Success should be measured in what benefits the people. The people got screwed by these guys.

I know. It's mystifying. I haven't seen a good bill go through in at least two decades.