Posted on 10/17/2010 11:44:35 PM PDT by Libloather
Lame duck dangers
Friday, October 15, 2010
U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith
When a football game goes into overtime or a baseball game goes into extra innings, fans are usually on the edge of their seats with excitement. Unfortunately, when Congress goes into extra innings it usually means bad things for American taxpayers.
In Congress, such overtime is called a "lame duck" session, and one is set to take place shortly after the November elections. I am concerned this session will be used as an opportunity by some to bring up controversial issues without the possibility of being held accountable.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid seem bent on doing an end run around the American people by holding this session after the voters have spoken but before a new Congress is sworn in.
Chief among my concerns is the proposal to take up another version of the cap-and-trade energy legislation. This proposal is nothing more than a national tax on energy consumers -- and will hit the energy-intensive agriculture industry particularly hard.
This tax will increase energy costs for Americans by up to $3,000 per person each year and has the potential to stop our nation's economic recovery before it even has a chance to take hold.
Efforts also are underway to bring up another stimulus bill similar to the $1.1 trillion monstrosity which failed to lower unemployment, spur economic growth, or create jobs. President Obama recently has tried to sell a $50 billion bill using the same failed premise as the original stimulus package.
This 'lame duck' session also could easily feature anti-business legislation such as the misnamed Employee Free Choice Act - known as 'card check.' This controversial legislation would take away workers' rights to secret ballot elections, leaving them vulnerable to harassment and intimidation.
My colleague Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) twice introduced measures designed to prevent a lame duck session from being used to pass such job-killing legislation. Unfortunately, both efforts were denied an up-or-down vote on the House floor.
Congress had the opportunity to pass the 12 appropriations bills necessary to keep the government's doors open, not to mention acting to prevent the $3.8 trillion tax hike set to take effect at the end of the year. Unfortunately, the leadership of the House and the Senate decided to kick the can down the road for several more weeks, requiring the lame duck session.
It is past time for Washington to start listening to the American public. There is no doubt: policies the Democrat-controlled Congress has pushed through have left the American people angry. One way to restore this trust is by passing legislation introduced by Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ) and incorporated in the Republican Pledge to America which would require all bills introduced reference the specific provision of the U.S. Constitution which would authorize it. Such a requirement would limit Washington's ability to rush suspect legislation through a lame duck session.
Congress also must engage in a bipartisan effort to cut government spending, freeze tax levels, and stop the bailout mentality.
I will continue to ensure transparency and accountability. A lame duck session of Congress held after an election does neither. The agenda being pushed by Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, though stalled, is anything but dead as long as its proponents have an opportunity to force a vote on these job-killing bills after American voters have their say.
Reporting from Washington -
The Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act, aimed at lowering the volume on loud TV ads, appears headed for approval. But a bill seeking to squash another annoyance, the Don't Let the Bed Bugs Bite Act, is likely to fail. And the sponsor of the All-American Flag Act must figure that the bill's name alone should ensure its success.
With time running out on the congressional session, lawmakers are scrambling to get hundreds of their pet bills across the finish line, competing for attention against headline-grabbing issues such as whether to extend the George W. Bush-era tax cuts or end the "don't ask, don't tell" policy for gays and lesbians in the military.
If lawmakers fall short during the lame-duck session after the Nov. 2 election, they will be forced to start over next year, perhaps against longer odds — that's if they are still in office.
The workaday legislation awaiting action seemingly covers everything under the sun — including the Solar Uniting Neighborhoods, or SUN, Act.
This is an excerpt.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-bills-20101018,0,931424.story?track=rss
I personally think shark conservation is important — they don’t breed as quickly as other fish, and overhunting can eliminate them completely — and I LIKE eating shark meat, it’s delicious! So, I’d be happy if a plan to fish conservatively is put in place
Ready the pitchforks then. Gas up the busses.
Mmm, mmm, grilled shark.
The Rats do something egregious out of spite, and they will simply further the resolve of the Americans people to further clean house of Rats.
Well, if nothing else, Rep. Smith has demonstrated a keen grasp of the obvious. I suppose that it might be more somewhat more accurate to say, "...policies the Democrat-controlled Congress has pushed through have left the American people (who are paying attention) angry."
Lame duck sessions are yet another shameful legacy of meddling with the Constitution during the FDR era. Since lawmakers bent on creating mischief, already (with perfectly straight faces) point to the ever elastic, ever accommodating "Commerce Clause" as their authority, I'm not all that excited about having my trust restored by more legislation.
Well, unless of course, the new legislation expressly stated that "the terms of all House members and those Senate members who are up for re-election that year, end on the first Monday of November."
Once again, I solve the problems of the day in 25 words or less.
Oh, what the heck, make it the first Monday of October, then. Give them a month to convince voters why they should be returned to office.
Ewwww. Forget the grilled shark, you two.
I want roasted (lame) duck this season.
The bad thing has already happened.
The greatest tax hikes in history are going to start in January. In the middle of a major recession.
Every voter should keep in mind those reckless tax hikes when going to vote. Those tax hikes are only now two months away.
The Democrats are raising your taxes in the middle of an economic downturn, which is economic stupidity beyond measure.
Another piece of eco-legistlation based on junk science and special interest group supplied data. - It’s like the manatee zone laws in Florida - most manatees die from cold, or if they are hit by a boat, it’s usually something the size of a tugboat. But all boats have to slow down, even the jet skis - which don’t have a single recorded manatee strike.
Junk science, it’s the norm now.
Yeah, but bed bug conservation is really bad idea.
Dont let the bed bugs back?
ship all the tens of millions of illegal aliens back, and deport all middle easterners.
that will put a damper on the filty little blood suckers....
....and the bugs too.
“
Lawmakers are scrambling to get their pet projects approved as time runs
out on the congressional session.
“
When the lame-duck Dems ramrod this crap through, Republicans,
especially the newly elected ones, should be VERY PUBLIC about the
added cost to the deficit by these pukes.
And get enough Americans even more hopping mad than they are now...
and remind them that there will be an election in 2012 when a new,
saner President can be elected.
(I just pray that the Republicans can find such a candidate)
I can see 'conserving' sharks; maybe; but BEDBUGS??
Why conserve THEM?
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