I am so tired of political gridlock in Washington. Why is
it that so little has been accomplished by our national law makers since the
mid-term elections of 2010? As a Progressive, I see the need for so much to be
done and yet political partisanship has stymied just about every attempt to
recover our economy, put Americans back to work and move on.
When I first got the right to vote at 18, I voted for
Nixon. I also voted for Reagan and Bush Sr. My early politics were with the
Republican Party because they seemed to be a party of action. After our long
war in Vietnam, our nation needed healing. It needed to move on and get things
done. With the fall of the Soviet Union, America was thrust into a leadership
role and we embraced it, getting a little “too big for our britches” as time
went on.
As I got older, I became more socially conscious and more
liberal in my politics voting for Clinton and coming to believe that we have
more than enough issues right here in the good old U.S.A. among our own
citizens and their needs. Healthcare, the environment, jobs and maintaining our
nation’s infrastructure became more important to me than trying to be the world
economic leader and policeman. But as I was becoming more liberal, a good
portion of my fellow Americans were becoming more conservative, more militant
and more focused on wealth, power and religious intolerance. Over time we
stopped being the shining example to the world. We were becoming the enemy, the
bully, preaching do as we say, not as we do.
Today, I barely recognize my old Republican Party and I
wonder how and why they ever got to this point. They have become a party of obstructionists,
the Party of No, the Anti Party. With the rise to power of the Tea Party
movement within the Republican Party, we have seen our nation come to a dead
stop, mired in partisanship not seen since just before the Civil War. We have
come to a crossroads in our nation. As Americans, we are going to have to choose
our next path. Will it be one of divisiveness, stalemate and perhaps another
civil war or the path of cooperation, diversity, progress and growth?
I searched the internet for examples of bills that have
been blocked by Congress just since President Obama took office in 2009. I can
only guess why the first Black President of the United States has stirred such animosity
in the hearts of conservative Republicans, but I shall not go there. Instead I
suggest we judge this current Republican Party by their actions, or in this
case, inactions. A website, www.addictinginfo.org
provided a partial listing. Here’s just a short list of some of the bills that
Republican leaders have blocked, or attempted to block, since Obama became
President:
Tax on Companies that ship jobs
overseas- A bill
that would have eliminated a tax break that companies get when they ship jobs
overseas. Republicans blocked this, allowing
companies to keep the tax break they receive when they ship jobs to other
countries.
Political Ad disclosure bill- Would have required all donors
to political campaigns to reveal themselves. Republicans
blocked this, not once but twice.
Subpoena Power for the Committee
investigating the BP Oil Spill
– Give subpoena power to the independent committee responsible for
investigating BP’s roll in the oil spill. Republicans attempted to block this.
The Small Business Jobs Act -would give LOCAL, community
banks access to billions of dollars to loan to small businesses. Republicans
blocked this, then attempted to block it a second time and failed.
The DREAM Act- Gives immigrant youth who were
brought here as children a path to citizenship by earning a college degree or
serving the military for 2 years. Republicans blocked
this.
Repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”- Would have repealed the law
that forces gay and lesbian services members to lie about their sexuality and gives
the military the right to discharge soldiers based on their sexuality.
Republicans blocked this many times and Democrats were finally able to pass it
with the support of just 2 Republicans.
From Crooks and Liars - When John
McCain led the filibuster of the Defense Appropriations Act yesterday, he
blocked far more than the DREAM Act and repeal of DADT. Here are just a few of the other blocked provisions, courtesy of Mother
Jones.
- No permanent military bases in Afghanistan.
- Report identifying hybrid or electric propulsion systems and other fuel-saving technologies for incorporation into tactical motor vehicles.
- Protection of child custody arrangements for parents who are members of the Armed Forces deployed in support of a contingency operation.
- Improvements to Department of Defense domestic violence programs.
- Department of Defense recognition of spouses of members of the Armed Forces.
- Department of Defense recognition of children of members of the Armed Forces.
- Enhancements to the Troops-to-Teachers Program.
- Fiscal year 2011 increase in military basic pay.
- Improving aural protection for members of the Armed Forces.
- Comprehensive policy on neurocognitive assessment by the military health care system.
- Authority to make excess nonlethal supplies available for domestic emergency assistance.
And those were just some of the progressive
provisions. On the conservative side, there are these, and more:
- Prohibition on the use of funds for the transfer or release of individuals detained at United States Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
- Prohibition on the use of funds to modify or construct facilities in the United States to house detainees transferred from United States Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
- Prohibition on use of funds to give Miranda warnings to Al Qaeda terrorists.
And here’s the bills that
Republicans had blocked when we compiled our first list;
Senator Franken’s Anti-Rape
Amendment to the Defense Appropriations Bill – Makes it so that women raped overseas while
working for foreign contractors have the right to have their case heard in an
American court instead of having their case mediated by the company they work
for. Only Republican men voted against this, but it passed.
Benefits for Homeless Veterans- Would have expanded
benefits to homeless veterans and homeless veterans with children. Republicans blocked this.
Affordable Health Care For
America Act-
Prevents insurance companies from discriminating against you on the basis of
“pre-existing conditions”. Requires that insurance companies spend 85 cents of
every dollar that you pay on your actual health care. Limits health insurance
companies profit margins. Republicans blocked this for months before it finally
passed and have vowed to repeal it if they are elected.
Health Care for the 9/11 First
Responders who got sick from being at Ground Zero- Would provide billions of
dollars in health care to help the 9/11 First Responders who were at Ground
Zero on 9/11 and are now sick because of it. Republicans
blocked this.
The Jobs Bill- Offsets the payroll tax for 1
year for companies that hire new employees, or people receiving unemployment
insurance. Also gives other tax incentives to companies hiring new employees.
Republicans attempted to block this.
Wall Street Reform- Puts stricter regulations on
the banks, preventing them from becoming “too big to fail”. Curbs reckless
spending practices that caused the banking crisis. Republicans attempted to
block this.
American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act-
Pumped billions of dollars into state and local Governments to prevent us from
sinking into a second Great Depression. Republicans opposed this but now want
to take credit for the parts of it that we know are successful.
Oil Spill Liability- Raises the liability on what
companies can be made to pay to clean up after an oil spill. Republicans blocked this.
Immigration Reform- Republican suggested
comprehensive immigration reform until Obama supported it. Now they’re rabidly
opposed to it and even voted against their own legislation. Republicans blocked
this. (Note: Since this listing, the Senate passed a
bipartisan bill and sent it to the House. Republican Speaker of the House, John
Boehner, has declared the bill “dead on arrival.”)
Unemployment extension bill
HR-4213- Would
provide additional aid to the millions of Americans still on unemployment who
are just trying to support themselves and their families. Republicans blocked
this bill for 8 weeks before it finally passed. Republicans blocked this for 8
weeks before it finally passed.
Fair Pay Act of 2009- Also called the Lily Ledbetter
bill. Requires that women receive equal compensation to men for doing the same
work. Republicans attempted to block this.
My thanks again to Addictinginfo.org for this short, but dated
listing above. Are we seeing a collective pattern here? Is this Republican
Party of today the pathway to prosperity for the 99% of us in the middle and working
class poor or have they become the sold out puppets for the wealthiest 1% in
this once great country. I believe history shows over and over again that when
you destroy the middle class in a society you destroy the bridge between the “haves”
and the “have nots.” Without a healthy, growing middle class, societies ultimately
succumb to their own ruin.
In 2014 and 2016 we have a chance to choose our country’s
path. We are at a crossroads.
Food for THOUGHT…
