What Will The Democrat Congress Do In 2009? Follow Up

Posted on November 30, 2009

By request (Vilmar), following up on some predictions I made on November 16, 2008. When I made these, I didn’t realize how little time he would spend actually being The President, instead of a celebrity. So, how’d I do?

Some policy decisions are pretty simple

He will appoint massively far left Progressive judges whose ideas on abortion on demand match his (he has spent little time being The President, but, he did pick very far left David Hamilton to 7th Court of Appeals, and Sotomayor for SCOTUS. Heck, he doesn’t even have everyone in place in Treasury and other offices)
He will reinstitute the Fairness Doctrine through the FCC, thereby avoiding a rather simplistic lawsuit based on the 1st Amendment (Congress shall pass no law). I have read that some recommend using the 9th and 10th if this occurs (legislation is out there, and many in his admin want it, but, again, Barry is a rock star, not The Decider)
He will increase the redeployment of troops from Iraq ahead of what is safe (I’m glad I was wrong)
He’ll send a token force of maybe a couple thousand troops to Afghanistan (actually, I am not glad I am wrong. I don’t agree with the 30,000+ he plans to send)
He won’t get involved in Iran, because the EU nations who have been negotiating will tell him to piss off (wrong. He has sort of tried to get involved. Of course, Europe is talking tougher than Obama, and are not pleased with his policies)
He’ll get his basketball court installed (like just about everything else, it took some time, but, finally opened in October)

Other then that, I do not expect him to actually get much of his legislation passed. I doubt much of it will even make it to committee. The Nancy Pelosi/Harry Reid led Congress has their own agenda, and if it happens to coincide with President Obama’s, so be it. But, do not expect much legislation to actually get passed. This is a legislative body which couldn’t even pass a resolutionexpressing sympathy for the residents of Greensburg, Ks, after the massive tornado, nor one expressing support of the goals and ideals of Mother’s Day, without first sending simplistic legislation like that to committee. It took them months to pass the Greensburg resolution. The Mother’s Day one never did. So, what do they do in 2009?

A total repeal of the 2001/2003 tax cuts. The bill that does this will expand the number of people in the lower classes who do not pay any income tax. Barry is forced to sign. This will happen by mid February (looks like they are going to let the tax cuts just lapse)
Repeal of tax breaks on energy companies, particularly oil companies. By mid February. (damned glad I was wrong)
Backdoor legislation increasing corporate taxes (they’ve tried, but, hasn’t been able to pass. Yet)
more bailouts as Democrat policies damage the economy even more (Can anyone say Generational Theft Act?)
Passing the card check legislation for unions (they have tried, but, too much resistance, even from some Democrats)
Re-instituting the ban on offshore drilling. Mid February (Congress didn’t do it, Obama did)
They’ll get around to nationalized health care and/or insurance by summer, but, will not do anything till near the winter holidays, when people aren’t watching (I think I was pretty dead on, except about people not watching)
massively reducing appropriations for Iraq, Afghanistan, intelligence agencies, and measures for the international portion of the war on terrorism. By June (nope)
Passing legislation allowing the telecoms to be sued over the “domestic wiretapping” (nope)
Papercut legislation on handguns will start, then they will wait for a major incident to occur before passing sweeping legislation that restricts all guns (fortunately, wrong. The only big legislation out there still has no co-sponsors (HR 45). There have been some small attempts to put in tiny gun controls in some legislation, though. Nothing of consequence)
Climate change legislation (They tried. Passed in House, going nowhere in Senate)
They’ll throw a sop to Obama in the form of passing his Global Poverty Act, but, will fail to fund it, and perhaps pass his $500/$1,000 tax rebate-welfare check idea (Congress did neither. So, where is Obama’s promised “tax cut”?)
Investigation after investigation into the Bush admin (They have sure tried)
Legislation closing G’itmo and ending the military trials (didn’t need too, Obama did the Gitmo thing himself, and, while he hasn’t ended the military trials, he is prosecuting the worst, those involved in 9/11, in civilian court)

As far as it goes, I believe the Congress will have about as cozy a relationship with Obama as they did with Bush. They will do what they want to do, not what Obama wants them to do. He may want to appear centrist during his first year, but, what he will look like will be a dupe of Congress. They will be passing legislation that he really wants, but didn’t want to go for so quick.

What do you think will happen?

Share on Facebook

Tweet This Post