A curious thing happened on the House floor this morning. No work was scheduled, but the House nevertheless went back into session at 11 a.m. -- just one hour before the new Congress is required to begin. It wasn't clear why.
Maybe GOP leaders changed their mind on Hurricane Sandy relief and planned a vote literally at the 11th hour? Alas, no. It turns out the House never got around to agreeing to a "formal adjournment resolution that both chambers signed off on." This morning's session was making the end of the 112th Congress official.
As Roll Call put it, "What a perfect coda for the most contentious, fired-up, hard-to-please Congress in recent memory. They couldn't even formally agree on when to end things."
And so, as we congratulate the start of the 113th Congress, let's also pause to note that the 112th was so spectacularly bad, it's earned a special place in the history books. Ezra Klein wrote today, "Good riddance to rottenest Congress in history."
What's the record of the 112th Congress? Well, it almost shut down the government and almost breached the debt ceiling. It almost went over the fiscal cliff (which it had designed in the first place). It cut a trillion dollars of discretionary spending in the Budget Control Act and scheduled another trillion in spending cuts through an automatic sequester, which everyone agrees is terrible policy. It achieved nothing of note on housing, energy, stimulus, immigration, guns, tax reform, infrastructure, climate change or, really, anything. It's hard to identify a single significant problem that existed prior to the 112th Congress that was in any way improved by its two years of rule.
I mentioned back in July that Matt Taibbi wrote a terrific piece for Rolling Stone in October 2006 about the Republican-led Congress in power at the time. He painted an unsettling picture of what he called the "Worst Congress Ever."
"These were the years," Taibbi wrote, "when the U.S. parliament became a historical punch line, a political obscenity on par with the court of Nero or Caligula -- a stable of thieves and perverts who committed crimes rolling out of bed in the morning and did their very best to turn the mighty American empire into a debt-laden, despotic backwater, a Burkina Faso with cable."
The article included this classic quote from Jonathan Turley: "The 109th Congress is so bad that it makes you wonder if democracy is a failed experiment."
And I'm reasonably certain the 112th made the 109th look sensible, responsible, and mature.
The Congress that ended less than an hour ago didn't legislate, couldn't complete basic tasks, saw its public support drop to the lowest point since the dawn of modern polling, and undermined the national economy more than once.
To reiterate a point we've discussed before, it's worth noting one of the consequences of having a Congress this abysmal is the extent to which it shapes our expectations. I felt great relief on several occasions over the last two years when lawmakers managed to avoid government shutdowns that lawmakers themselves had threatened -- which was depressing, since I really shouldn't have been impressed when the legislative branch of the United States government manages, just barely, to keep its own lights on.
We've internalized absurd standards. We simply assume as a matter of course that important policymaking is impossible, and we celebrate legislative moves that, in the recent past, were routine and unremarkable.
When voters headed to the polls in the 2010 midterms, they elected some of the most manifestly unqualified policymakers in a generation, and the result was a Congress that was hard to watch without covering your eyes.
So long, 112th. You won't be missed.
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Wait wait....they did too do a lot: continually voted to make abortion illegal, overturned The Affordable Care Act more times than I can count, and let's see, tried to make a woman's health care dependent on her employer's religious beliefs, agreed with Todd Akin's "understanding" of rape. Oh I'm sure there is more......after all they had those exceptionally long 3 day work weeks.
They also named a few post offices, reaffirmed a motto or two, obstructed everything the President asked for. And what about all those jobs they created. The ones reelected for the next congress will be so tired they'll have to take another two year nap.
Gridlock is good.
A curious thing happened on the House floor this morning. No work was scheduled, but the House nevertheless went back into session at 11 a.m
So, the GOP showed up but didn't do anything productive? That's not news.
fitting that the worst congress in history, served at the same time as the worst President in history.
Ha ha ha that's so clever.
Actually, no - Just stupid.
chem,
Obviously you're referring to the Tiabbi claim of the 109th as the worst Congress ever.
chem
The worst president in history was James Buchanan.
http://www.usnews.com/news/history/articles/2007/02/16/worst-presidents-james-buchanan
Obama ranked as 15th best president
http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2010/07/02/survey-ranks-obama-15th-best-president-bush-among-worst
Bush among the worst. You're wrong yet again.
Nah I still contend that you can't get any worse than William Henry-Harrison.
How can you be worst than the guy who died within 30 days of taking office? Or do historians give him a pass because he died so early and thus we were never given a chance to evaluate his policy agendas?
William Henry Harrison was like a turkey. Not enough sense to come out of the rain. Got sick and died.
Chem -- Just when we all here get used to our regular trolls and ignore them formally, along comes yet another to entertain!
Bye-bye.
Don't be too sure it won't be missed - the 113th doesn't show any real signs of being an improvement, and might even be worse.
No kidding. With Boehner re-elected Speaker I suppose the government-busting hard right will keep on playing the same game with him. And as long as the Republicans stick to the Gingrich/Hastert rule and only bring legislation to a vote that can win with a Republican majority, we are probably in for more legislative deadlock and damage to the economy.
And what was the reason for all the problems? The South. Remove the 11 states of the Old Traitor Confederacy, and you don't have most of the 151 idiots in the House with their "southernomics," their crazy war-loving, their white supremacy, their idiot religion, none of that.
I think someone ought to put a petition on the White House website to expel the Confederacy. It would solve all our problems.
Ayeeee-mayen!
You should kick all the the repubs out, that would solve all of your problem. OK, all but one, those are the people that actually work, so you would run out of money without at least some of the repubs. Somebody has got to work hard so the left will have some where to get money to fund all of their entitlement programs. I'm just saying if everybody is on welfair who will be putting in?
As I recall, the Repubs did a fine job of spending us into oblivion during W's reign. Two wars off the books, Medicare Part D unpaid for, tax cuts not offset by spending cuts.
The only difference between Dems and Repubs is that the Dems try to pay for their spending, while the Repubs just spend with no regard for how things are paid for.
So yes - kick all the Repubs out.
The problem with your theory that it is only the repubs that work is that the most benefit/welfare poorest states are the red ones. It's the blue states that contribute the most. The greatest trick the repubs managed is to convince the poorest people to vote against their own interests. As I heard on a BBC interview, after a woman explained that they couldn't afford health insurance, had to make decisions about vaccines and treating diseases, the reporter asked, " so, of course you support the affordable care act?"
"Oh no," she replies, "I don't want Obamacare."
I'd call it brilliant if it wasn't evil.
Wake up - the same people paying in are the ones in states that have the most education and the least use of welfare.
That makes as much sense as saying we can pretty much stop the gay marriage debates, by putting a few well placed charges on the San Andreas fault and letting the "weed lovin' land of fruits and nuts" slide off into the ocean. United we stand, divided we fall. I don't like you and you don't like me... but I am willing to stand shoulder to shoulder WITH you to drive the ignorance and indifference in our Congress out.
After 8 years of living in the deep South, I've come to the same conclusion. I understand why Lincoln wanted to keep the Union intact, but it's turned out to be a grave mistake. The South still does, and apparently always will, think of itself as separate from the rest of the nation.
Please don't expel the former Confederate states. I'm a Democrat (a REAL one!) who lives in South Carolina. Don't punish the 48% of us who live below the Mason-Dixon line! That's not fair!
Actually the wacky Republican representatives are from all over the place: Kansas, Minnesota (Bachmann), Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania. Just take a look at who revolted against the "moderate" Boehner for Speaker for a start.
We've got our own here in Iowa too - the infamous embarrassment to Iowa, Steve King. Rumor is he'll run for Senate when Grassley or Harkin retire. I sure hope so; he may win his gerrymandered district forever, but the whole state will never vote him into the Senate.
Oh, and back to TC's opening salvo here. Best way to cut entitlement spending? Cut the South loose. All apologies to karensc. Just move north a bit.
Throw in Arizona too!
I hear you, Karen and Karen --
But as faithless as border state Maryland was (I can see a famous confederate spy's house from my house), we're feeling Much Better Now. And Much Bluer.
Please don't punish us for being south of the much-feared Mason Dixon Line.
One has to wonder whether today's Confederacy will hold onto its political persuasions much longer. Children grow up, and they're more liberal than their elders.
I actually heard this morning that one of the major problems in the House was the gerrymandered districts. They can vote any way they like because they won't lose their elections. There is no REASON to compromise or work for the good of their country...just for the district so they won't be primaried by their PARTY. Otherwise, they are in there for good.
"I actually heard this morning that one of the" reasons there were not as many bills passed is that earmarks were, for the most part, taken off the table so there was no incentive for Congress to pass more bills to which they could attach funds for their pet projects. Just saying what I "heard this morning."
MSNBC, meet Fox News. Fox News, MSNBC.
This morning, I heard ESPN radio. Greenie, Golic, and Stink could solve more of the country's problems than the 112th (and probably 113th) Congress.
Heh maybe someone should remind all those congressmen who were decrying earmarks as the reason for not voting for Sandy relief.
Got to "love" those crafty Republicans, if you can't win on ideas and policy...CHEAT! Gerrymandering - who came up with that name? It's not even a good reference to Jerry Seinfeld.
Everybody wants to eat...nobody wants to pay. The educated among us used to be our elected officials, now it's just stupid, selfish rich kids, and boy don't they act like it.
Here's hoping the increase in Estrogen straightens these crazy men out!
In NE MA- around Salem- there was an election brawl between the Democatic-Republican Party and the Federalist Party for our state's governor seat (in the 1800's, that is). The DR's used their power within the state legislature to draw district lines that unfairly portioned votes in Essex County to favor their candidate Eldridge Gerry. A cartoonist at the Boston Gazette saw the district (after the Federalists made an understandable stink about it) and decided that the way the map was drawn it looked like a dragon. Somehow he made the leap from "dragon" to "salamander" and then called the district "Gerrymandered" in reference to the DR candidate and the shape of the district. Here's a link to the original picture:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_Gerry-Mander_Edit.png
Technically speaking it is illegal to gerrymander states as it was done in MA back in the day. However it still happens in modern day politics, just in ways that the original event of Gerrymandering did not.
Thanks for that reference, cart!
That's what's great about this blog. Enough truly educated people with wisdom to spare making up for the naïveté and curiosity of the rest of us. Literate and numerate and funny, too.
Not a snark!!
While we expect elected Republicans to be media hound bozos incapable of doing anything by themselves, we don't expect the professional staffers who actually do the day to day work to be this bad. This is a sad day for Congress.
Hi, Ron --
Do we have evidence that the staffers were doing anything other than what their bosses, the many Incompetents of the Con party, made them do?
Granted, there are some relatively recent hires among the staffs who see their jobs as temporary steps to higher callings (i.e., K Street lobbying). Yet some experience suggests that many are competent and as disgusted at this mess as we are.
It can't be as satisfying as it once was to reply, when asked, "What do you do?", to say, "I'm on CongressCritter XX's staff." I'd look out for rotten tomatoes, too.
How many of these were held up in the Democrat controlled Senate? There seems to be about the same number of bills that passed the House this year as previous years. Report the whole story. Granted, this Congress has not produced as many laws (and that can be a good thing) but the House passed hundreds of bills. (You may disagree with their content, but that doesn't mean they weren't represented their constituency.)
Do you really expect the Senate to consider wholesale repeals of the ACA and bans on abortion? Sure, the house passed tons of bills, but none of them ever had a prayer of ever being signed into law. Boehner and company knew this, but they prioritized political theater over governing. Also, Don't forget that it isn't necessarily Democrats holding things up in the Senate.
And how many of those bills passed by the House Reptilians contained "poison pills" that had no chance getting by the Senate or being signed into law by the President? Over and over, non-controversial bills were hijacked by including amendments to overturn or defund Obamacare, approve the XL pipeline immediately, raise the age on Medicare and SS, and many others. This is not just a matter of disagreeing with the proponents. This was deliberate sabotage of the law making process.
You can blather on about the Senate (Democrat controlled) not approving House bills, but there was nothing being seriously proposed by the House Reptilians. Thirty three bills over-riding Obamacare? Give me a break. They knew that NONE of those bills would ever see the light of day.
Even when you account for the trash bills they passed that stalled in the Senate, this was still a lousy Congress. Nancy Pelosi never seemed to have problems corraling or counting votes like the tan man has.
Pelosi bought her votes with tax payers money.
chem....prove it. You troll
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/28/congress-unproductive_n_2371387.html
Proposals don't count and neither do bills that are voted on, but never passed. What counts are the bills that become law. When compared to other congresses this is the least productive congress in US history.
Cartoon, while I certainly understand the argument, I would propose that "laws passed" is not an efficient way of measure the "productivity" of the Congress. It is not the laws but the effect and lasting benefit of the laws that I would say show productivity, but like job evaluations, subjective data is difficult to quantify and measure.
My point was who gets the blame for the "unproductivity" of passed laws and I say, both parties, both houses, and all leadership(lessness).
Fair enough with regards to how one evaluates the effectiveness of a congress. It probably shouldn't be measured in blanket bills because bills declaring something a natural monument or declaring that this body shall wish so and so a happy birthday! would then technically fall under that prism and, obviously, we'd consider that less productive in terms of national effect than, say, a bill ending slavery.
I disagree with your latter point though. The House has been majority Republican so, for the most part, the bills passed within the House are at the feet of Republicans. The failures or successes and the bills reflected within the House are largely the responsibility of the Republicans and they should be held accountable accordingly. The same goes with the US Senate. The Senate has different rules than that of the US House, but for the most part if bills are not being passed in the Senate has either been due to filibustering initiated by the minority party or it has been due to the partisan nature of House bills being sent up to the Senate.
Adios! And, this is directed at the IDIOT members (Bat Crap Crazy)... if you don't believe in government, DON'T BE IN A GOVERNMENTAL JOB! Key word... JOB! As in, do it!
Bye Bye Bye.
What was their disapproval rating?
I think their disapproval rating is >100%.
That would make their approval rating a negative number.
Sounds about right!
:) Good one Helena... and, oh, so true. Something they should be proud of. Just ask Lindsey Graham... he was seen defending the productivity in Congress.
I am a manager... I have to review my associates based on several things, including their productivity. If Congress had been my employees, they would have been gone a long time ago.
BTW... beautiful cat. Maine Coon? Norwegian Forest Cat?
Hi, Dad -- So gracious of you to notice! Cheveux ("Chevy", 1988-2005) was as close to a full Maine Coon as I've ever known. Gorgeous, noble boy, missed to this day.
Kokopelli and Milo, MC 'mutts' just leaving their extended MC adolescence at 13 and 10, respectively, won't sit still long enough for photos. They think they're dogs, of course.
Ought I consider a Norwegian Forest Cat for 100% indoor living in verging-on-tropical Southern Maryland? Or should I just stick with homeless adults from the local cat shelter?
mx tx --hv
helena
I had a ct named Kokpelli a fine example of feline domestica. He died at the age of 10. :-(
Helena
I live in Northern Balto County of Maryland (about 20 minutes North of Balto City)...
I have two Himalayans... private owner sale... 10 and 4.5 (Jango and Figaro). These two act like dogs. They are indoor only. And, it can never go above 80 inside or they clump.
My Mom... I have adopted a couple of cats over the years... Cameo... she was a Norwegian Forest Cat/Himalayan mix. Indoor only. She lived to be 19. And now, two... MaryAnn (6.5 year old) Maine Coon mix... and Saphira (6.5 year old Persian mix). All of them came from Washington County Humane Society. Wonderful animals.
Way off the subject here... :) BTW... that is Jango in the picture with me. He still is in kitten mode. 10 years old. Hmmm.
Back to subject...
You know it is a raunchy Congress... when my Mom (who is not that political) even slams them. Good riddens... I hope for the best, but, I won't be surprised if they act like a bunch of morons.
Was watching NOW with Alex this afternoon and laughed when Goofball Gomert from Texas nominated Allen West (clapping that he is gone) for Speaker. I could almost hear Joy Reid and Karen Finney laughing in the background.
Helena: I have a Maine Coon (classic look, but surely a mutt) named Louie. He is nineteen pounds of fun, the most people friendly cat I have seen in quite some time. If you are a pet owner, he seems to sense that and will rub his face on your leg and jump on your lap. He dominates our female cat, she stupidly worships him...
Aw, youse guys!
Dad -- it's a bit cooler up there than down here, but if 80F is a limit for your Himalayan (my old RagDoll doesn't mind), I'd think twice about trying to tame a NFC. That said, I don't think generic MCs ever truly grow up. At least, I hope not. I keep forgetting how old I am, and they help that delusion.
Yessir, Dude. Generic Maine Coons, whom I ungenerously called 'mutts', are to me the best of all worlds. Rugged, funny, intelligent, affectionate (but Koko bullies my little Jezebel, just as your Louie does), healthy, long-lived. Ain't nothing like waking up on a frigid winter morning with Maine Coon wrapped around your feet.
My mother's last political act was to defend Clinton to her Rabidly Red KY neighbors -- because he came from Arkansas, just like her! Don't you wish we could return to those thrilling (simple) days of Yesteryear?
No. No. Can't grow up in the 1950s and seriously want to return.
Thanks for taking a few minutes to be friendly. It matters more than you may know.
Thanks Helena...
Been good "talking" to you. We all have to stick together in this. :) My day is starting and the "boys" have just eaten, had some treats... and now are both, literally snoring. Rough life. Wouldn't trade them for anything in the world.
1: Convince the base that government can't do anything right, but that the left is filled with traitors who will destroy America.
2: Get elected on such a platform, do nothing, block all attempts to do anything and always blame those "traitors" on the left.
3: Lather rinse repeat.
You claim this Congress to be the most ineffective. I counter they were extremely effective at what they wanted to do. It's just that what they wanted to do was, at the risk of hyperbole, evil.
And our only hope is convincing their base to stop loving their antics, that there is a better way, that government can do good things if you elect good people and you shouldn't let your judgment be clouded by these charlatans.
So yeah. good luck with that.
Right. As I've said before, the problem actually resides in the people who elected those obstructionists, and that doesn't seem to be changing. After all, the Taxed-Enough-Already Party wanted to throw a spanner into the works to keep from one more inch of government expansion--no if's, and's or but's. And that's what their representatives did.
What those voters must realize is that they really do need a properly functioning government, and the government can't function that way. 'Negotiating' is your friend. Now how do we get that point across, when they never read the MaddowBlog but only listen to FOX and Rush?
We might just "miss" the 112th as I expect the 113th will be "112 2.0" I can always be worse.
AAARRGGGHHH! (Worst Congress)**2 ?!*
Not again! I share air molecules with them folks. It's getting awfully smelly in here, Mr. Speaker.
I live in one of those gerrymandered districts where if there is no primary, there is no need for an election...and it ain't my party's primary that counts. Sisyphus would hate the job of running as a D in Colorado's 5th. Having that rock roll over you would be preferable to knowing you were doomed to lose to Doug Lame-born. He doesn't even need to campaign or talk to his constituents.
Tell me about it. I'm in Virginia's 7th, and I'm beginning to think we're stuck with Cantor forever. Or until I move somewhere else, I suppose.
Hairball -- What a wonderful -- and sad -- analogy. The image is hard to erase.
ummmm... what makes anyone think the 113th is going to be any different than the 112th? Fiscal cliff nonsense has been kicked down the road for a couple of months, so we can all go through this again. Economy to be held hostage every couple months. If you liked the 112th, you'll love seeing again as the 113th
Regardless of the past... I at least remain positive for change during the first few months. If it is more of the same, I will be whipping out my voodoo doll. :)
Greetings!
In 2014 the voter's will vote out the republican majority and place a democrat majority in control of the House of Representatives and solidify the majority in the Senate that the democrats will do what is needed to get done and move things forward.
Peace be unto you!
Marquest Burton
Not unless the DNC gets off their asses and does what they have to do. If 2010 is any example Debbie Wasserman Schultz and her cohorts will sit on their asses and let the Republicans expand their house majority. It's an off year election after all and conventional wisdom says the President's party loses off year elections. Of course the DNC thought that in 2010 and then, by their inaction, proved it.
We can hope!
The worst Congress in 60 years. Do nothing, done nothing, think nothing, known for nothing. Will it be better? I doubt it.
They should all be fired - at least the Rep. - their main focus was to keep Obama from having anything passed. They do not care about the people - even those who voted for them. There should be a way of taking back their salaries for doing nothing.
If anyone of us worked in the way they have - we would not have a job - productivity - that is a joke in Congress. There has to be a last minute chance of something happening and then only a bandaid is put in place. Shame on them.
If we can get enough of us "We the People", together on this point, I think it is time for this to be addressed! Occupy WallStreet - Meet Occupy Congress!
Good post.
Indeed, with secure districts, gerrymandered to insure reelection, even of the most pathetic performers, there is no incentive to do anything other than posture, obstruct, and throw monkey wrenches into the works. I am so glad that California redistricted fairly this time. There are still districts here that are sinecures, but not as many as there would have been had the legislators done the job, rather than a citizen's commission.
I wish in their orientation sessions, someone would instruct them in their duty to serve the country, rather than their own self interest and reelection. Politics is the art of compromise. Wish they could get that.
John Jay wrote, "nothing is more certain than the indispensable necessity of government" in the "Federalist Papers". If he were alive today I bet he would say, "nothing is more certain than indispensable necessity of removing those who were elected to govern but chose not"!
That is another reason why I decided to run against Senator Mitch MCConnell. Find out more by going to our campaign website www.Marksberry2014.com
GOD SPEED! My friend. I cannot stand that man McConnell.
and yet... Congressman Bob Latta tweeted:
Proud of the work we've done during the 112th Congress @HouseCommerce. http://t.co/HJu3yDSZ Looking forward to expanding on it in 113th.
https://www.facebook.com/boblatta/posts/543912348952255?comment_id=6551490¬if_t=feed_comment_reply
And to that one can probably respond no better than the comments #1 and #1.1, above.
I guess if one has nothing to be proud of, it's time to reach out to constituents and hope they have very short memories.
http://nation.time.com/2012/12/21/when-will-military-kids-matter-enough/
One need look no further than one of the very few pieces of legislation that was passed in the 112th - H.R. 2288 - Caring for Military Kids with Autism Act. It had 70 bipartisan cosponsors in the House and was included by unanimous consent to the FY2013 NDAA.
In November, it was passed in the Senate by a vote of 66-29.
The end result?
While no one was looking, in conference committee, both amendments for permanent coverage of best practices were scrapped and we were left with a blurb in the NDAA to include a "1-year pilot program" via TRICARE to make autism treatments available to the 23,000 military children on the spectrum. Have you met the DoD and TRICARE? They take "pilot program" to mean whatever and however they choose.
Our military families that fight for our country, that have fought for several years to earn the treatments their children with autism so desperately need, were once again - screwed by Congress.
So long 112th. 113 - you're up. Don't do us like that again. We are proud to serve and our babies are worthy.
Mrs. Rachel Kenyon
Wife to Sergeant Major William Kenyon, 1BN 102ND (MTN) CTARNG
Mother of two beautiful babes - one with autism.
Ok that's it, I'm writing a petition to lable the Tea Party Reps as a terrorist organization.
When the vote is taken to end the imposing of the 2/3 congressional supermajority voting rules, this Congress will begin to get back to being a little better. Also the President will be given back the power to veto bills. (Article 1, Section 7)
power to veto what...? I thought the chosen one accomplished all through executive order...maybe you didn't catch Leonne Panetta speaking with congress letting them know that they were merely ceremonial and they receive there marching orders from the un...ever heard of agenda 21......all the big brains arguing about what the brain dead fall into line media owned by the banksters and friends .
Answer: The power to veto the dumb crap the Republicans want to do in the 113th Congress. The Tea Party is going to do really crazy votes this year demanding not to fix anything and not to help people when they get hit by nature. As they did just a few days ago when it came to Sandy. Now the president will have the proper power he needs in case Congress tries to go stupid, as it did in this last year. But please go ahead and believe all the fox news talking points you wish. After all you are free to think any thing you wish that is NOT really real.
Well something smells, alright...
Different number, same people.......... And you expect change?
After 3 3failed attempts at repealing the Affordable Health Act, Bachmann wants a 34th. Need any more proof?
So what happens if everyone starts IGNORING Congress? A "What if you held a war and nobody came?" kinda thing? Or, how about if we take a tip from Redbox and simply put a Republican Congressman at every convenience store with a change box and a "Voting" machine. Makes it pretty clear when you pays your money and don't get ANYthing in return; you'll LEARN to stop doing that soon enough... Sadly, I don't see any sign the Founding Fathers made any allowance for recovering from the "intellectual suicide" of one branch of its "two party system". There is no performance requirement, no competency standard, no visible prerequisite for a grasp of a FUNCTIONAL "political reality" -- and no mechanism for emesis, either.