Executive Orders Catching up to Congressional Legislation?
Congress passed "only" 80 bills in 2011 making this their least productive year since records began in 1947. I suppose Congress could not go back and count legislation passed in previous years.
Is this a bad thing? Looking back on last year, we still have no budget, Boehner ceded debt ceiling raises to the president in August, twelve (out of 535) Congressional voted to continued unemployment and tax cuts, and their grand finale was the NDAA stripping large portions of the Bill of Rights from the people.
What about the president? Well he has been pretty busy in 2011. He signed 34 new executive orders. My personal favorite is Executive Order 13589:
Executive Order 13589 of November 9, 2011
Promoting Efficient Spending
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to further promote efficient spending in the Federal Government, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. My Administration is committed to cutting waste in Federal Government spending and identifying opportunities to promote efficient and effective spending. The Federal Government performs critical functions that support the basic protections that Americans have counted on for decades.
As they serve taxpayers, executive departments and agencies (agencies) also must act in a fiscally responsible manner, including by minimizing their costs, in order to perform these mission-critical functions in the most efficient, cost-effective way. As such, I have pursued an aggressive agenda for reducing administrative costs since taking office and, most recently, within my Fiscal Year 2012 Budget. Building on this effort, I direct agency heads to take even more aggressive. More...
There is nothing wrong with gridlock and the founding fathers actually set up the government with this in mind. However, there are expectations of Congress outlined in the Constitution that are not being met and the president's growing power and disregard for the Constitution are cause for concern.
These are issues that should be addressed by the candidates in their debates and by Congressmen who still value their oath of office.
David DeGerolamo
Congress logs most futile legislative year on record
It’s official: Congress ended its least-productive year in modern history after passing 80 bills — fewer than during any other session since year-end records began being kept in 1947.
Furthermore, an analysis by The Washington Times of the scope of such activities as time spent in debate, number of conference reports produced and votes taken on the House and Senate floors found that Congress set a record for legislative futility by accomplishing less in 2011 than any other year in history.
The Senate’s record was weakest by a huge margin, according to the futility index, and the House had its 10th-worst session on record.
Of the bills the 112th Congress did pass, the majority were housekeeping measures, such as naming post office buildings or extending existing laws. Sometimes, it was too difficult for the two chambers to hammer out agreements. More often, the Senate failed to reach agreement within the chamber.
That left much of the machinery of the federal government on autopilot, with the exception of spending, where monumental clashes dominated the legislative session.
“Absent unified party control with a bolstered Senate majority, I think it’s just very hard to get things done, particularly in a period when revenues aren’t growing and the decisions are how to cut, and how to cut in the long term,” said Sarah Binder, who studies Congress as a Brookings Institution scholar and professor at George Washington University. “Congress just isn’t very good at solving long-term problems.”
Comment
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Comment by steve o on January 18, 2012 at 12:00am -
lmao Andrew. Well put
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Comment by ANDREW SCHRAG on January 17, 2012 at 11:58pm
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CONGRESS, THE DEMOCRATIC "DONUT HOLE"
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Comment by steve o on January 17, 2012 at 11:48pm
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Billy, I like your analysis. And Roland, you make some points about Paul as well. But as I watch him in the debates, I see a typical politician who knows how to game the system and the people. He's softened his position on cutting the deficit by a trillion in the first year. After he really caught fire, he added a subtle change in that statement. "tepidly propose---" I couldn't believe my ears. I had to watch the rerun of the N H debate to make sure I wasn't hearing things. I wasn't. But that's really not my point.
Your last comment regarding Levine is what is at work in our nation. Folks have been shaken awake, and they don't like what they see. The Constitution is popular again. Indiviual responsibility is making a come back. The utopia that the left is seeking is being exposed for what it is, and it is NOT welcome in this country, despite what the media tries to portray. The left doesn't like the fact that we are awake. We may be behind the eightball for now, but great armies have been defeated by a smaller, righteous and determined army.
We have to look and listen to all our candidates with critical analysis and be determined to replace RINO's this season if we have any chance to reboot our freedoms peacefully.
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Comment by Roland C. Cartier Jr on January 17, 2012 at 9:26pm -
Boy did I get my batteries charged when Mark Levine was on Hannity. I got to get that book Ameritopia just released. It points out all the things I've been screaming about for months. This election is all about "We The people" against the Left liberal Elitists period. Here is the question do you believe in unalienable rights or do you believe in a totalitarian style in America?
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Comment by Roland C. Cartier Jr on January 17, 2012 at 7:10pm
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Billy I don't agree with Ron Paul's views on Foreign policy when it comes to our Defense however I do agree with the Foreign Aid to Countries that hate us should not even be a thought. Santorum is quite unique however I would like a Veteran in this fray of an election cycle which there are only two. I'm afraid of both but living in Ma. ever since I left my service obligation in 73' I can say that Romney had to fight tooth and nail for everything he could. Given the fact that this State is a donkey one.I firmly believe in the capitalist economy and individuals can overcome obstacles to make more of themselves. Unlike Pres. Obama who has no knowledge of Economy 101 or for that matter running a buis. I'm totally fed up with Law Professors and Community Organizers with the same views as this Administration.
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Comment by Roland C. Cartier Jr on January 17, 2012 at 6:27pm
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To Billy and steve o, We have the largest Voting Block in our midst if we would only extract them they are our Veterans most of them are "Oath" takers that take their "Oath" seriously 3.6 million is not a shabby number and we come from all walks of live and different races but in the end "We Stand United" granted their are a few in the left wing tank but if they truly care which I think they do about our Country then they will come together with us in the end. After all we all have children and grand children with family members as well that can be affected if we don't act Now! I've been pushing it in my area in Ma. and that's hard enough.
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Comment by steve o on January 17, 2012 at 6:09pm
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Ronald, you're right. A spit in the proverbial bucket, but what a message !! It would go a looooong way in saying that Washington finally go the message we've been sending about limited government under the Constitution. The new regulations (i.e. defacto laws) have been coming at us at an alarming rate for decades, and now they have the pedal to the metal. Soft tyranny turning to hard tyranny quickly
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Comment by Roland C. Cartier Jr on January 17, 2012 at 6:06pm
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We all talk about savings but this President continues to assign officers(Czars) and offices (New Depts) I wonder how much we would save if they all got Pink Slips Hmm? I know it's a spit in the proverbial money pit but it would some kind of start no? Yes Bruce you are right on target with your shot about pres. Obama and the Senate with Rodeo Reid at that Helm!
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Comment by Mary Burton on January 17, 2012 at 5:25pm
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Passing only 80 bills is a good thing. More bills, higher costs.
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Comment by Bruce Baker on January 17, 2012 at 5:26am
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I think .. historically .. one will find .. DEMS In the SENATE and OBAMA BLOCKED more legislation than any other obstruction during year 2011. This whole DEM campaign that the Tea-party or Republicans blocked progress is B.S.! Nothing but Spin when you check what actually got done and who blocked what...I am not even going to get into the REVENUE RETARDATION that Obama and Dems come up with when anyone but them suggests ways and means to increase federal revenue or stimulate the national economy...
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