Now that the mid-term elections are over, and we have a presumed mandate to restrict spending in the country, you'd think we would begin to see some action on that front. But politics as usual will keep anything substantial from happening.
Already this week, Congress is debating the unfunded extension of unemployment benefits that will expire for some at the end of the month - benefits that already last up to 99 weeks. What's to debate?
Did we not all just agree by majority vote that we didn't want to do this anymore? I consider myself a social liberal, so I'm not averse to helping out the downtrodden. But I'm also a fiscal conservative, and we can't afford to keep paying people not to work. For a longer rant on that click here: http://streffblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/paying-people-to-not-work.html
So why aren't things changing? For one, it's a lame-duck session of congress, and I suppose the so the 'mandate' hasn't officially kicked in yet. But another reality is, both Republicans and Democrats feel like they can get more political mileage from doing nothing.
The Ds would use inaction to show how the Rs don't care about the unemployed, and the Rs would use inaction to get what they really want in two years, the presidency.
This week, Newt Gingrich was in town to promote his latest book. And Sarah Palin is scheduled to be in Iowa twice before the end of the year to promote her latest book, or maybe her TV show, who knows. From this, one can make three undeniable conclusions - the 2012 presidential election race has begun in Iowa, politics and political money never sleep, and we already have two unelectable people campaigning to be president. (Yes, folks, they are unelectable. Just ask Hillary Clinton if you can win as a polarizing figure.)
Just wait until we get some actual, electable people in the race - then for sure nothing will get done!
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