Republican politicians and pundits keep saying that what Americans care about is jobs, jobs, jobs. To a large extent, they are correct. It’s the economy, Stupid! Therefore one might think that Republicans would be bending over backwards to give American people the jobs, jobs, jobs we want. Instead, both Republican legislation and Republican positions on Democratic legislation has nothing whatsoever to do with jobs, jobs, jobs.
This is now the pattern of business in the House of Representatives: Spend most of the time passing bills designed not to become law but to satisfy the ideological desires of conservative voters. And block laws that actually need to get passed.
This colossal waste of time, punctuated by moments of real destruction, has been going on since early last year, and is well-illustrated this month. The House voted Thursday to repeal crucial parts of the health care reform law, and an upcoming bill would make government regulation virtually impossible. None of these bills have a chance of enactment. In the meantime, though, House Republicans won’t bring up a desperately needed transportation bill.
Political-message bills have sprouted like weeds in the last few years, the product of extreme polarization and stalemate. Elected officials have to show that they’re doing something, so they propose bills designed only to create a talking point against the other side. Senate Democrats do it, too. The Paycheck Fairness Act, which was predictably filibustered to death by Republicans on Tuesday, was the latest example. We supported that bill as an important vehicle for reducing the wage gap between men and women, but the principal reason Democrats introduced it was to embarrass Mitt Romney and other Republicans over their pronounced indifference to the issue.
Nonetheless, House Republicans have refined this practice into an art… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <NY Times>
While I agree that the Paycheck Fairness Act had no chance to be passed, equal pay for equal work is a principle that should not be partisan at all. It should have passed by acclamation. Since Republicans claim that there is no GOP War on Woman, it is completely appropriate to demonstrate the dishonesty of that statement.
The simple fact here is that Republicans are doing everything in their power to prevent anything that helps the American people from passing. They want to maximize misery to dupe ignorant voters into blaming Obama and the Democrats in November. However, voters need to understand that the Republican Party is all that is standing between them and much needed relief. Now, if Republicans take power they would legislate abundant relief, but that relief would be more tax cuts and more welfare for millionaires, billionaires and corporate criminals. They would do NOTHING for YOU!
6 Responses to “The Purpose of Republican Legislation”
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Republican/Teabaggers sit on their collective asses and do nothing yet get paid handsomely. The American worker who sits on his ass does not get paid. It’s called unemployment!
Republican/Teabaggers sit on their collective asses devising ways to screw the American people. What would happen if all that creative time were used to help the American people?
Quote of the week: “There is a special term for Republican candidates who tell the truth: unemployed.” — TC.
Thanks Lynn. You’re absolutely right.
The only purpose to their legislation or lack of it is to ensure the failure of the Obama presidency.
Of course.
“The House voted Thursday to repeal crucial parts of the health care reform law, and an upcoming bill would make government regulation virtually impossible.”
Send these Republicans and Tea-Baggies to the unemployment line…
Amen to that!