"this is the most do-nothing Congress in the history of our country" [View All]

[cynatnite]

Circumstances have changed in Washington from the days when Republicans were famous for party discipline. President Bush, weakened by his sliding popularity, has been unable to hold sway over Congress. The Republican leadership in the House and the Senate is in transition and lacks the muscle of Tom DeLay, the former House majority leader. Republican lawmakers, many facing their most serious electoral opposition in years, are fending for themselves.

“We have no central core of political authority driving things in Washington,” said James A. Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies at American University. “Individuals and expressions of individual will by committees, and also by strong people like John McCain, have dominated, and the result is internal fighting.”

Democrats have made no secret of their intention to try to brand this Congress as worse than lackluster. They said their case was made for them last week as the Senate, despite time running out, did next to nothing on the floor for three days in order to clear procedural obstacles to debating the fence legislation.

“When we say this is the most do-nothing Congress in the history of our country, this isn’t just flippant,” said Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the Democratic leader. “This is true.” Besides denouncing the legislative output, Democrats are mounting an effort to chastise Republicans as failing to conduct sufficient oversight of the war in Iraq.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/25/washington/25cong.html?hp&ex=1159156800&en=345823cf966c55e0&ei=5094&partner=homepage