Back to Work

Congress goes back to work tomorrow after two weeks of camera time and pretty words uttered prettily enough for us to pretend they meant something. This isn't going to be a time during which bills get passed in order to protect United States citizens. This is going to be the time during which Republicans and Democrats do as much to fuck up the opposing party's candidate as possible.

"With the unemployment rate at a five-year high, it is clear that we must take immediate action to strengthen our economy. The New Direction Congress will soon act on a second economic stimulus package and a comprehensive energy plan that will create new American jobs, invest in renewables, increase domestic production, make America more energy independent, and break free of the failed Bush economic policies that John McCain and Republicans in Congress have rubber-stamped for far too long." -House Speaker Nancy Pelosi

Here's what I get from the Washington Post article. If Obama goes for this bill, the Republicans are going to call him out for partisanship. If he doesn't, the Democrats are going to accuse him of pandering to get votes. (Since I want him to win in November, I say, "Pander on.") McCain's not in such a better position. Democrats are going to bring up measures that would increases funding for home heating in New Hampshire and Minnesota and a bill, previously turned down by Republicans, which would require equal pay for women in the workforce. If he doesn't go for these bills, those swing states might swoop back to Obama and any cred he got from women with Sarah Palin goes out the window. If he does go for those bills, he's going to get burned for voting to tax more.

The inadvertence of Congress pushes me one step closer to bitterness. I hope they remember they work for us when they go back to the office tomorrow.

[Washington Post]