Nothing will change

Apparently, the Democrats are starting to realize that they're now about 1/4 of the way through this Congress and they've done nothing of significance, except pass a bill which is sure to increase inflation and unemployment among the poor. Coming into this year, they promised a while host of reforms, claiming that they were going to come to issues in a bipartisan fashion. Of course, they're promptly started pushing insignificant statement votes and their political fishing expeditions trying to nail anyone in the Bush administration with whatever they can - usually, trying to incite perjury when "investigating" incidents where no crimes occurred.

People are going to notice, however, that while they've been trying to score political points they've done nothing to address social security, health care, job creation, the flood of illegal immigrants, the education gap between whites and minorities, the poverty rate, energy policy, or securing our ports and borders. Why bother actually doing something of substance when they can try to exploit the situation for political gain to leverage a democrat into the White House in a year and a half?

Democrats Pushing to Avoid a 'Do-Nothing' Label
The New York Times

Congressional Democrats celebrated the first minimum wage increase in a decade on Tuesday with a festive labor rally across from the Capitol. But they know they will have to accomplish considerably more to avoid the sort of do-nothing labels they hung on Republicans not too long ago.

“It is not enough, but it is a great start,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi said as she told the cheering crowd that the wage increase that took effect Tuesday was just one element of a middle-class economic program that includes college tuition help, expanded health care coverage and other emerging proposals.

Democrats hope to post more legislative victories in a few days, including enacting into law some of the remaining recommendations of the bipartisan Sept. 11 commission. They also want to pass a lobbying overhaul that was central to their campaign last year against the “culture of corruption” so they can start their late-summer recess on a high note.

Republicans agree it would represent real progress if Democrats could get those measures through and tee up a few others for the fall. But they are withering in their criticism of what the Democratic majority has — and has not — done since taking power in January.

“They’ve wasted the first seven months by being excessively partisan and creating unnecessary, in my view, disputes with a pretty robust minority of 49,” said Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader.