Blue Collar Muse

With Poll numbers showing the Democrat led Congress is enjoying the worst approval numbers since I don’t know when, the Democrat’s strategy to combat this perception in the minds of voters would seem to be - more of the same behavior that earned them abysmal ratings originally.

The widely trumpeted mandate for change the Left claims American voters overwhelmingly handed them in November 2006 was rooted, in part, in Democrat charges the then GOP controlled Congress was out of touch with the American people. Evidence of the GOP’s disconnectedness was found in polling numbers that showed Congress with 35%-45% approval numbers leading up to the elections. As the election approached, those numbers began dropping as the the perception Republicans were poorly serving the interests of the nation gained traction. At election time, 2006, approval for the GOP Congress was at 25%-35%.

The nation “threw the bums out” and polls immediately evidenced the optimism Democrats like to point back to with approval numbers rising to the 35%-45% levels earlier enjoyed by the GOP. However, as Democrats failed to keep their promises on the War; wallowing in meaningless non-binding resolutions and neglecting their duties to debate, craft and pass a budget, the worm turned. Gone were the glories of 40%+ approval. By May of 2007, Democrats watched the 30s evaporate and hit bottom, sluggishly floundering in the 20%-25% range with occasional dips into the high teens! The worst was July, 2007 where Reid, Pelosi and company hit record setting lows at 14% and then 11% barely escaping a nightmare plunge into single digits!

You would think such messages would be taken seriously by Democrats. They certainly took notice when they perceived GOP numbers were down and made sure we all noticed, too. But you’d be wrong. After 8 months of what is arguably the worst ever performance for a Congress, Democrats continue to bluster and posture in the same ways that first earned them the disrespect of voters.

Two stories illustrate the inexplicable behavior of the Party that claims to be leading our nation. CQ Today reports Harry Reid is talking tough to get his party’s agenda addressed.

Even before the Senate took up its first bill of 2008, Majority Leader Harry Reid was on the floor making a familiar threat.

If lawmakers fail to reach consensus on electronic surveillance legislation (S 2248), warned Reid, D-Nev., “We may have to finish that work this weekend.”

Reid must think the specter of working on Saturday is a useful form of senatorial discipline, because he issued similar warnings at least 15 times last year.

The Senate actually met just once on a Saturday in 2007 — Feb. 17, to be exact — to address the troop “surge” in Iraq (S 574).

Generally, the rank and file stayed in for late nights instead of giving up their weekend plans, and, given his druthers, Reid said he’d like to continue that pattern.

“We’re going to have to spend some long hours here in the Senate,” Reid said. “Hopefully we won’t have to work weekends.”

If all it takes is the threat of a Saturday morning spent legislating instead of being entertained by lobbyists to get the Senate off the dime, there are much bigger problems in Washington than partisanship and gridlock. If this is the best Reid can find to illustrate his leadership it’s no mystery how Congress is held in such contempt by the nation. What’s next, putting Senators in time-out in the Senate well?

From the House comes this gem, also reported in CQ Today. Speaking of renewed attempts by Democrats to expand SCHIP, Alex Wayne notes

Democrats aren’t about to drop the issue, which they consider a political winner, especially in an election year. And with the economy in trouble, Democrats are trying to depict an expansion of SCHIP as part of an economic stimulus plan aimed at middle- and lower-income families.

“Times have changed since last October, when the president vetoed the compromise SCHIP bill for the second time,” Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo., said in a Jan. 18 conference call.

“Now it looks like our economy is heading into a recession. Not only will the 4 million families who would be eligible for health care coverage [under the bill] be without health care coverage . . . but also the economy will be without that stimulus that spending for health care would give us,” DeGette added.

Not only is “times have changed” a bit too dramatic an introduction to an event from just 90 days ago, DeGette further demonstrates her lack of understanding of language with her comment, “Now it looks like our economy is heading into a recession.” A recession is generally defined as two consecutive quarters of decline in real GDP. Evidently the Colorado Democrat is unaware that the US Economy has not had even one quarter of decline in the last 25 or so quarters! I’m not sure we’ve even had a single month of decline within that time frame. Maybe mail delivery is a little slow in the hinterland that is Colorado. How else to explain the misinformed Congressman’s erroneous statement?

There’s more … lots more, unfortunately. But it seems clear the Democrats strategy for governing is rudderless. It remains to be seen if the GOP will be able to steer the country into realizing that by November, 2008.

Wondering what one does with a horse, or a donkey, for that matter, you lead to water who doesn’t even know he’s dying of thirst …

Blue Collar Muse

Popularity: 37% [?]

Heading into Michigan and South Carolina, and enjoying an uptick in interest and momentum following Thursday night’s GOP debate hosted at FOXNews, over the weekend the Thompson campaign released Fred’s plan to reduce Federal Spending. It’s not a particularly long read and it is thin on implementation. However, as a good overview on how Fred would address and approach spending and the budget process in general it’s quite good.

I’m including just the bullet points here. Each one has a paragraph or more of explanation at Fred’s official site. For the detail on the bullets, click through to Fred’s campaign.

THOMPSON PLAN TO REDUCE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SPENDING

In 2007, the federal government’s spending rose to an astounding $2.8 trillion– the equivalent of $22,000 per household. Growth in federal government spending, however, rarely translates into better services for the American people. Solutions for many public policy problems are best found in the private sector, and then at the State and local level–not in Washington, DC. Indeed, the federal government loses billions every year due to ineffective programs, poor management, waste, and fraud. And, the problem is getting worse. Within the next five years, federal spending is expected to reach more than $3.2 trillion, or about 20 percent of our economy; more than half of this amount is mandatory spending for entitlements. Increasing government spending is not the answer to our country’s problems. It is time to get it under control with better solutions and better management of our federal government.

Balance the Budget and Eliminate Underperforming Programs

Congress has consistently refused to balance the budget and address the deficit. In fact, federal spending continues to grow at rates double inflation. This rate of growth in federal spending is not sustainable and must be brought under control. The following actions will result in better control of the growth of non-defense discretionary spending:

1. Limit Non-Defense Federal Spending to Inflation.

2. Implement a One-Year Hiring Freeze Pending Completion of Federal Government Strategic Assessment.

3. Conduct a Comprehensive Cost-Benefit Analysis of All Federal Programs.

Enact Meaningful Earmark Reform

Congressional earmarks add up to tens of billions of dollars each year. In Fiscal Year 2006 alone, the cost to the American taxpayer was more than $64 billion. Even more disconcerting is the fact that many earmarks do not benefit the America people but only serve to support special interests. To accomplish real and meaningful earmark reform, the following actions must be taken:

1. Provide President with Line-Item Veto Authority.

2. Direct Agencies to Ignore “Soft” Earmarks.

3. Propose Legislation on Earmark Procedures.

Eliminate Improper Government Payments and Prosecute Fraud

Many government agencies cannot pass an audit. In 2007 alone, the government made more than $50 billion in improper payments. On top of that, fraud costs the American taxpayer tens of billions of dollars a year. Government regulations also reduce innovation and competitiveness. The following policies would address these problems:

1. Eliminate Improper Payments.

2. Increase the Prosecution of Fraud.

3. Hold Executives Accountable.

4. Propose Regulatory Improvement Legislation.

Reform Entitlement Programs

Entitlement spending is threatening to engulf the American taxpayer in a tidal wave of additional costs, as millions of Americans begin retiring over the next several years. In fact, spending on Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid is growing so fast that within 40 years it will consume the entire federal budget. This is unsustainable. The following initiatives will help restore the fiscal solvency of these programs:

1. Save and Protect Social Security.

2. Ensure Future Viability of Medicare and Medicaid.

Popularity: 31% [?]