Schieffer: "Dysfunctional" Congress does nothing -- again

If you ever needed any proof that the congress is totally dysfunctional and unable to do anything - even something it wants - their failure to agree on a payroll tax cut extension is it.

Forget who is at fault. They all are for letting it go this far. Both sides are so determined to undermine the other that they can't even figure out how to do something they both want: Extend the payroll tax cut.

If this gridlock continues, it will be a fitting end to a year in which Congress accomplished absolutely nothing.

Nothing, unless you want to give them credit for not allowing the government to shut down. I give them no credit for that because I think that is the least we should expect of the people we send to Washington. Yet, that was what they spent most of their time arguing about.

What made this latest episode more odious than usual, is that by sending the legislation to a conference committee, House Republicans killed Senate legislation but did not have to go on record as saying they had voted to give people a tax increase. But make no mistake. That is exactly what they have done if this stands.

There is a reason that Congress has a 9-percent approval rating, and today's antics are like putting up a neon sign to remind people of it.

House rejects payroll tax cut compromise
Obama to House Republicans on payroll tax cut: "This is not a game"

[tsigili]

All that was proved, is that Obama is controlling the Senate, from the WH. He IS a dictator.

[magnumdr]

The only reason that our Congress is "dysfunctional", is because they all want everything done "their way", they could care less about doing what is right for America and all of the Americans in it!, just so long as they get their way! Whatever happened to working things out for all of the people they represent?.

[taylorsucram]

SIMPLY VOTE THEM ALL OUT (well, not my congressman).

[frank_farmer]

Repeal the 17th Amendment. Restore the original character of the Senate to appointment by states instead of popular vote. This in turn will pare down the "culture wars" conversation to only the House instead of both chambers of congress.

This in turn will restore the ORIGINAL debate in Congress to one between the individual voter versus the states -- INSTEAD of the current bottomless / endless argument between Dems and GOP. Let's eliminate the need for being forever "rescued" by one party from the other. It's all RUSE. Else, neither the Left nor the Right will be able to stop each other -- they'll only slow down each other. Let society change society through natural selection and assimilation -- not through big(ger) government.

[occupy_cbs]

Schieffer: "Dysfunctional" Congress does nothing -- again



After the Senate voted in a totally BIPARTISAN vote of 89 to 10, to extend the payroll tax cuts, and immediately the House buried that legislation in committee to die, only proves how completely dysfunctional the GOP House is today, with the minority teabaggers leading the republicans over the cliff of insanity!

Aaaah.....but speaker boner saw the political mistake of the GOP House, and has now caved, and a deal was reached with the Senate legislation and a 2-month extension.

[occupy_cbs]

vsmit: "The senate's 2 month extension is a joke and pure politics with no substance."



Get over it mr. partisan, and completely understand that speaker boner and the teabaggers caved, and agreed to the Senate version of the bill, with the 2-month extension.

[hayseedbears]

There should be no such thing as career politicians. Career politicians promugate greed and coruption. This country was founded on the average citizen putting away his own interests for a while to serve the country. When was the last time you heard of a politician walking away from Congress without being a millionaire or having a cushy job with some company who had big lobbyist money? This is not the country my father fought for in WWII. In fact, I am for the first time glad he is no longer here to see how bastardized this country has become. VOTE THE BUMS OUT IN 2012 -- EVERY ONE OF THEM. Clean house in 2012, and tell the elected we will do it again.

[hayseedbears]

Obama a disappointment? How can you blame him?? This mess is a creation of the Bush administation, and has it's roots in the trickle down theory from Reagan. It has been a long time coming. When are the average folk going to realize that the Republican party does not care one whit for the average citizen. Oh, we are okay to work for the rich as long as we are properly greatful to the "man", and to send our kids off to war (would be interesting to know how many of the 1% children went to fight the Bush wars). If you think the wealthy are going to do the right thing without being forced to do it, you are so naieve (I know this is not spelled right). You cannot blame Obama for the mess this Congress is in. Quite frankly, they walked off their jobs when they went away for the Holidays without taking care of business. The American people deserve better. VOTE THE BUMS OUT IN 2012 -- EVERY DAMNED ONE OF THEM. And Behner should be the first to go.

[RealiteBites]

That's false logic - to argue that because the converse of something is incompetent, that the opposite must be true.

My point was that if you vote your 'bums' out, all you're going to get are more bums.

None of you have any clue what you're talking about - politicians don't either.

[RealiteBites]

People are Waiting for Godot.

I thought maybe things would turn around by 2016 when the Dems came back into power ... which would have made it a lost decade.

But now I'm thinking things may not turn around until even like 2024.

Barack turned out to be such a disappointment - he packaged himself as an intellectual ... and he IS incredibly smart. But he's not a wonk, he's a smarmy politician phony.

And same with Romney - super smart, but a smarmy political phony.

Things aren't looking good for the next decade or so ...

[hayseedbears]

What do you get when you cross Marie Antoinette with Scrooge? Boehner! As for the super rich creating jobs?? Yes, indeed. I am sure they need more housekeepers and limo drivers. Maybe we can apply for those and save our homes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!