Pardon My Boehner

Conservatives have repeatedly criticized the Democratic-led Congress for not passing enough legislation. “I don’t think they’ve gotten anything done,” House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) said in March.

In July, he added that “Congressional Democrats” have “failed to deliver on any of their promises and have almost no accomplishments of which to speak.”

Much of the lack of progress can be traced back to obstructionism by conservatives. Approximately “1 in 6 roll-call votes in the Senate this year have been cloture votes,” noted a July McClatchy report. “If this pace of blocking legislation continues, this 110th Congress will be on track to roughly triple the previous record number of cloture votes.”

It’s interesting that Boehner is criticizing the 110th Congress as doing nothing. After all, the House, under his leadership, met for just 101 days during the second session of the 109th Congress, setting the record “for the fewest days in session in one year since the end of World War II.”

But lets look at what they actually have done instead of believing the bullshit spewed from an idiot republicant asshole like Boehner. (pronounced ironically Boner)

Since January, more than 75 key measures have passed the House, with nearly 70 percent, receiving significant bipartisan support. In critical instances, the President and his Republican allies in Congress have stubbornly stood in the way of progress with three vetoes and 32 vetoes threatened.

The New Direction Congress is working to change course in Iraq. This war, now into its fifth year, has not made America safer, even as our troops have performed their duties. This Congress continues to demand that bushie and the Administration be held accountable, that the Iraqi government take responsibility for its own country, and that we bring this war to an end.

The New Direction Congress is providing the keys to the American dream—investing in American ingenuity and innovation that will create millions of good jobs here at home.

We are working to bring quality health care to every American child, and ensure that every child arrives at school ready to learn.

We are making America’s rural heartland a key to America’s future economic and energy security.

We have changed the way we do business in Washington by restoring fiscal responsibility, government transparency, and the highest ethical standards to Congress.

These are the first of many steps in A NEW DIRECTION for a stronger and more secure America.

ACCOMPLISHED

• First minimum wage increase in 10 years


• 9/11 Commission recommendations to screen all air cargo and overseas port cargo, improving communications between first responders


• Tough rules to establish highest ethical standards in Congressional history


• Most sweeping lobby and ethics reform in a generation, hailed by reform groups as “landmark reform” and “a sea of change”


• Pay-as-you-go budget discipline restored to end six years of deficit spending


• Fiscal discipline that produces a balanced budget by 2012


• A comprehensive Innovation and Competitiveness agenda to double basic research & development and reinvest in math and science education


• Emergency funding to support and equip troops, including tripling Mine-Resistant Ambush


• Protected (MRAP) vehicles in Iraq


• Tighter rules against foreign investment that weaken national security, after the Dubai Ports scandal


• Reduction of backlog on passports after 9/11 requirement through hiring boost


• Benchmarks and progress report required on Iraq


• Emergency assistance to protect children’s health coverage


• Overdue disaster aid to farmers and ranchers


• Overdue hurricane aid to rebuild Gulf Coast housing, hospitals, schools, and levees


• Emergency funding to fight wildfires


• U.S. Attorney appointments protected from political influence


• Vigorous Congressional oversight restored after six years, saving billions of taxpayer dollars, exposing corruption and incompetence


• Green the Capitol plan launched to cut carbon footprint 50%


• National Summit on America’s Children to align policies with latest science

ON PRESIDENT’S DESK FOR APPROVAL

• Largest expansion of college aid since GI Bill


• HEADED FOR PRESIDENT’S DESK FOR APPROVAL


• Key Flood Control and Waterway Restoration Re-investment, including for Gulf Coast

PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE

• Health coverage for 6 million children protected and millions more eligible children to enroll


• New quality care standards for wounded military personnel


• Energy Independence initiative to promote clean American renewable fuels and energy efficiency, and to reduce global warming


• 3.5% military pay raise, larger than President’s proposal


• Head Start preschool improved and expanded


• Reform of unethical practices by student loan industry


• Authorizing prosecution of gas price gouging and OPEC price fixing


• Sweeping reform of prescription drug safety

PASSED HOUSE

• Largest increase for veterans’ health care in history


• Major new investments in equipment and training for troops to meet the worst readiness crisis since the Vietnam War


• 3,000 new border patrol agents, tougher aviation and port security funded


• Farm Bill for 21st century shifts priorities to family farmers, crop diversity, nutrition, and biofuels


• Clean, renewable energy spurred with $3 billion investment


• Incentives for small business innovation to compete globally


• Federal small business loans made more affordable


• Small businesses guaranteed fair access to federal contracts


• Voter deception made a federal crime, voter intimidation penalties increased


• Seniors’ access to doctors protected


• Discrimination based on genetics banned in health care


• Safe drinking water efforts expanded


• 50,000 new police officers on the street


• Background checks for gun purchases improved nationwide


• Collective bargaining rights allowed for public safety officers nationwide


• Protection for employees who suffer pay discrimination based on sex, race, or age


• Government contracting reformed to stop waste, fraud, and abuse


• Whistleblower protections strengthened


• Public access to Presidential records restored


• Public access to government strengthened through Freedom of Information Act reforms


• Members of Congress barred from putting spouses on campaign payrolls


• Shareholders given a vote on excessive executive pay

VETOED BY PRESIDENT OVER WILL OF PEOPLE

• Timetables to responsibly redeploy troops from Iraq


• Expansion of life-saving medical research on stem cells

BLOCKED BY SENATE REPUBLICANS

• Rotation out of war zone requirement for strained troops


• Free choice for workers to bargain for better wages and benefits


• Medicare required to negotiate cheaper prescription drugs
  D.C. voting rights in Congress