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Start me up!
Author: Raine    Date: 12/23/2010 14:03:52

So it was with great joy that upon landing in Altanta Hartfield airport, we learned that the START treaty and the 9/11 responders bills had both been passed into law.

Aside from the DREAM act - which is still not dead, an awful lot seems to have been accomplished in this lame duck session of Congress. Perhaps the Senate should be forced to only work 3 weeks out of the year? Anyway...

I personally give the powers that be credit, despite the ongoing obstructionism of the GOP who lied, whined and literally cried over progress. Republican strategists have even turned to giving the President his due:


“I think it would be very foolish to write President Obama off,” Republican media guru Mike Murphy emailed me in one of the grudging bouquets that arrived from across the aisle. “The GOP now has a great shot in 2012, but 23 months is a very long time in politics. President Obama is showing an impressive new ruthlessness with his liberal base that, combined with an economic recovery, will augur well for him in a national election.”

Obama’s remarkable day, only six weeks after disastrous midterm elections in which Republicans captured the House and increased their strength in the Senate, began when he presided over an emotional signing ceremony for the repeal of the Clinton-era Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy that excluded openly gay men and women from military service. Then the once-recalcitrant Senate ratified the START nuclear arms reduction treaty with the Russians, and the House and Senate passed long-delayed health-care benefits for 9/11 first responders.
This isn't even including the massive food safety bill that was passed. These are all good things -- despite the much maligned tax cut extentions, many people including myself thought this would be too monumental to overcome between Election day and now. I am amazed. The next year is going to be a rough one, I have no doubt about that, but I do believe that the party of "No!" did serious damage to themselves this session. The President of the Council on Foreign Relations even agrees:
Leslie Gelb, president-emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations, said leaders abroad were mystified at Republican opposition to a treaty that if anything was initially criticized for being too modest. The debate, he said, "seriously damages [Republican] credibility on national security."
It's important to note that the Start treaty passed with a quarter of the GOP caucus breaking with GOP Senate leader Mitch McConnel. From Think Progress:
President Obama became the first Democratic President in history today to have an arms-control treaty ratified on his watch. The New START Treaty was approved in the Senate by a vote of 71-26. Thirteen Republicans, a quarter of the Republican caucus, broke with Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ). This is the first time an arms control treaty has ever passed without the support of the minority leader. As Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) said yesterday, “In today’s Senate, 70 votes is yesterday’s 95.”
This is a great START to a new year.

Until then, may your holiday be filled with joy. We are here for the weekend and it looks like both Atlanta & DC may be seeing some of the white stuff. Joy, indeed.

As always,
and
Raine
 

39 comments (Latest Comment: 12/24/2010 17:06:27 by livingonli)
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