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DO-NOTHING CONGRESS? The Republican House of Representatives is the Most Productive Ever (LOL) [1]
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Date: 2023-12-21
As 2023 draws to a close, it's a good time to reflect on the progress - or lack thereof - made by America's political class in Washington. This year began with the Republican Party assuming a narrow majority in the House of Representatives. They promised that they would use that status to advance an agenda that would benefit the nation and its citizens.
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That promise was never fulfilled. To the contrary, Republicans managed to snag a record for passing fewer bills (20) than any Congress in modern times. But what makes that "achievement" all the more humiliating is that they seem to be proud of their ineffectualness. It's hard to argue that they weren't purposefully determined to be political slackers. Particularly if you listen to what they have said about themselves...
SEE THIS: GOP Wants a Government Shutdown Because ‘Most of What We Do is Bad, Hurts the American People’
Considering what Republicans proposed to do in the year leading up to their congressional majority, the country might want to count their blessings that the GOP are so inept. After assuming power, they immediately set aside the issues that they ran on, such as banning abortion, racist immigration policies, tax relief for corporations and the wealthy, befouling the planet, guns for everyone, everywhere, and manufactured outrages against buzzwords like CRT, DEI, and “wokism.”
Instead, the GOP set their sights on personal political vendettas, fighting among themselves, and running defense for Dear Leader Donald Trump. As result, they managed to pass only twenty bills, most of which were trivialities such as naming buildings. The exceptions, such as raising the debt ceiling and reducing inflation, only passed with majority Democratic support.
x This is what you get when a GOP House cares about nothing more than doing Trump's bidding to bring a no-evidence impeachment.
https://t.co/ddXRATOuWJ pic.twitter.com/5jOu0Njbs1 — emptywheel (@emptywheel) December 20, 2023
The year end analysis of the GOP's pitiful performance was even recognized by Fox News, who ran a segment on what they called the "Do-Nothing Congress," with a chyron that read "Congress Has Historically Unproductive 2023."
x trying to figure out what changed from 2022 to 2023 ... hmm ... pic.twitter.com/jrToNjJgz5 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) December 21, 2023
However, perhaps they are being unduly harsh. The 118th Congress wasn't entirely unproductive. In fact, they scored some notable records for a majority party in the legislature. And it's high time we give credit where credit is due. For instance...
The GOP held more votes (15) to elect a Speaker (Kevin McCarthy) than ever before.
They nominated more Speaker candidates (Steve Scalise, Jim Jordan, Tom Emmer, Mike Johnson), after ousting their first Speaker nine months later, than any prior Congress.
They spent more time (three weeks) to run through those Speaker candidates before succeeding in electing an unknown backbencher (Mike Johnson) with dubious credentials.
They introduced more articles of impeachment (for President Biden, DHS Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas, FBI Director Chris Wray, U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves, and Attorney General Merrick Garland) than ever.
And they entered more dick pix (1) into the congressional record during televised hearings than any of their predecessors.
With that record of achievement, how can anyone disparage the work ethic of the Republicans currently in charge of the House? They are clearly an energetic bunch of eager beavers intent on wasting taxpayer money and smearing their political opponents with pointless probes and knee-jerk obstructionism.
Without a doubt, they have been more prolific in those endeavors than anyone who has come before them. And no one should deprive them of that "honor." They have even made time to help Democrats produce campaign ads that illustrate just how productive they were when they held the majority...
SEE THIS: President Biden Trolls Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Hysterically Lame Swipe at Democratic Successes
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