The Year Nothing Got Done

The first full year of the 112th Congress was epically dysfunctional, thanks to the ideological intransigence of the Republicans in both houses.  This poor performance has scholars going back to pre Civil War times to find such incompetence and gridlock.  Thomas Mann of the Brookings Institute says that in modern history, "there have been battles, delays, brinksmanship - but nothing quite like this."  At a time when bold action was needed to help the country recover from the Great Recession and create jobs, very little useful legislation was passed.  The blame is squarely on the Republicans, whose primary goal since Obama's election has been to deny him a second term. 

The Tea Party extremists may have overplayed their hand by fighting the payroll tax cut compromise until the eleventh hour.  Even other Republicans told them to get with the program and stop being so stupid.  This was a tax break, for goodness' sake.  Republicans may be hoping that by the time of the 2012 elections, voters will have forgotten what caused the mess in the first place (after all the Recession was already in full swing in 2008 after the deregulation fiasco, the unjustified wars, and the Bush tax cuts) and who stood in the way of providing the necessary stimulus to create jobs and recover from the recession.  Combined with the far-reaching Republican disenfranchisement efforts and the notable lack of enthusiasm among young voters, Obama may just be a one-term President as fervently wished by Republicans. 

While Obama holds a significant advantage over Romney among the "millenials", the all-important voter turnout depends primarily on enthusiasm.  It's hard to be enthusiastic when you are loaded with student debt and out of work.  But it would be a mistake for young voters and the OWS people to stay away from the polls this November.  If you think the situation is bad now, just think what it would be like with Republicans in control of all three branches of government.  So for a New Year's resolution, let's all go out and vote.  Throw the Republicans out of Congress and hold onto the Presidency.  Who knows?  A President with some balls, to use Matt Damon's phrase, and a Congress that actually could accomplish something might make for a good 2013. 

In the meantime, Happy New Year and hang in there in 2012.  It may not be much better than 2011 but it cannot be much worse.