FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
You don't have to look very far for signs that our government is broken... and here's one more:
The House of Representatives has passed 290 bills that are stalled in the Senate.
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The Hill newspaper reports that frustrated House Democrats are out with a list of the nearly 300 pieces of legislation they've passed - that the upper chamber has yet to act on.
The stalled bills include both big and small ones - from health care, climate change and Wall Street Reform... to a Civil War battlefield preservation act and naming a federal courthouse in Iowa.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office says this list is put together during each Congress - but that this year's is probably the largest ever. Nonetheless, Pelosi isn't blaming her Democratic counterparts in the Senate. Instead she lays the blame on Republicans who are "abusing" their right to filibuster.
But some Democratic congressmen aren't shy to fault their Senate colleagues for not doing more with their super majority when they had it. House Majority Whip James Clyburn suggests that senators see themselves as a "house of lords" and that they're out of touch with the American people since they're not up for re-election every two years.
Over in the Senate - majority leader Harry Reid also blames Republicans for the back-up of legislation. Isn't he in charge?
The Democrats - starting with Reid and Pelosi - have to figure out how to get all their troops marching in the same direction. The people's business is piling up, and our lawmakers are just watching.
Here’s my question to you: How can Washington accomplish anything if 290 bills passed in the House are stalled in the Senate?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
John writes:
Jack, This is more proof that nothing works in Washington, D.C. anymore. Let’s abolish the two-party system and go to a parliamentary democracy. This would be the end of the imperial president and in place would be a chief executive accountable to the legislature and capable of being removed by a majority vote of the legislature.
Joe writes:
Say what you will about Pelosi (and Bush 43 for that matter), but both of them got things done. They were both leaders. You can argue about whether these bills and laws are worthy but they were able to corral people into getting things passed. It says something about the Reid's Senate leadership.
Dan writes:
A super majority. Not just a majority. Democrats should be ashamed.
Kent in New Jersey writes:
Nothing will change until all the incumbents are replaced. The only problem is the voters are not ready to replace them. Unfortunately, the voters talk but don't act - just like the politicians, and the politicians know it.
A. in Seattle writes:
Jack, The answer to your question is obvious. Washington will accomplish nothing without some break in the Senate deadlock. I fear that is exactly what the Republicans want. No action means no Democratic Party and no Obama victories. The Republicans will then resort to their usual disingenuous ways by charging the Democrats with being incapable of governing. The solution? Harry Reid has to find the political courage to invoke budget reconciliation whenever possible. If he is unable to at least hold together 51 of his members, well.... maybe the Republicans are right. The Democrats cannot govern.
Mike writes:
Jack, You can bet your sweet...donkey...that if those bills contained pay raises or increased benefits for our congressmen, they wouldn't be stalled!
John in Minneapolis writes:
What are you whining about? The less this collection of clowns touch, the better off we all are.