Congress is paralyzed

As I sat thru last night's speech, I could not help but notice as the cameras continuously panned the crowd our elected congressional leaders, how many of them just sat there.

I remember thinking to myself, yes- this is pretty much what they have done all year long.

That symbolism pretty much represented the last year of Congress. Angry, bitter, sullen and pouty is pretty much what we have seen for a while now.

A year ago, the congressional leaders were a lot more raucous. With a newly elected Congress, dominated by Democrats, the people of this great country had sent a new Congress to the hill to handle the business of this country.

There the new Congress sat last night, with over half of them refusing to budge from their seats. Almost paralyzed with anger, is how they looked.

I have to say, I cannot blame the new Congress for sitting in their seats last night.

They have nothing to cheer for, they have accomplished next to nothing in a year's time.

Perhaps the newly elected leaders of Congress do not realize that the Democrats got exactly what they wanted. They are in charge.

To call them a "do nothing" Congress is putting it mildly.

I love to ask my democrat friends, what has this new congress done?

They immediately jump at the raising of the national minimum wage.

Okay, then, what else?

I usually get a perplexed look back from my democrat friends. They immediately start spouting off about President Bush, war in Iraq, and the usual drivel. They cannot name any other accomplishments in Congress this year. NONE!

Of course, upon closer inspection, even the raising of the national minimum wage was a paltry accomplishment.

If you look at this map, most states already had a minimum wage set well above the amount that Congress raised up. A whopping three states actually had minimum wages set lower than the rate raised by Congress. Three states! This is their major accomplishment?

What has happened here?

At the beginning of last year, we were promised a great deal, and nothing has been delivered.

Health Care reform? Nothing. They could not even extend Schip beyond a few months. Schip is a program created by Republicans and signed into law by a Democrat president.

Earmark reform? Nothing. Bills are still being shoved thru Congress chock full of billions of dollars in earmarks.

Spending reform? Nothing. Well, last year saw the rise and the collapse of the Democrat's Paygo plan. Paygo did not make it a few months before Congress set it aside.

Immigration reform? Nothing. Hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants poured across our borders last year.

AMT reform? Little to nothing. Congress did manage to propose the largest tax increase in American history. Amazingly, after this proposal hit the airwaves, and incredible amount of Congressional members learned how to do the backstroke. Congressional attempts to backstroke their way out of that proposal was amazing.

Taxes? The new Congress wants to raise these. Did Americans elect the new Congress so they could enact tax increases? That is doubtful.

Social Security reform? Nothing.

Medicare reform? Nothing.

I am not the least bit surprised to see over half of the Congress sitting on their hands last night with a frown on their faces and anger in their hearts.

Speaking of which, did you see the look on Senator Harry Reid's face? Have you ever seen a more grumpy and angry man before in your life? At least Speaker Pelosi managed to keep a smile plastered on her face for the first few moments of the speech.

Senator Harry Reid is in charge of the United States Senate, one of the most powerful leadership positions in the world. Apparently he hates the job.

Sitting in those chambers last night, were the men and women charged with leading our country forward.

Instead of embracing this, over half of them sat there. They are angry, bitter, sullen and full of hatred for the man standing in front of them, giving a speech.

Their hatred has grown to such bitter levels that they are now paralyzed and consumed by that hatred.

As a result, the growth and the natural changes we need as a country become paralyzed. No real issues can be addressed.

Instead we are left to deal with a continuous stream of Bush Derangement Syndrome. Get Bush at all costs. It does not matter what issues stand before our country as this time. Get Bush at all costs.

Last night was a embarrassing expression of a paralyzed Congress obsessed with destroying the President and letting everything else fall by the wayside.