Will the coming change in the House of Representatives be productive?
In the 110th and 111th Congresses, the Democratic Majority was accused of socialism, out of control spending, manipulation, and derision by a bitter and vitriolic Republican minority. A minority with a memory deficit.
Attacks have been unfairly levied at Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Barney Frank, and other high ranking Democrats in the House for a multitude of positions and actions they took as the majority party. Many of the actions would actually help most Americans.
Republicans are set to again become the majority in the House despite their previous 12 years of failure: causing the economic meltdown, throwing us into a costly war in Iraq, increasing the cost of Medicare with Medicare Part D, bailing out the banks with TARP, and on and on, ad infinitum.
If you think the House of Representatives was bad this past four years, wait until you see what's coming.
Republican policies during their reign of terror nearly killed the country. They did, for all intents and purposes, kill the middle-class and pass tremendous levels of debt onto our children and grandchildren.
Their penchant for deregulation was the cause of most of the problems America faces today, beginning with the failures of Enron and WorldCom, the financial crisis, record housing foreclosures, the failed response to Hurricane Katrina, the Massey mine disaster, and the BP Gulf Oil spill. Every single one the result of Republican governance -- Republican policies that have proven disastrous.
Yet the American people went to the polls and gave back control of the House to the same incompetent fools.
The incredible level of derision the Republicans foster will be amplified when they take charge again this week causing even greater dissension in the House.
Expect the lies of Boehner, Cantor, Bachmann and other inept Republicans to intensify over the next two years.
What we can expect from the 112th House of Representatives is a push for deregulation resulting in more failures, more erosion of the middle-class, greater unemployment, more poverty, skyrocketing healthcare costs, rising oil prices, an attempt to strip Social Security and Medicare, and a growing deficit.
Spencer Bachus, incoming Chairman of the House Finance Committee, has opened the gates to the financial Gods he serves, declaring, "the regulators and Congress are here to serve the banks." These obfuscations are rampant throughout the Republican leadership.
Fellow Californian Darrell Issa will embarrass Californians with witch hunts that not only waste time and money but distract from the crimes against humanity he and his colleagues have committed. Hearings should begin with the war crimes of Bush, Cheney, their administration and the congressional sheep who voted for the Iraq War -- which includes Darrell Issa.
All of them, including my two Representatives, Ed Royce and Gary Miller, should be behind bars for their vote for the war and what they've done to this country.
I digress, but, the war is only one of the problems we currently face -- all the result of their inept governance.
The lies and derision created by an intransigent group of Republican politicians distract us from the real issues that continue to plaque our citizens. Until we're able to get to the truth the problems will fester like a metastasizing cancer slowly devouring this country.
It will be difficult to survive the next two years. Democrats must overcome and expose the contempt Republicans have for the American people and stand firm against compromise.
For my children and grandchildren I pledge to stand -- on one leg and crutches, face to face, toe to toe -- with Royce and Miller and hold them accountable for policies and votes that threaten the opportunities that should be available to my children and grand children in this grand democracy. If their past failures are any indication of what we can expect, we're in for even more devastating legislation.
Others must also push back against the lies, prevarications, and threats Republican's use so cavalierly to remain in power.
I'll hold my Representatives responsible.
Who will you hold responsible?