* The lame duck session running tally:

[kpete]

* The lame duck session running tally: If the two above measures succeed, that will mean that during the lame duck session, Dems notched a major civil rights victory by repealing DADT, ratified a major arms control treaty, passed a health bill for 9/11 responders and secured a food safety bill. Not too bad.

Of course, the GOP hasn't even taken over the House or increased its Senate minority yet. So Dems should savor these successes while they can.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/12/the_morning_plum_155.html

[bigwillq]

1. Congress has been doing good work lately.

It's what happens when you won't have a job in a few weeks. Strange how that happens. Maybe we should vote out people more often. Maybe more work would get done.

[WI_DEM]

2. except that the GOP held up legislation (and may still hold up some of this)

It can very well be that in order to get a repeal to DADT and some of this other stuff (including extending the Unemployment compensation) that Obama agreed to the 2-year extension of the Bush Tax Cut.

[bigwillq]

3. Well, we know that.

:)
But when they really want to work and make deals they can get things done. Another from the "funny how that happens" department.

[WI_DEM]

6. except that most of DU is up in arms over "the deal" that got these things accomplished

[bigwillq]

8. That's ok.

Nothing wrong with that.

[GSLevel9]

4. poor 23 months and then a winner... great. nt

[WI_DEM]

7. Actually this congress has an outstanding record of achievement over the

full two years if people would open up their eyes.

[impik]

9. Yea, don't let the facts confuse you in your lala land.

[n2doc]

5. And yet, something is missing....

Like the Gigantic, bloated giveaway to the Rich that was also passed by this "lame duck" session, and which the Repubs held like a gun to our heads in order to get any of the rest of this passed. Time will tell if this was an acceptable payoff or not.

[johnaries]

10. Actually, Dems got the best of the deal BY FAR. Consider:

1. Republicans wanted the cuts for the rich made PERMANENT, yet agreed to only a 2-year extension.
2. Republicans wanted the Estate Tax REPEALED, yet agreed to a temporary raise in the minimum.

That's all they got.

Dems definitively got the better of this deal.

[n2doc]

11. How?

Unemployment extended for only 13 MONTHS. Payroll tax cut opening up SS to general fund raiding.

The rich get 80% of the benefits of the deal. Some deal.