There's been lots of discussion about things we don't like about what's going on in Congress. But if we back off and look at the broader view, I for one like at least one thing that I see happening.
The big lobbyists are taking a beating. Things are not going their way, for sure. If I count up the lobbyists that seem to have lost control of Congress, I'd have to include the lobbyists hired by...
- The banks and investment banks
- The insurance companies
- Mortgage originators and brokers
- Hedge funds
- The auto industry and suppliers
- The drug companies
- The AMA
- The big hospital lobby
One lobby that seems to still have influence is the NRA. They got an amendment attached to today's credit card bill in the Senate that reinstates the ability of dealers to sell and people to buy automatic weapons.
I don't like the gun amendment, and I certainly don't completely agree with all the legislation that Congress has passed or is talking about passing this session, but I sure do like the apparent reduction in the influence of the K Street gang in governing our country. Maybe this falls in line with Ronald Reagan's "if I can get 80% of what I want..." theory.
So far, 80% of what's been done is, for the most part, OK with me. Reducing the influence of lobbyists was very high on my list. So are improvements in the education of our kids and somehow getting healthcare insurance for all Americans. Legislation on those things seem to be underway. I also like today's order from the White House to determine whether anyone in jail is illegal and deport those that are. A small step maybe, but other than building a shoddy fence that doesn't work, it's a lot more regarding immigration than anything prior administrations have done. In time, we'll find out whether the stimulus plan will foreshorten the economic crisis. So far, at least the stock market seems to like what's going on. That's a good thing...for all of us.
I sure don't like the "love" being shown the unions, but maybe I can't have everything. I also don't like the wild spending going on, but I believe that the capacity of the debt markets for U.S. debt is going to introduce a discipline that the 'electeds' can't seem to embrace themselves.
But, the Prez still has one strike as far as I'm concerned. We'll see how the next couple of years work out.