I am really beginning to think that our party's time in the majority in Congress is beginning to come to a close. We have had a three very frustrating years of division and shattered hopes for change. After reading this diary(http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/11/15/804748/-The-Untold-Reason-Why-Unemployment-Wont-G
o-Down-Before-the-2010-Midterms) I have become very, very depressed.
Republicans had a good, 12 year run in the majority. They were able to get many things done that they were very proud of which included Welfare Reform in 1996, Telecommunications deregulation after that, the Freedom to Farm Act, a big capital gains tax cut in 1997, two huge rounds of tax cuts in 2001 and 2002.
The question is, what have Democrats done in four? We had a minimum wage increase in 2007, the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act in 2009, but nothing like what Republicans passed into law when they had control.
This is why I am proposing that Democrats join together for their final year as a majority in Congress and pass a "Last Hurrah" of legislation. This would include the two elements that I see as essential to saying that we did something with our time in the majority.
This agenda would include the passage of healthcare reform and after that an energy bill.
Unfortunately, Democrats are unlikely to do any such thing and their four years in control of Congress will simply be thrown into the dustbins of history as an unproductive, failed Congress.