This lame duck session is going to go down in history where so many things were done in such little time.
We got FDA food safety legislation passed (very dramatic at times). This will save many people's lives and thus reduce the hospitalizations caused by uninspected food. We got Michelle Obama's signature school nutrition bill passed. This will be a huge step forward towards battling obesity and reducing health care spending to treat conditions associated with obesity. We got START, a historic obama foreign policy victory.
Economists have praised the tax cut compromise as a booster to the economy. Some have claimed it will boost GDP growth greater than 4%. Unemployment claims reports have praised the deal. So this is a win for the economy. There are incentives in the compromise to create green jobs. Environmental groups have praised these "sweetners" as green job creators.
We got DADT legislatively repealed. Obama proved so many skeptical dailykos bloggers wrong, including rachel maddow. We got the 9/11 responders bill passed. We got many judicial nominees confirmed and one cabinet position confirmed. While not legislation, we got a good step forward in net neutrality (yes it needs to be improved).
Confirmations will be all finished once filibuster reform happens. We have a better chance at getting all those held up confirmations than we did this past session. The senate does a lot of things the house does not do. The senate actually will be better to look at and think about next session. If we get the House in 2012 back and Obama re-elected, it will be full speed ahead then. The senate was the main problem all along. That will go away.
There are so many good things to be happy about. It gets even better. Economists are giving great news for next year. Biden said "gay marriage" is inevitable. Maryland and Rhode Island are bound to legalize same sex marriage. Calfornia should be able to do so too. It is likely that the appeals case will be ruled to lack standing. California is leading the way in cap and trade and is likely to get connected with cap and trade in Europe, China, and Canada. California is leading the way in high speed rail thank so the money rejected in two other states. China is going to help California provide high speed rail cars and help California build its system in any way it can. Vermont is going to go forward with single payer. Unemployment claims are a new low of 420,000. The four-week average is at preLehman levels. Retail sales are at new high. Manufacturing is at a new high based on Philadelphia and New York manufacuturing. Kathleen Sebelius is implementing the health care law as best she can. Elizabeth Warren is working as hard she can on financial regulation reform implementation. EPA will take the lead in climate change fight AND move forward with its updated regulations (some were fearing they were going to yield to GOP pressure). Lisa Jackson is moving the EPA forward.
IT GETS BETTER PROGRESSIVES!!!!!!!