The Democrats’ Legislative Sprint

Taking control of Congress for the first time in 12 years, Democrats this week launched their 'œ100 hours' agenda, designed to highlight their legislative priorities and put Republicans on the defensive. Lawmakers in the House quickly voted to change chamber rules to eliminate lobbyist-sponsored junkets and curtail pork-barrel legislation. They then passed the first bill of the 110th Congress, mandating tighter port security and other reforms proposed by the 9/11 commission. During the first 100 hours Congress is in session, Democrats also plan votes on measures to raise the minimum wage, repeal oil and gas subsidies, expand federal funding for stem-cell research, lower interest rates on student loans, and cut prescription drug prices for Medicare recipients.

Swift House passage is virtually assured, given the Democrats' 233'“202 majority and Speaker Nancy Pelosi's refusal to consider Republican alternatives. But the measures face slower going in the Senate, where Democrats now hold a razor-thin majority, and President Bush may veto stem-cell and other legislation. Republicans protested the lack of debate, accusing Pelosi of reneging on promises of bipartisan cooperation.

Republicans are simply 'œgetting a taste of their own medicine,' said Newsday in an editorial. Having 'œnotoriously marginalized Democrats' when they were the minority, Republicans' sudden interest in bipartisanship is hard to take seriously. Still, with Congress closely divided and a conservative Republican in the White House, Democrats won't be able to get much done on their own. One hopes both sides got the message that voters want 'œpragmatic problem-solving,' not partisanship.

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Fat chance, said Rich Lowry in National Review. Democrats seem mostly interested in scoring easy political victories, but that will get old quickly. With few serious initiatives in reserve, Democrats will soon discover the limitations of being 'œa default majority'”a majority elected not for what it stood for, but for what it was not.' Genuine legislative accomplishment will demand more than 'œthe pageantry and symbolism of the 100 hours.'

The Washington Post