It was the worst “do-nothing” Congress since 1995, with just 66 legislative items enacted. Some 1 percenters would argue that less is better here.
The dysfunctional federal government finally agreed to extend a payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits after President Obama stared down a divided Republican party by threatening to stay in town while the Congress ‘vacationed,’ which I’ll bet most voters would have a hard time discerning anyway, given the gridlock in Washington.
Gallup has Congressional Approval rating at 11% an all time low, which makes Obama’s also low 42% rating looking like a strong case for a Democratic landslide in the elections next year. All 229 House members who voted to cut off unemployment benefits were Republicans. Nearly 2 million people would have lost unemployment benefits in January alone when Congress reconvenes.
If only all such political bickering and talk around employment benefits were producing actual jobs, then all Americans would be working, building the economy and supporting government by paying taxes. As it is, the rich are getting richer and the middle class is shrinking. If you are keeping score more than eight million jobs were lost under the policies of President Bush. President Obama spent almost a $1 trillion to restore 2.5 million jobs.
And the Washington post Via The Atlantic notes that it was the worst “do-nothing” Congress since 1995, with just 66 legislative items enacted, according to GovTrack. Some taxpayers could argue that this is a good thing. More bickering over doing nothing resumes in January. When Congress changes location back to DC.
A slow and fragile U.S. auto sales recovery continues amid questions if it can be maintained in 2012. See December New Vehicle Sales to End 2011 above 1 million
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, publisher (kzhw@aol.com), is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
Zino is at home on test tracks, knows his way around U.S. Congressional hearing rooms, auto company headquarters, plant floors, as well as industry research and development labs where the real mobility work is done. He can quote from court decisions, refer to instrumented road tests, analyze financial results, and profile executive personalities and corporate cultures.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
