The Year in Congress
Regarding domestic agenda items, here are some of the positive things your federal gummint accomplished over the past 11-months:
Less Federal Spending
Federal spending on so-called “social programs” was reduced (FY 2006 budget and other spending bills).
In the aggregate, those spending plans will restrain federal outlays by a little over forty billion dollars. Regarding the budget bill, the GOP managed to impose real reductions on spending growth rates for Medi-care and Medi-caid for only the first time since 1997.
Federal Appeals Judges
The Senate confirmed seven of Bush’s conservative appeals jurists:
Priscilla Owen (5th Circuit),
Richard Griffin (6th Circuit),
Janice Rogers Brown (D.C. Circuit),
William Pryor (11th Circuit),
David McKeague (6th Circuit),
Thomas Griffith (D.C. Circuit),
Susan Neilson (6th Circuit).
Overall, the Senate has confirmed forty (40) appeals court judges since Bush first was sworn into office back in 2001.
* * *
SCOTUS
John Roberts (age 50) replaced one of his mentors, William Rehnquist (RIP), as Chief Justice of the United States.
* * *
Immigration/Border Control
The Real ID Act, asylum reforms, and billions of extra dollars for border control operations were passed and signed into law.
Free Trade
Two free trade statutes were enacted:
CAFTA,
U.S. – Bahrain.
Tort Reform
Two major tort reform measures were enacted:
Pro-gun liability reform,
Class action lawsuit reform.
Energy Reform
Comprehensive energy policy reforms — including massive expansions of our nuclear and natural gas capabilities — were passed and signed into law.
It will take 10-15 years for those reforms to be implemented. You can’t just wave your magic wand and make billion-dollar energy facilities spring up by morning. But once those energy reforms are implemented you won’t have any problem noticing the fruits of those labors. The cooling towers for those new-age nuclear power plants will be the dead giveaways.
* * *
The Bad News
The major negative was not getting ANWR drilling through. Then again, Democrats have been blocking ANWR drilling for 25 years.
* * *
Misc.
The Patriot Act remains an “issue,” according to the noise, static, and frothing-at-the-mouth brigades. As usual, however, they’re completely missing the point.
If Democrats want to be stupid enough to filibuster the Patriot Act, conservatives should step out of their way and allow them to commit political suicide.
* * *
The Near-Term Future
Getting back to the Congress, there is one full year remaining for this slate of representatives. Even with their eyes closed, the GOP will be able to confirm several more conservative appeals judges and to pass at least a few more necessary reform measures.
If the (non-voting) conservative “base” manages to avoid defeating its own causes in Nov. 2006 (always an open question), the GOP will be able to deliver another 10-15 reform measures next Congress, along with two additional sets of conservative appeals jurists. Regarding the latter point, keep in mind conservatives already own the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals (which contains Texas), the 11th Circuit (Florida), and the D.C. Circuit (the second-most-important federal court in the nation). Conservatives also dominate five other appeals courts: the 4th Circuit (Virginia and North Carolina), the 6th Circuit (Ohio and Michigan), the 7th Circuit (Illinois), the 8th Circuit (the Mid-West), and the 10th Circuit (the Mountain States).
Plus the odds seriously favor at least one more SCOTUS vacancy before Bush leaves office.
The MediaCrats, for their part, undoubtedly will continue with the sort of mafia-style tactics to which we’ve grown accustomed. Their biggest problems are (1) incumbency is an overwhelming force in U.S. politics, (2) young liberals don’t actually vote with any degree of regularity, and (3) one of their key voter blocs — FDR and Truman-era industrial union trades — are dying off as we speak.
So, we’ll see what happens.
Subscribe to blog feed.