What Have the Democrats Accomplished?

[demi-conservative]

Democrats seem to be 'getting things done' just fine, insofar as you mean they are turning up and doing their job by voting for relevant laws to help the American people.

It's fair to say that they have passed bills in the House. Assuming that they are 'to help the American people' because of the title is the same as thinking that the nickname 'Obamacare' means Obama cares, and that this bill is good

[demi-conservative]

(First of all, I am not a democrat)
I would like to point out that the republicans control the senate and the white house. Since the republicans own 2/3 of the government, what could the democrats accomplish? Anything they put forward would be shot down by the opposing party. The question "what have democrats actually accomplished?" is misleading.

The number of bills passed or not is mostly pointless theatrics. What the Dems support can be blocked for many reasons, ideological differences, because the bills are actually bad, or because the Republicans just want to block and then paint the Dems as useless.

What is indisputable is that they have used up the large majority of media time and energy supporting obvious nothingburgers like the Mueller Report, instead of promoting their 'great' bills 'to help the American people'.

[Cow Poke]

(First of all, I am not a democrat)
I would like to point out that the republicans control the senate and the white house.

Sure.

Since the republicans own 2/3 of the government, what could the democrats accomplish?

They can't think of ONE THING that they could accomplish that would receive bipartisan support?

Anything they put forward would be shot down by the opposing party.

Not if they actually tried to solve a problem for which there would be bipartisan support.

The question "what have democrats actually accomplished?" is misleading.

No. No, it's not.

[Mountain Man]

Now, as per the OP...

To be fair, the Democrats only control the House which makes accomplishing things rather difficult.

That depends entirely on what they're trying to accomplish. Pushing their extreme left-wing agenda past a Republican Senate is going to be impossible, but more moderate policies would have a reasonable chance of passing. But they haven't even attempted to hurdle that low bar.

[Cow Poke]

Here's a list of bills the Democrats passed in the House, and which Mitch McConnell decided the Senate wasn't going to vote on:

From here:

Health care
Civil rights
Gun control
Environment
Military/foreign affairs
Other legislation

Democrats seem to be 'getting things done' just fine, insofar as you mean they are turning up and doing their job by voting for relevant laws to help the American people.

The ones very much not doing their job are the Republican senators, who have done almost nothing at all, refusing to hold votes on almost any legislation. In any other workplace they would be fired for failure to do their jobs.

Perhaps you're unaware that a party will often propose legislation that it KNOWS doesn't have a snowball's chance in the hot place just so they can say they did something. That accomplishes squat, except for maybe inspiring some pinko-commie ferrener to ignorantly tout "but they're getting things done!"

[Cow Poke]

That depends entirely on what they're trying to accomplish. Pushing their extreme left-wing agenda past a Republican Senate is going to be impossible, but more moderate policies would have a reasonable chance of passing. But they haven't even attempted to hurdle that low bar.

EGGzackly -- is there NOTHING they can propose that would actually receive bipartisan support?

[Mountain Man]

Here's a list of bills the Democrats passed in the House, and which Mitch McConnell decided the Senate wasn't going to vote on:

From here:

Health care
Civil rights
Gun control
Environment
Military/foreign affairs
Other legislation

Democrats seem to be 'getting things done' just fine, insofar as you mean they are turning up and doing their job by voting for relevant laws to help the American people.

The ones very much not doing their job are the Republican senators, who have done almost nothing at all, refusing to hold votes on almost any legislation. In any other workplace they would be fired for failure to do their jobs.

Giving us a laundry list of pleasantly titled bills doesn't tell us what they actually are, or why Senate Republicans might have rejected them. I mean, remember the "Affordable Care Act" that actually made healthcare less affordable? But it sure had a nice sounding name.

[Cow Poke]

Giving us a laundry list of pleasantly titled bills doesn't tell us what they actually are, or why Senate Republicans might have rejected them. I mean, remember the "Affordable Care Act" that actually made healthcare less affordable? But it sure had a nice sounding name.

And that's politics.... come up with a really cool sounding name, fill the bill with poison pills, then squeal like a stuck pig when somebody opposes your abortion on demand bill that you called "Stress Relief for Pregnant Women".

[demi-conservative]

(First of all, I am not a democrat)
I would like to point out that the republicans control the senate and the white house. Since the republicans own 2/3 of the government, what could the democrats accomplish? Anything they put forward would be shot down by the opposing party. The question "what have democrats actually accomplished?" is misleading.

You are entirely right, in the current political climate both sides are incentivised to not cooperate, and paint the other side as incompetent and uncooperative. Just by itself, the number of bills passed into law is a meaningless metric to generate a stupid soundbite.

Trump also likes to use the stock market numbers or unemployment rate as soundbites for how well the economy is doing. Yes, I get that he's playing the stupid game of politics which involves telling stupid soundbites, it's necessary, but it's still stupid.

[JimL]

Perhaps you're unaware that a party will often propose legislation that it KNOWS doesn't have a snowball's chance in the hot place just so they can say they did something. That accomplishes squat, except for maybe inspiring some pinko-commie ferrener to ignorantly tout "but they're getting things done!"

Which is what you would say no matter what legislation was passed by democrats, so why bother asking the question?

[rogue06]

Perhaps you're unaware that a party will often propose legislation that it KNOWS doesn't have a snowball's chance in the hot place just so they can say they did something. That accomplishes squat, except for maybe inspiring some pinko-commie ferrener to ignorantly tout "but they're getting things done!"

Back in the last quarter of the previous century politicians perfected bestowing a name to proposed legislation that made anyone not supporting it sound like monsters but would often have little or nothing to do with the name.

Something like^[1] the Provide Band-aides to Helpless Orphans with Skinned Knees Act that actually had more to do with providing a pay hike to politicians.





1. not an example of actual legislation but illustrative

[Cow Poke]

Which is what you would say no matter what legislation was passed by democrats, so why bother asking the question?

If you're just here to be argumentative, Jim, please move on to some other thread. I asked the question because I'm genuinely interested.

[Cow Poke]

Back in the last quarter of the previous century politicians perfected bestowing a name to proposed legislation that made anyone not supporting it sound like monsters but would often have little or nothing to do with the name.

Something like^[1] the Provide Band-aides to Helpless Orphans with Skinned Knees Act that actually had more to do with providing a pay hike to politicians.





1. not an example of actual legislation but illustrative

EGGzackly, then campaign on "the other side of the isle can't even agree to support [insert friendly but inaccurately named legislation here]".

[JimL]

If you're just here to be argumentative, Jim, please move on to some other thread. I asked the question because I'm genuinely interested.

Yes, and you were given a genuine answer by starlight. House democrats got plenty done, even while trying to do their oversight responsibilities. But the House democrats can't get anything done if the Senate republicans refuse to even bring legislation to the floor for a vote. If you want to know why nothing is getting done, look to your own republican party.

[Cow Poke]

Yes, and you were given a genuine answer by starlight.

I asked what they have accomplished, not a list of stuff they've done, Jim. And I have indicated that, in the current climate, to actually get something accomplished, you have to reach across the isle and get bipartisan support.

House democrats got plenty done, even while trying to do their oversight responsibilities.

And, again, I ask, what have they actually accomplished?

But the House democrats can't get anything done if the Senate republicans refuse to even bring legislation to the floor for a vote.

Can you name ONE SINGLE piece of legislation they have advanced in a meaningful way, knowing the political climate, that is not so partisan that it won't be considered?

If you want to know why nothing is getting done, look to your own republican party.

You have been told repeatedly that I'm an Independent, Jim. This constant refusal to acknowledge that is just childish. Once again, I'm treating you with respect, you indicated you could do likewise, but you just can't seen to find it in you.