Donkey Congress Perfects Stalinism

The Democrat-controlled Congress has gotten so good at stifling debate and discussion that even Uncle Joe would be proud.  From Michelle Malkin:

Conservative stalwart Sens. Tom Coburn and Jim DeMint blew the whistle last week on a new report from the Congressional Research Service showing that 94 percent of bills passed in the Dem-controlled Senate have been rammed through without debate or vote.

Majority Leader Harry Reid apparently didn't get the memo from Speaker Pelosi about being the most honest and ethical Congress in history!  If he was concerned about honesty and ethics, why would he fear discussion and debate so much?

She references a CNS story with the following excerpt:

"The U.S. Senate has a nine percent approval rating, because the American people believe that much of our work is done in secret with no debate, no transparency and no accountability," Coburn told reporters at press conference Wednesday at the Capitol.

"This report shows that the reality is worse than the public's fears. Instead of encouraging open debate, I'm disappointed that Majority Leader Reid often chooses secrecy or demagoguery," he added.

Well, it's good to see that at least one Senator has noticed the historically-low approval rating of Congress!  Senator DeMint's office released a statement that included this:

It would surprise many Americans to learn that the 'World's Greatest Deliberative Body' passes the overwhelming majority of legislation without any debate at all. Democrats think they are entitled to pass bills without debate or votes, and they've tried to ram them through right before recess to pressure us to give up. But, Senators shouldn't fear debate on these important bills. It's in the best traditions of our republic to demand the Senate actually do its job and have a public debate on bills that expand government and increase the burden on taxpayers. Senator Reid can complain all he wants, but Republicans represent millions of Americans whose voices are being silenced by Democrat strong-arm tactics.

Wow, two whole Senators who are actually trying to represent their constituencies!  What an amazing concept!  Even the New York Times is noticing the effect these guys are having:

A product of Democratic frustration with the tactics of Senator Tom Coburn, an Oklahoma Republican and physician who has become the Dr. No of the Senate, the Tomnibus is a $10 billion collection of Coburn-blocked measures assembled by the Senate leadership in an effort to break his solitary grip on the legislative process.

Engineered by Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the Democratic leader, the bill includes 35 of the most irresistible-sounding measures stuck on the docket, including the Mothers Act and the Protect Our Children Act.

There are items to commemorate "The Star-Spangled Banner" and to try to curb pornography, cut drug use and help victims of Lou Gehrig's disease.

Officially known as the Advancing America's Priorities Act, the catchall legislation includes a measure to improve life for victims of paralysis, which Mr. Reid calls the Superman bill in tribute to the late Christopher Reeve.

The obvious intent is to apply a little legislative Kryptonite and embarrass Mr. Coburn into dropping his procedural objections to the measures while highlighting his willingness to put roadblocks in front of bills that have support from all corners — a textbook case of what Democrats view as extreme Republican obstructionism.

Well, as they say, good luck with that.

"I am not a go-along, get-along guy if I think it is the wrong way to go," Mr. Coburn said, not stating anything his peers did not already know. "I am O.K. taking the consternation of my colleagues. I take my oath seriously."

In the Senate, Mr. Coburn has continued down his singular path, driving Democrats and some Republicans to distraction with his prolific use of the "hold" — the ability of a single senator to object to moving ahead on a measure without a debate. He currently has holds on nearly 80 bills, the most of any senator.

Reid whines about Coburn's lack of willingness to play nice rather than do his job:

"Why in the world does the Republican leadership allow itself to be bullied by the rogue far right of its caucus, which has perfected the art of stopping good bills that help good people?"

He forgot to actually mention 'the children' and 'the poor' in this statement.  He must have been in a hurry to get back to gouging the American taxpayer.

Coburn and DeMint (and probably a few others, but not many) are almost single-handedly saving American taxpayers billions of dollars by trying to force debate on these Democrat bills.  If this truly is the world's greatest deliberative body, then why is there no deliberation?  What are the Democrats trying to hide?  As far as I'm concerned, they should put holds on literally every bill until the Democrats deal with our energy crisis and illegal immigration.  Then perhaps we can talk about the little stuff.

Besides, there's something fundamentally wrong with Congress when the simple act of trying to determine the cost of a bill is being called extreme obstructionism, don't you think?

Thank you, Senators Coburn and DeMint!  You represent us well.  Keep up the good work.  If only there were 98 more of you...

There's my two cents.