Another 100 Hours Report Card

C&L has a nice few links on the Dems’ 100 Hours agenda. Quick summary: House = success, Senate = possible suck. Of course, according to Republican logic, the fact that it only took the Democratic House 42 hours instead of 100 means it was a complete and total failure (via Oliver). Seriously. I’d say that’s grasping at straws, but that would be an insult to straw-graspers everywhere.

Anyway, from the Hill article...

“I’m becoming aware of the difficulties of the U.S. Senate in trying to pass a bill dealing with one issue,” freshman Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) said yesterday, urging the Senate to follow the lead of his former House colleagues and approve a clean minimum wage increase.

Republicans, however, are seeking tax and regulatory sweeteners for businesses to ease the impact of a phased wage hike to $7.25 per hour. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has indicated that he will back the business breaks, remarking last week that a filibuster-proof margin for a stand-alone minimum wage increase may be achievable, but, “I’m not sure I want to do that.”

This is where politics in general starts to suck. What Reid is saying is actually a bit admirable there...he doesn’t want to compromise the quality of the bill just to avoid a filibuster. And considering Joementum is holding Dems hostage already (via Avedon), they really don’t have a majority anyway. It’s nice that the House is doing such strong, efficient work here, but as I said when Mizzou almost (but didn’t) beat Kansas in Lawrence on Monday night, while there’s a smidge of comfort in moral victories, we needed an honest-to-god, actual victory here, and I’m not sure we’re going to get it.

Meanwhile, it’s funny how your attitude changes when you don’t have the gavel anymore.

"This filibuster is nothing less than a formula for tyranny by the minority," argued Frist...

Who knew Republicans were so disengenuous? Hold on while I go look for some pearls to wear, so I can clutch them vigorously...