Washington’s Sleeping Giant is waking up. The United States Congress is beginning to show signs of life.
I know this sounds premature, especially since I’m currently watching Jon Stewart rail against Congress.
But that’s Jon. I’m feeling unapologetically optimistic.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi impresses me. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will catch up in time. But the Senate is on task. The House is on task. Republicans are, well, Republicans. They’re mired to a philosophy that failed. They have no ideas.
But Congress, thanks to the Democrats, is starting to breathe again. The economic stimulus about to pass.
This from our friends at the Huffington Post:
Congressional Republicans have been pressuring Democrats to give them 48 hours to review the stimulus package before a vote is called.
The bill has yet to be fully written and released, but a vote is still likely Friday.
The combined House and Senate packages weigh in at more than 1400 pages, a reporter pointed out to Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-SC).
“So what?” he said. “I’m not a speed-reader, but that’s why I have staff.” Clyburn said that comparing bills side-by-side to look for changes as the bill has evolved the last several days hasn’t taken him long.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said she’s happy to sit down with House Republican leadership to talk about ways to move the bill forward. “Sure. Sure we’ll do that,” she said.
So Nancy Pelosi will have story time with the Republicans. Maybe her staff can turn the stimulus bill into a pop-up book to make it easier for them to understand.
But the Democrats need to keep moving forward, whether the Republicans get it or not.
Tonight in Springfield, Illinois, President Barack Obama called America “the last, great hope for humanity.” Today, Congress breathes again, and that hope shines anew.