Recycling Old Methods

Submitted by Kelsey McLaughlin on September 24, 2012
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Problem-Solver's Daily
John Avlon
jim cooper
No Budget No Pay
Fiscal Cliff

PART TWO: Last year Congress passed massive spending cuts thinking that the devastating results would be enough motivation for an across-the-aisle solution. So far, it has not -- and now Congress wants to use the same method again to address the fiscal cliff. Apparently this Congress just wants to recycle failed strategies for governing: Manu Raju for POLITICO: Lawmakers eyeing sequester II

RUNNING FROM GRIDLOCK: Members of Congress are distancing themselves from an increasingly dysfunctional institution. "In acts of great creativity, or profound chutzpah, some members, former and current, are shrouding their jobs with fuzzy images of cute children back home or tales of their private sector jobs. Where incumbents are being challenged by former members, the sitting members of Congress are painting their opponents as consummate insiders," says Jennifer Steinhauer: Jennifer Steinhauer for The New York Times: Running as Outsiders, With a Catch: They’re In

VOTERS SHOULD RESOLVE: Members of Congress have decided not to address the fiscal cliff and other major issues before the election and now the power to enact change rests in the hands of voters. While some publicly say that they will not work across the aisle regardless of the results in November, most members "are increasingly eyeing the elections as the clarifying event to break the logjam over taxes and spending that has blocked a bipartisan debt deal for the past two years," Steven T. Dennis writes: Steven T. Dennis for Roll Call: Voters Will Likely Resolve Fiscal Cliff

BUDGET DUE SOON: Congress will not be passing a budget and all appropriations bills by the October 3 deadline this year. This could have been prevented if Congress passed the No Budget, No Pay Act, submitted by Rep. Jim Cooper. “The American people are tired of shutdown threats, continuing resolutions, and omnibus bills. They want and deserve a process in which both sides can work together to pass the necessary appropriations bills on time and in a fiscally responsible manner," says co-sponsor Rep. Scott DesJarlais: Paul Barton for The Tennessean: Pay freeze would force budget deal, TN legislators say

NOT TALKING ISSUES: As the election draws nearer, the hyper-partisan rhetoric is heating up. However, what is being lost in this is talk about real issues and leads to the question of how exactly Washington will govern. "Elections are supposed to decide things. The voters render a verdict on what direction they want the country to take and set the framework within which both parties work," writes E.J. Dionne: E.J. Dionne for The Washington Post: Can this election settle anything?

GROWING MOVEMENT: No Labels Co-Founder John Avlon takes a look at two books, Mickey Edwards's "The Parties Versus the People: How to Turn Republicans and Democrats Into Americans" and Jacqueline Salit’s "Independents Rising." Both books have ideas about how to break the gridlock in Washington and Avlon believes that these books and other nonpartisan political reforms will help elected officials "heal hyper-partisanship and begin governing again in the national interest." John Avlon for The Daily Beast: Political Independents: The Future of Politics?

FROM THE FIELD: Delaware is the closest state to New York without any registrants for the Meeting to Make America Work! Click here to be the first Delawarean to sign up!

THE DAILY BREAK: Using politicians for comedy is more popular and lucrative than ever before. Find out why here: Patrick Gavin for POLITICO: Funny money: Cashing in on political comedy

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STAT OF THE DAY: On a scale of zero to 10, 68 percent of likely voters rated their confidence in the federal government to find solutions to politically sensitive issues at five or less: POLITICO/George Washington University Battleground Poll

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