Another World is Possible

Congressional Session Recap

Posted by on Dec 24, 2011 | 9 comments

Congressional Session Recap


So what, exactly, has Congress been up to?  They’ve just recessed for the holidays, ending the 1st session of the 112th Congress.  We all talk about Congressional gridlock, and their inability to accomplish anything to help the economy or American people, but The Library of Congress THOMAS System lists 73 bills that became law during this session.  Here are some of the highlights:

Congress also voted to allow the President to use the military to indefinitely detain, without charge or trial, any person, including U.S. citizens on U.S. soil, that he deems an enemy.   While ostensibly about terrorism suspects, the language is so vague and broad that interpretation is guaranteed to expand to cover almost anyone.  This baby isn’t on the list above because Obama hasn’t signed it into law yet.  He’s waiting for the holidays, hoping nobody will notice while he legalizes martial law in the United States.
Congress is also debating, but has not passed, the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) which expands the government’s control over the Internet.  The ACLU and EFF oppose this legislation.

Please leave comments if you think any additional legislative accomplishments deserve mention.  What legislation do you think Congress should be debating and passing?

 

  • Anonymous

    It runs so deep…
    Why isn’t the move to repeal the Supreme Court’s massive giveaway to corporations, (AKA, Citizen’s United vs. the F.E.C) being talked about at all? That decision flew in the face of decades and decades of precedent.
    Why wasn’t election funding reform on the table when everyone in America admits or knows that money has destroyed, (or at least severly crippled) our democracy?
    Why did we just pass a National Defense Authorization Act that not only maintains, but actually expands the Pentagon’s budget, when 40k troops are coming home? Oh, and it fundamentally screws our Constitutional rights…there’s that piece, probably also worth discussion.
    Why are we living in a society that just hit over 30 million cameras in public, an FAA that just cleared military-grade drones for domestic use, and police departments being called to respond to peaceful protests geared up as paramilitary groups?

    My only hope is in our people. Thanks for posting and hope your day is peaceful.

  • telfire

    The patent changes were actually really good for small business… They make it easier to defend a patent thereby nullifying expensive lawyers.

    The rest of this however is ridiculous. How did you not include the NDAA? The NDAA is the biggest affront on liberty in the history of the United States.

  • http://www.facebook.com/andy.kittross Andy Kittross

    NDAA is in there, just below the bullet list. It has not yet been signed into law as of 12/26/11.

    The overturning of Citizens United is indeed on the minds of many, including, apparently, some legislators. Shelly wrote about it here:
    http://www.occupyyourcongress.info/2011/12/19/stop-the-insanity-of-imprisoning-the-voice-of-citizens/

  • http://www.facebook.com/www.the99declaration.org Ninety-Nine Percent Declaratio

    There is a solution. http://youtu.be/_oINj3mjkPc

  • Allenjknapp

    All good except for the tax the rich.. all that does is say that they Government OWNS your money that you have EARNED. Makes more sense to CUT spending..

  • Thomas

    Not sure if USA 2012 or Germany 1933

  • Countryb4country

    JOBS, JOBS, JOBS

  • http://twitter.com/compliancecamp Compliance Campaign

    Good list of grievances, but it ought to be updated to reflect the fact that Obama has signed NDAA into law.

  • Pingback: Demonstrators in DC demand accountability, compliance and an end to corruption « compliancecampaign

  • Waynebatman

    THANK YOU GUY’S SO MUCH YOU ALL HAVE MADE A CHANGE WASHINGTON JUST BEING THERE FOR LITTLE TIME YOU THERE PLEASE GUY’S KEEP THIS UP SO WE ALL CAN LIVE IN A BETTER AMERICA WERE WE LIVE FOR FREEDOM YOU NEED TO GO AFTER CONGRESS TO DO THERE JOB I LOVE THE PROTEST YOU GUY’S PUT ON I JUST LIKE TO KNOW WHEN IS THE NEXT ON GOING TO HAPPEN?? I THANK YOU ALL AND POWER TO THE PEOPLE

    BRUCE WAYNE AS THE BATMAN!!!