Get them out: Lame duck Congress needs to stop passing bills and fly on home

They have done their damage -- the outgoing Congress -- and now it is time for all of them to fly away home.

After all, if they are out of Washington, they won't cost us anymore money -- literally.

The flurry of activity over the last couple of weeks suggests that there are more than a few Democrats who hope that they can score some points quickly, before they head back to their hometowns.

Most people would agree there are certainly questions that can be raised about the legislation just passed. The truth is nothing but the basics should have been done before the new Congress is sworn in.

And those "basics" included extending the tax cuts.

This was not the time to tackle significant legislation or to make decisions about issues that this Congress has debated for more than a year.

It was simply time to respect the fact that a new leadership group is coming in and that it is time to bow out gracefully.

And here is where the Republicans need to heed a warning. You were given control of the House because voters wanted to see change. Compromise is fine, as long as it does not ignore the values we put you into office to safeguard.

Americans do not want to see low-class, low-blow bickering for arguments sake. That doesn't mean they want to see legislation go through that defies basic tenets of America just to keep the peace.

Remember that in January.

Published in Editorials on December 22, 2010 11:05 AM