What will get done in Cong. the next 2 years?

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Bush, Pelosi, hold White House talks

Enlarge By Brendan Smialowski, Getty Images
Bush and Pelosi in the Oval Office on Thursday.

From staff and wire reports
President Bush hosted Nancy Pelosi, in line to be the new House speaker, for lunch today at the White House minutes after laying out his own legislative to-do list, including a call for the current, Republican-led Congress to pass a controversial bill on electronic surveillance.
President Bush hosted House Speaker-elect Nancy Pelosi for lunch today at the White House minutes after laying out his own legislative to-do list, including a call for the current, Republican-led Congress to pass a controversial bill on electronic surveillance.

Bush said his meeting with the California Democrat was "very constructive and very friendly."

The president called it the "beginning of a series of meetings we'll have over the next couple of years, all aimed at solving problems and leading the country."

Pelosi, who was joined at the meeting by Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, the No. 2 Democrat in the House of Representatives, said the meeting was "very productive."

She said it was "very exciting" to become the first female speaker of the House.

"We've made history," she said. "Now we have to make progress. And I look forward to working with the president to do just that."

Bush has invited Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., who is line to become Majority Leader, and Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the Democrats' No. 2 in the Senate, to a meeting Friday.

Before the Democrats take control of Congress in January, a lame duck session, run by the Republicans, will reconvene next week.

In remarks to reporters in the Rose Garden, Bush called upon that Congress to pass several pending pieces of legislation, including the surveillance bill.

The legislation, which the president calls the Terrorist Surveillance Act, would retroactively authorize warrantless domestic surveillance. It has drawn strong opposition from Democrats and some Republicans worried about constitutional issues, invasion of privacy and presidential overreach.

With his Cabinet behind him, the president also called for passage of federal spending bills, energy legislation and trade bills.

White House spokesman Tony Snow said later that Congress may also be asked to vote on the nominations of Robert Gates to succeed Donald Rumsfeld as secretary of Defense and John Bolton to become ambassador to the United Nations.

Bolton, a controversial nominee for the job, has held the job temporarily through a recess appointment, which does not require a Senate vote. The recess appointment will expire, and he will have to face a Senate conformation to continue in the job.

On Iraq, Bush told reporters that he is open to any idea or suggestion that will "help us achieve our goals of defeating the terrorists and ensuring that Iraq's democratic government succeeds."

In his remarks, Bush introduced a nuanced change, at least rhetorically, when he called Iraq "a" central front in the war on terror, rather than "the" central front, as he has for months.

Democrats including Pelosi have insisted that the war in Iraq was separate from the war on terror.

In consolidating power, Democrats took a slim 51-49 majority in the Senate today after Republican Sen. George Allen conceded to Democrat Jim Webb in a hard-fought race in Virginia.

In the House, there was no doubt who was in charge after Democrats held at least 229 seats in the 435-member chamber, with some races still too close to call.

The newly empowered Democrats have their own to-do list for the new Congress.

Besides hiking the minimum wage, Pelosi and other Democrats say they want to act quickly on legislation to enact recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, to reduce dependence on foreign oil, to expand stem cell research and to reduce the price of drugs offered through Medicare.

Surveys of voters conducted on Election Day showed that almost three of five voters disapproved of the war and were more inclined to vote for the Democratic candidate. A third of voters said the war had improved the long-term security of the United States.

The first test on the war for Democrats could come next year when Bush sends Congress a spending bill to pay for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Democratic leaders say they hope Bush will heed the results of the election and the upcoming recommendations of a bipartisan Iraq study group led by former secretary of State James Baker.

[Conan]

A lot of the democratic agenda will be accomplished.

[MarkWarner08]

A lot of the democratic agenda will be accomplished.

With the help of the emboldened conservative Republicans in the House, the cooperation of Mitch McConnell and the acquiesce of President Bush. If you believe all that, then guess what, John McCain isn't running for President!

[Conan]

A lot of the democratic agenda will be accomplished.

With the help of the emboldened conservative Republicans in the House, the cooperation of Mitch McConnell and the acquiesce of President Bush. If you believe all that, then guess what, John McCain isn't running for President!

A lot will be accomplished.

[Ben.]

A few things Bush is after (tougher Imigration Legislation... seems likley) but at the same time a minimum wage rise, some kind of education reform and a balanced budget... i doubt we'll hear much on health care to be honest, for the time being at least.

What might be interesting if there is some kind of ethics clear up... dealing with lobbyists and Pork spending... as many Democrats profit from this kind of behaviour as Republicans, it'd be nice to think a new congress might crack down on this kinda stuff. 

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Mostly Dem

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

A lot of the democratic agenda will be accomplished.

The Democrats have an agenda?

[Jake]

Define the categories.

[Virginian87]

If there is a Democratic agenda, it will be solely focused on the war and on some economic issues.  Because so many of the new Democratic congressmen are moderates, Pelosi would be wise not to adopt some crazy social agenda. 

I have a feeling that the Democratic caucus will be more centrist in this Congress, despite the fact that several liberals like Charles Rangel, Barney Frank, and Henry Waxman will be in charge of key committees.

[Adlai Stevenson]

Raising the Minimum Wage.
Comprehensive Immigration Reform.
Some kind of Health Care benefits system.
Protecting and providing for Social Security in the future.
Changing the course in Iraq.

[Conan]

If there is a Democratic agenda, it will be solely focused on the war and on some economic issues.  Because so many of the new Democratic congressmen are moderates, Pelosi would be wise not to adopt some crazy social agenda. 

I have a feeling that the Democratic caucus will be more centrist in this Congress, despite the fact that several liberals like Charles Rangel, Barney Frank, and Henry Waxman will be in charge of key committees.

Myth. Barely any are moderates or conservative. However, I do not think they will work on any legislation that will inflame the right and therefore become a centrist congress.

[Flying Dog]

most dem agenda

[adam]

I don't see a lot getting done. A lot of bickering perhaps, but I see little changing in the next two years.

[sethm0]

Likely: minimum wage increase, congressional investigations on Iraq, Katrina, energy
 
Possible: Implementation of 9/11 commission recommendations, allowing government to negotiate with drug companies on Medicare Part D prices, comprehensive immigration reform

Toss-up or less likely: Importation of drugs from Canada, repeal of certain Patriot Act sections, new assault weapons ban

[Flying Dog]

They should push Embryonic Stem Cell Research again.