Today at noon, the 113th Congress will be sworn in in our nation's capital. In the case of Florida's delegation, that means saying hello again to Orlando-area Democratic firebrand Alan Grayson, and saying sayonara to Tea Party favorite Allen West.
Grayson and all everyone else elected in November will be replacing the 112th Congress, which was the least productive since the 1940's.
Part of the philosophy of the Boehner/Cantor-led House was to have their members return to their home districts for one week each month, meaning that our Representatives literally were doing the "people's business" in the District of Columbia less than perhaps any Congress ever. The 112th Congress began its less than stellar tenure by holding only 10 days of session in January of 2011, and it went downhill from there.
National political observers are already saying things won't be much better in the 113th Congress, but we believe in a fresh start for everybody.... Seriously.
Meanwhile, you want to know why most American think everyone in D.C. is full of it? Check out the way-too powerful Grover Norquist. Infamous for his pledge that he's had GOP candidates from across the country sign that holds that they will never vote to raise taxes, nearly two hundred of them did just that on New Years Day, seemingly violating that sacred vow.
Except Norquist now says they didn't break the pledge. Wait, what?
Meanwhile the Tampa Bay Times has been publishing a series of public opinion polls during the holidays, giving fodder for those of us to write about in this lean news generating period. Did you see the one the other day regarding what people in Tampa Bay feel about having legislation regarding distracted driving? More importantly, do you think some of our top state lawmakers noted it?
