Insiders Split Over Legislative Expectations
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor made something of a splash after Politico quoted him saying legislating was pretty much done for 2012. Senate Democrats waved around the article on the Senate floor, crying out that the American people deserved better than for Congress to just pack it in for the year. But the fact of the matter is, there's not a ton of legislating that WILL get done in this election year. When asked about which bill was MOST likely to be passed before the end of the year: postal reform; student loans; the farm bill; the transportation bill; or the Violence Against Women Act, Insiders on both sides of the aisle were split.
Of the major bills left to consider this year, which of the following do you think is most likely to pass: postal reform; student loans; the farm bill; the transportation bill; or the Violence Against Women Act? |
||
| Democrats (23 votes) |
Republicans (22 votes) |
|
| Postal reform | 9% | 0% |
| Student loans | 30% | 36% |
| Farm bill | 30% | 9% |
| Transportation bill | 4% | 9% |
| Violence Against Women Act | 13% | 27% |
| other | 13% | 21% |
For Democrats the top two responses were student loans and the farm bill, which each got 30 percent of the vote.
"Enough tea partiers represent rural districts, they will set aside their strident philosophies to become exactly what they claim to hate -- self-serving politicians," one Democrat said about the farm bill.
As for why Postal reform could happen, another Democrat said, "It's suicidal for the GOP to let interest rates double on July 1."
Many Republicans agree that student loans has the best chance of passage, with 36 percent of respondents saying so.
"The Republicans have shown a real willingness to work with the Democrats on this bill," said one Republican. "The Democrats will take the heat in the fall if there is a failure. They will fold."
The Violence Against Women Act clocked in at second most likely with 27 percent of Republican votes.
"In Washington this year, nothing is easy to do; but this one should happen," said one Republican.
Leave A Comment