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Mark Wilson / Getty Images
Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi stands with the Democratic women of the House to highlight the historic diversity of the House Democratic Caucus, on January 3, 2013 in Washington, DC.
With the outgoing Congress facing rock-bottom approval ratings and having passed the lowest number of bills (about 220) since the 1940s, the new crop is already slated to face bruising battles over the federal deficit and spending.
And while a great many of those serving the previous two years are returning, the 113th Congress' class of more than 90 new lawmakers features plenty of historical firsts, including enough new women, LGBT members, Asian Americans and Latinos to set records.
There are 82 new members of the House -- 35 Republicans and 47 Democrats -- and 13 new senators, including appointee Tim Scott, R-S.C., who will be the upper chamber's only African-American.
While losing some of its most senior and well-known members, including conservative leader Sen. Jim DeMint and independent Sen. Joe Lieberman, the Senate today welcomes new faces who bring historic firsts with their swearings-in.
Scott, an appointee who replaces DeMint, will be the first black senator from the South since Blanche Bruce of Mississippi in 1881 and the first Republican African-American senator since the 1970s.
Republican Ted Cruz, a Cuban-American who beat Texas's lieutenant governor in an upset primary, is the first Latino to represent the diverse state of Texas in the Senate.
Massachusetts' Elizabeth Warren, who became a folk hero among financial system reformers after the financial crisis, will sit on the Senate's banking committee. She's one of a record 20 women in the new Senate.
Democrat Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, who defeated Republican Gov. Tommy Thompson, will be the first openly gay senator.
Six of the new senators came from service in the U.S. House, including former Rep. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, the first Asian-American woman to serve in the upper chamber. (She's also the first Buddhist.)
Arizona's Jeff Flake will join six other Mormon colleagues in the upper chamber.
All told, the partisan breakdown will narrow slightly in Democrats' favor.
In the House, there will be a total of 233 Republicans, 200 Democrats, and two vacancies (likely to be filled by one Republican and one Democrat, respectively.)
In the Senate, Democrats will continue to control the Senate – but with a slightly larger 55-45 majority than the 112th, with two independents caucusing with the Democrats.
And as for their approval ratings? With only about one in 10 Americans giving Congress a thumbs up, there's little room left to go down.
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2014 will see most Teabaggers get defeated,by 2016 they will be all gone unless they switch to coffee. Teabaggers tea is a poisonous one for America.
.and in your version of paradise who will actually pay for all the government programs?
Tonywarvet,
You REALLY want a one party political system? Even if you continue to have a multiple party system, what will decide the disparity in sides?
If Republicans have to be more Democrat to fit in, then Democrats have to be more liberal to separate themselves from Republicans and liberals must become more liberal? Do you see where this is going?
Then, once all the white, male Republicans are gone and washed away as many wish in this country and there is nothing but rich, Dems and Libs at the top...who are you going to blame then?
Our two-party system would be much better if the GOP dumped the teabaggers and Christofascists, and let moderate Republicans back in the party.
You're as much of a war vet as a gerbil you fraud.
Lets hope the new congress tries to bring some balance to Washington by limiting spending and supporting more freedom. The last thing we need is more regulations, more taxes and more spending. Good luck!
We need regulations, enforced regulations, we need to spend to grow, and we all need to contribute in taxes for enjoying the great American life. If you don't like what this country offers, why not move to some third world country and fend for yourself?
Gee Shela, you mean I can't PAY FOR MYSELF to enjoy the great American life? You mean I can't WORK and EARN what I need to enjoy the great Americans life? You mean that I have to have the government deciding for me what it is to have the great American life?
And seeing as Obama and Democrats REFUSE to even follow Federal Law about passing a budget EVERY year, why are you being a HYPOCRITE and saying we need "enforced regulations"?
Seeing as Obama and Napolitano went AROUND Congress and the LAWS of this country and are now giving illegals in this country amnesty to put in their paperwork to get residency, why are you being a HYPOCRITE and saying we need "enforced regulations"?
Seeing as Obama went AGAINST Federal Law and actually gave over a million ILLEGALS the "right" to STEAL jobs from the citizens of this nation, why are you being a HYPOCRITE and saying we need "enforced regulations"?
Seeing as THOUSANDS of law breaking ILLEGALS are freed instead of deported like the law says, why are you being a HYPOCRITE and saying we need "enforced regulations"?
Seeing as Obama and Sebelius IGNORED the Constitution and forced religous groups to go against their own religous beliefs and the First Amendment to the Constitution, why are you being a HYPOCRITE and saying we need "enforced regulations"?
Seeing as Obama and the left are demanding that LAW ABIDING citizens have gun rights taken away from them, against the Second Amendment to the Constitution, why are you being a HYPOCRITE and saying we need "enforced regulations"?
Oh, that's right, it's ONLY "enforced regulations" when Democrats and libs want them enforced, right? If it's someone that goes against what liberals want then it's "move to some third world country and fend for yourself". I see how it goes.
Don't worry Sheila, the way things are going for this nation WE are going to be the third world country you're telling others to move to,
You can certainly do all that, you can build the bridges, roads, grow your own food, build your hospitals, fight your wars, yes, you can do all that on your own. You don't need the help of your fellow citizens. I understand that if I live here, I like living here, I am going to do a little supporting of what it costs to live here. You, I guess, are an island. There are going to be some things we don't like, but I still would rather live here under the elected administration of the citizens of the US than any place else.
actually, sheila, fewer than 100 years ago, it was a community's responsibility to provide it's own infrastructure. ----- i'm not quite certain when the federal govt started getting involved with all that, but sometimes i wonder if we have had a net gain.
That was fewer, but closer than a hundred years ago. Who is responsible for the interstate system that ties us all together? Who is responsible for keeping our river system clean? This stuff just doesn't get done with no money. Who pays for the defense? Who is supposed to keep an eye on banks and communications systems? And finally, who doesn't understand that sometimes you have to spend a dollar to make more dollars?
Private companies build bridges and roads, Private farmers grow our food, Private companies build hospitals. What in the world are you talking about?
Government produces----------nothing! All Government does is take from the economy.
sheila ---- yeah, let's talk about eisenhower and the highway system ---- maybe you'd be interested in hearing "the rest of the story". ------ as far as money is concerned, there was no problem using gold and silver coins as currency, or even the barter system, for that matter.
Private companies may build the bridges and roads, but who do you think pays the bill? Who subsidizes the farmers to make sure enough stay in business to feed the country, who, in a large part, pays the patients bills who utilize the hospitals? I agree we should all strive to be self-supporting, but none of us on our own can do what we achieve together.
i agree you need to spend money to make money ---- that's how i grew my business. ----- however, it is NOT a good idea to continually spend more money than you can realistically expect to take in. ------------- good grief, they way some people talk, it makes you wonder how our ancestors survived the 1800's.
I agree too. Surely someone out there is capable of discerning what the best dollar spent vs revenue capability is. But to just say quit spending for quit spending's sake is not going to get us anywhere. You don't even have to go back as far as the 1800s, you could just ask a lot of families how they made it during the 70s when I was coming into adulthood.
with that, i do agree. ------ part of the problem is population increase ---- the more people you have, the more infrastructure needs you acquire. ------ large population centers may be interesting in many ways, but they tend to be an infrastructure nightmare.
up until 2007, i owned property in a retirement community of about 200 families in colorado. ---- the county maintained the main road going thru our community, but we were responsible for all side roads. ---- we had to provide our own wells, and our own sewage needs, which in my case, was a septic tank. ---- we even had to pay for the electrical wire and transformer for our electrical needs. ----- all of these needs were paid for individually, not collectively. ------- on the other hand, if you were able to provide your own electrical needs, like with a wind generator, there was no pressure to be connected to the grid.
Since when was the "success" of a legislative body measured by the number of new laws it passed? What a ridiculous concept. That's what we need, lots and lots and lots of new federal laws!! So we will need lots and lots and lots of new agencies, and (unionized) federal employees to enforce them. And so we will need more money to pay all those people. And so we can complicate life more, and fill the coffers of lots and lots and lots of lawyers (of which I am one). Great. ... Stupid.
i agree ---- it's not how many laws that are passed which should be the factor. ------ quality is much more important than quantity. ----- when i think of some of the idiotic legislation passed in some recent years, i believe we are better off when congress does nothing.
I wish they would pass one item legislation. No tacking on something they know the other side will be dead set against, just simple voting for or against one thing.
i like that idea.
"With the outgoing Congress facing rock-bottom approval ratings and having passed the lowest number of bills (about 220) since the 1940s, the new crop is already slated to face bruising battles over the federal deficit and spending." We should all be so proud... NOT! I believe the term is TOTALLY DYSFUNCTIONAL! Fellow Americans, voters... these people are supposed to be representing our best interests, do you think that's what they're doing? Do you think they're doing ANYTHING positive?
The TeaParty House of Representitives brought ANOTHER "anti-obamacare bill" to the floor. The 34th such bill in 2 years. WTF are they thinking, a Democratic Senate that would kill it or the Veto pen of Obama. Wasting Taxpayers money and time is the norm for the GOP. 2014 can't get here fast enough
seeing as how most of obamacare kicks in by 2014, i am somewhat less excited by that prospect than you apparently are.
No dropping of coverage when you get sick, no lifetime cap on coverage, no more denying coverage for Pre-Existing Condition, free Preventive care and lower cost because more patience in Exchanges........
those things i like ---- i'm a little more concerned how it will affect my business, my employees, and my customers..
And when American's start getting healthy, less trips to the Doctor and the Taxpayer will never have to pay for the UnInsured at the E.R.
Hire more Employees, the cost goes down. :)
17% of Our spending is Healthcare and We rank 17th. The closest Country to us is 12%. Something wrong with that picture. ObamaCare will solve that.
I know the very small business I work for got about a month and a half worth of premiums back under the portion of the law already in effect. So that was all good.
in most smaller businesses, such as mine, it is not practical for the employer to pay those expenses. ----- in retail stores, there is no need for skilled labor, or even a high school education, which is why most of those jobs tend to be at or close to minimum wage. ------ according to NFIB, it would seem businesses will tend to be hiring more part-time employees, and fewer full-timers.
25% of the workforce in this country works fewer than 20 hours per week ---- if that trend increases, that means even less tax revenue, and fewer people with disposable income. ----- and small retail businesses depend on people with disposable income.
Walmart is a good example of why this law is good. Most of their employees are part time and cannot qualify for health care benefits at all. Walmart turns them over to the rest of us taxpayers to get health care and foodstamps.
Its time companies like this, stand up and give a better deal to its employees
ronpaul
And Obamacare has opened up the discussion of working fewer hours and/OR taking lower pay rates to increase the subsidy for healthcare; an unintended consequence.
its about time ----- walmart is a big store ----- explain to me how you think the average smaller retail store can accommodate those extra expenses. ------------- the average retail store job requires little or no skillsets, which is why those jobs are aimed at college students or retired people who aren't interested in full-time work.
I love how Papa John's stated that health insurance will add 14 cents to the price of a pizza. Poor Babies! Instead of giving away 2,000,000 free pizzas during football games give your employees a living wage, health care and a 401k to contribute to.
Anyone who thinks that Obamacare will help solve this country's problems has NOT read the bill. It has been accurately called the largest tax hike in this country's history. Also, the government is now firmly wedged between you and your doctor. So, if anyone doesn't believe me, then read it. I have -- and I am not a supporter of it. Yes, we need to address this country's health care issues, but Obamacare isn't the answer. The American people should be included in the creation of a new law -- not have one rammed down their collective throats by Congress.
I'm glad that someone is working on getting it repealed!
We heard the same crap from you whiny Progressives after Obama won the first time and yet the Republicans survived. Four more years of abject failure from a man who couldn't lead a boyscout troop and people will realize that Republicans are the party of Americans who work and contribute and Democrats the party of drug addicted single mothers, illegal aliens and people who have no plans to work ever, unless you consider selling drugs or doing a drive by work.
I'm very disappointed with the new Senate. After the elections there was a lot of talk about revising the filibuster. God forbid you actually have to be present and speak in order to filibuster a bill. That's the way it used to be. Now you can phone in a filibuster and say I want to filibuster the bill. This is why the Senate has had over 300 filibusters in the last term. Cowards in the Senate did nothing today. Four more years of gridlock!
Where are all the inbreed republicons today?I bet they are still licking their wounds from the fiscal cliff and an Obama second term
Losers
Haha hehe hoho. Four years to go
Honey Congress Don't Care!
I think that the 25% who are working part-time jobs also includes a large percentage of people working a 2nd job because their primary job is not enough. So don't say those people are NOT paying their taxes.
I have a full time self employed job (50hrs x wk), yet I have to work an additional 20 - 30 hrs part time work from home to make up for when my self employed job does not provide enough. If it were a salaried job, i would probably still do the same. And yes, some of those working the part time jobs also includes retired people who cannot make it on retirement or social security alone and some students (some of which are on scholarships, grants, etc)
Is there going to be a special room where they can go when their hormones get out-of-balance? It seems like it would be sensitive to woman's issues.
I WILL SAY THIS ONE MORE TIME, EVERYONE IN THE U.S. CONGRESS. PLEASE LISTEN !!!
From the very beginning our international Free Trade agreements should have contained balanced trade stipulations and regulatory mechanisms designed to keep our trade with other countries in proper balance. Because this was not done, the United States has suffered a catastrophic transfer of wealth out of this country due to the massive deficit in trade in goods with the rest of the world EVERY MONTH OF EVERY YEAR since the mid 1970s. Just since 1989, the U.S. has suffered over $9.8 TRILLION imbalance of trade in goods, and it continues right up to this very day. Please understand that the concept of Free Trade is NOT, repeat NOT synonymous with unregulated trade. It is the first rule or law of cybernetics, the science of feedback, that ALL COMPLEX SYSTEMS need some form of regulation if they are not to become unbalanced and unstable, and eventually SELF DESTRUCT !!! From the very beginning our Free Trade agreements should have been designed to lift other countries up to the economic level or standing of the United States, not let other countries pull the United States down to their economic standing or level. Until we finally fix this very grave problem with our U.S. international trade, the U.S. economy is just going to keep on hemorrhaging to the tune of many hundreds of billions of dollars every year. (This year will be over $730,000,000,000, people.) Please see link below to see what I am talking about. (The Historical Series link on the left side of this page will show the figures for the years before 1989.) - Rick Carter
www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c0004.html
Yay...diversity, diversity. Eh, who cares about qualifications and experience...DIVERSITY!!! Is this what people really want? I think not. What people really want are an entire Congress made up of minority men and females who ONLY identify as Democrats, liberals and feminists.
The NAACP couldnt be more displeased that Senator Scott was sworn in, simply because he is a Republican!! Face it, the media and liberals dont want to diversify America. They are seeking people who only hold their ideals, beliefs and mindset. Anyone else is an outcast. White males need not apply anymore.
What happens when you marginalize a segment of the population again?
I would like to see a Presidential term of 8 years, period. That way, Dem or Rep, the President of the US could concentrate on his/her job for the entire term and not have to worry about campaigning for re-election. People seem to forget that the POTUS is responsible for signing bills approved by CONGRESS, it is NOT the other way around. Budgets and deficits are created by Congress signing pork into bills, and really not paying attention to what is submitted by the various agencies as part of their budgets.
Congressional elections should be every two years. Limit the amount of committees that any one member can be on. You are there to represent the PEOPLE, not your special interests. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, a millionaire small business owner who beat Russ Feingold in 2011, is on the 1) Budget Committee, 2) Homeland Security, 3) Foreign Relations, 4) Small Business, and 5) Commerce committee. How can he get his job done and be on five committees at the same time? It is impossible.
We should hire an independent auditor for all the budgets submitted and have them find the waste. Having Congress do it is sorta like having the fox guard the henhouse.
Just wondering how much more pork are the tax payers going to pay for in the next two years. Seems to be the going thing for Harry Reid and company
www.reid.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm
Sen. Reid's e-mail, for those that want to thank him for the pork.
So Congressman Mel Watt himself called me this morning to ask what I wanted. I tried to explain to him that I was dissatisfied with his updates on what is happening in DC. He interrupted me continuously and was the most rude and arrogant person I think I have ever spoken to. He would ask me to make a point and then would stop me before I could. He said he did not take office to have people call him to complain about his service. I asked if he didn't expect that to happen, his reply, "I hear it all the time" so maybe that means many are not happy with his service. He hung up on me. Now, I can be forceful about a position but I was extremely nice to this man who had an attitude from minute one. He accused me of cursing him, which never happened, he must be delusional. Not sure if this man will run for office again at the end of his term but I am sure that I will campaign against him regardless of who ends up being his competition.
But fear not, my fellow Americans, some how, they'll manage to go lower still.
The Congressional Limbo continues...
There hasn't been much of a change with this "new" Congress. We still have corrupt, incompetent dead weight, i.e., every single member of Congress. I predict this one will be just as ineffective and just as unpopular as the previous one.
It would be interesting to have the CBO audit the assets of all new incoming members and then annually til they leave office and see how their assets soar. It could prove or disprove the urban legend of insider trading and other nasty rumors.
Why is adding more and more laws viewed as being productive? Isn't preventing bad laws from being passed productive? Wouldn't less laws be more easily managed?
How about setting a historical first of taking care of our country's problems before sending any more American taxpayer money overseas or filling their own pockets.
Dear Friends:
And so the photo and results show what woman have done when put to the test. All that wasted money just like Palin made McCain loose the Presidential Race. Woman you have wasted time with your hot air and iced up the communications of Congress. You have done more harm than good. Now voters next time there is a reason God gave his laws and command and talked to the men. Also why he made man first. He had things to get done.
Congress with what you can in the present and incoming Congress try and get as much as you can. The influence of these woman and their numbers have hurt this nation. Forever and through Infinity man was made in a stronger position and first and strength. Good luck men! Incoming the woman complaints and I wants and attempts to control and oppress.
Get the job done or get out of office and go back something or sit in the rocking chair you woman failed!
I wouldn't blame Palin alone for McSame's loss - He has just as much of the blame to take for being far too W.-like for America's taste.
Dear Friends:
My son is out there! Can someone get him a message? He might not be blinded by the fool, and maybe he will run for a Senate office? God could take you there if you know and do things truthfully and with love.
Your true and only Mother would be proud.
Eric John Walker there is a message for you.
Elsie you were educated and trained and like to be a part of Being all you can be. You too could run for an office. That is Elsie Walker. You see Elsie I am very proud of what you have done and you can serve in other ways too. Not all deserve the respect as I have for you.
My son, Eric John Walker there is a message for you from your Mother. Be all you can be. I Love you.
God is stronger than Mormonism and so too is the love of your true Mother which is me.
Tanya Walker you too! Stay away from those that would pull you down or hurt you. A Mothers when the true Mother is very deep.
God Bless! Amen. +
Please don't call Mr. Scott a Republican. He's a Dixiecrat
There is no doubt that human nature drives people to want more with that tendency being correlated to the ego and really prevalent in any sociopathic personality, a trait not uncommon in highly successful people, in people totally driven and being without a conscience. There are several components that contribute to the constantly growing trend of inflation, like supply and demand, competition, global economic conditions and currency exchange to name a few, but can we ever expect to control inflation as long as there is a run-away greed demonstrated in financial considerations taken by the top few, to the point where they are feeding an insatiable “more” (never enough) appetite that has them egotistically competing to have it all without any conscience for the impact on anything else? I think not.
The evidence is seen in the dynamically growing spread between the top incomes and the majority, in the pushing of the country into being a two-class society and in circumstances like when top management takes increases of 20+% and then caps raises for everyone else at 1.9% or less, which is tantamount to effectively using power to steal, and with politicians catering to these people for their support and then literally rationalizing policies, taxes and programs that permit and encourage more of the same, at a severe expense to everyone else, as being “conservative”. It use to be said that labor organizations were at fault but today the pendulum has swung and top management can actually be seen as the aggressive culprit with “puppet” politicians being co-responsible, with both really being totally self-serving.
...my expectations for the new congress are so low they'll positively shine simply by showing up! then nancy 'you got to pass it to read it' pelosi can photoshop them doing important stuff for the media to use like lemmings.
What Speaker Pelosi actually said was "we need to pass this bill so the American People can find out what is in it." Meaning she knew of all the good things in the bill and believed that the American People would like the bill as they came to appreciate all of the positive changes it provided. Google it. Do some research and quit believing the right wing spin, lies and misquotes. Until you begin to think for yourself, you are the Fox news lemming. At least she got something done.