Why are the Democrats in Congress afraid to pass the legislation they want?

Question

The Democrats have a *majority* in both the House and the Senate.  They should be able to pass any piece of legislation that they wanted to; however, they cannot seem to pass a budget, or immigration reform, or energy reform, or extensions of unemployment benefits.  

Why?

I suspect that they don't *want* to pass legislation with which a majority of voting citizens will disagree.  Instead, they would like to paint their opposition as a party of true opposition, as if they--the minority--could prevent anything from happening.  The minority cannot prevent the majority from doing what they please.

If there is any other logical explanation, please present it so that we may all understand why the Democrats aren't doing the things they would like to do.

? · Accepted Answer

Because the corporate lobbyists keep the democrats in office from passing the bills that the democrats who voted them in want them to vote for by the clever use of money.

Colonel Reb · Answer

I don't think a lot of them want to risk their jobs.  They know a lot of what they want is controversial.  The Democrats had enough in the Senate to break a filibuster for a while and they still couldn't pass things.  In a way I'm glad as it shows some of them have their own opinions on things, but it gets tiring to hear them complain about the Republicans stopping everything when they had the ability to pass whatever they wanted if they were united.  At least own up to the fact you don't support everything your party does.

Now that the Democrats don't have enough of a majority to break filibusters they have a little bit more of an excuse--but they had plenty of chances for months before that.

gosam777 · Answer

For one thing, they no longer have the majority required to invoke cloture on filibusters in the Senate. For another not all Democrats are fiscal and social liberals. There are numerous Republicans more liberal on some fiscal or social issues, than some Democrats. 

 Bills have to originate in committee. No committee has an overwhelming, major majority of the members from the majority party. It doesn't take much more than 2 or 3 committee members who  do not follow the party line, to block, or water-down bills in committee. 

 One of most crucial aspects of either party, are the party whips. Right now the Republicans have a stronger whip organization, in both houses, than the Democrats have.

chautin · Answer

Obama is extra of action picture star than a President. he's busy jetting international traveling or pushing for the Olympics to be in Chicago, on Letterman, on Leno, and on any television instruct available.

? · Answer

1. Not all democrats are radical progressives some are quite moderate

2. Many democrats are so afraid of the midterms they refuse to give their support on any controversial legislation

tfoley5000 · Answer

Because they are really afraid of Republicans Objection every Legislation they propose seems like they can't get their way.

Anonymous · Answer

A simple majority (51%) is not enough to break a filibuster.  And even then, not all dems agree on all aspects of every issue.

livelaughlearngrow · Answer

I will give the clean answer: they are chicken.  They do not want to have the blame squarely on their collective head & would rather have to "share blame" across the party lines.

Forget War Buy More · Answer

Ye Olde Filibuster.

Anonymous · Answer

they know they are goinG to lose and they dont want to make things worse for themselves.

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Why are the Democrats in Congress afraid to pass the legislation they want?

11 Answers