109th Congress Ends in Disgrace

Arguably the worst Congress in American history is over:

Democrats [...] pointed out that the House met only 102 days this session, fewer than the 110 days of the maligned "do-nothing" Congress of the Truman presidency.

At it ended in a shameful and irresponsible fashion:

As one of its final acts, Congress approved a stopgap measure keeping federal programs running at or slightly below current levels through Feb. 15. President Bush quickly signed it on Saturday.

It was a Republican who put it best:

Senate Budget Committee Chairman Judd Gregg, R-N.H., [...]criticized his own party for failing to check indiscriminate federal spending. "We're supposed to be the party of fiscal discipline and we haven't been," he said.

They did pass legislation that would open the Gulf of Mexico to offshore drilling. But did very little to promote alternative energy technologies that would leave us less vulnerable to Middle Eastern oil. It will be years before we realize any benefits from the Gulf drilling. What do we do in the mean time?:

Environmental groups said U.S. consumers would be better served if Congress pursued measures to cut U.S. crude oil consumption, which is about 20 million barrels per day.

The nuclear legacy:

Among the bills passed in a marathon session that stretched from early Friday to around 4:40 a.m. (0940 GMT) on Saturday was a bill to help clear the way for nuclear-armed India to buy U.S. nuclear reactors and fuel for the first time in 30 years.