So much for a “lame duck” session. Congress accomplished a great deal. All of the following passed:
What does this mean for the President and all Americans? What do you think of this recent progress?
President Obama held a press conference yesterday to highlight all the accomplishments. He called it, “the most productive post election period we’ve had in decades.” Obama continued, “We are not doomed to endless gridlock. We have the capacity to make progress together.”
The balance of power is a wonderful thing. It’s interesting how the election has changed how Obama has behaved. Now that Democrats will no longer control all three branches of government, checks and balances have been restored. I believe that compromise is a good thing.
On January 5 Congress begins work with more than 100 new members. While there are those who expect more contentious behavior, I prefer to wait and see what transpires. It is my hope that these new representatives are fueled by the awareness that they are privileged to advocate on behalf of their constituents and do not allow special interests and egos to guide their decisions.
What are your hopes for the new legislative session?
Critical Thinking in the Real World 
Your second to last sentence coined my wishes perfectly.
A lame-duck session is the last hurrah of those who faced the last election. This year’s election was a refudiation [:-)] of everything Congressional Democrats stood for. So they gave us more of the same as a parting shot. They acted like robbers who take your pants as well as your wallet, even as the police sirens sound in the distance.
My hope for the next Congress is that the GOP majority is able to undo or alleviate some of the damage this Congress did to the country.
It will take years, alas, and a willingness to not compromise with those who are not just wrong, but whose views have been rejected by the majority of voters. The new majority has to believe that they do in fact have the mandate to act to change things for the better. They have to understand that the criticism they will get in the media are from partisans, not objective persons. Some partisans have “D” after their names, and some have ABC or NYT. But none of them are the people who voted “R” this year. The new Congress has to keep listening to their voters.
Then we will see progress. Sorry Janet, we saw none in this lame-duck session. I hope the GOP sees the lesson that they must continue to act for their voters for as long as they are actually in office, and not quit early.