LAME DUCK SESSION OR NOT?

What a "Lame Duck Session" the House and Senate has had?  WOW!!

Who would have though that our representatives in Washington would "put their feet down" to conduct serious business on behalf of those who elected them?  Surprised, yes, no!  Well they did and what did they accomplish?

Bush Tax Cuts Compromise Plus

The White House compromised with GOP leaders to extend the Bush Tax Cuts for two years.  In return the White House secured an extension of  unemployment benefits for laid off workers, payroll tax cuts for all working people, and tax write offs for small businesses on investments made to expand their businesses. 

The President's deal caused much rumbling among Liberal members of his party but in spite of the dissatisfaction from Democrats the bill passed both the House and Senate with votes from members of both parties.

DADT (Don't Ask, Don't Tell)

A Law to repeal DADT was passed in the Senate, creating history in the USA.  The vote was 65 to 31.

The passage of this historic Senate vote sealed one of President Obama's major campaign promise thus giving him a great victory.

Getting to the finish line was a great hurdle but President Obama demonstrated great leadership and with the help from Independent Senator Joe Lieberman, Republican Senator Susan Collins from Maine, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, several other senators, and no doubt grassroots advocates who emailed and called their senators to get them to vote for the bill a significant campaign was accomplished.