I just had the pleasure of reading Harry S. Truman’s acceptance speech (pdf) at the 1948 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was there that President Truman announced that he was calling for a special July session of the 80th Congress, which he termed the “Do-Nothing Congress.” He called them back into session to shame the Republicans who had claimed to support the expansion of Social Security, a housing bill, and more education spending but who hadn’t acted on any of the bills then circulating in Congress.
Francis Berry thinks that Barack Obama should do something similar.
Obama is in the same boat and could say much the same thing. In fact, to heighten the drama, he could give an Oval Office address — it would be only the third of his presidency — to announce that he is canceling his two-week vacation to Martha’s Vineyard and calling Congress back into session in August to raise the minimum wage and reform the immigration system, his two biggest legislative priorities this year.
Polls show that Americans — including Republicans — strongly favor action on both issues, although not necessarily the specific steps proposed by the president.
I’d add to this a request that Congress vote on a bill to reform the Veterans’ hospitals since progress on that issue seems to be faltering.
Hell, I might even take another go at a bill to strengthen background checks for gun purchases.
As long as we’re talking about political theater, I might even ask Congress to actually pass individual appropriations bills.
Anything the president can do to highlight the ridiculous intransigence and obstruction of the Republican Party would be helpful and more worthwhile than another vacation on Martha’s Vineyard.
