The 111th Congress: maligned yet productive in 2009

Norman Ornstein has a nice piece over at The Washington Post discussing Congress's accomplishments over this past year (yes, accomplishments). It's easy to discredit the quantity and quality of legislation passed in the current awful political climate. However, Ornstein notes:

• The stimulus package
• Expansion of health insurance for children
• TARP funds oversight
• FDA regulation of tobacco
• Land conservation law
• A credit card holder's "bill of rights"
  
• Defense procurement reform
• The relatively speedy House has passed even more bills, including cap-and-trade and financial regulatory reform.
• Both chambers of Congress also passed significant health care reform bills.
  

I would add that Congress has done an effective, if inefficient, job of supporting unemployment programs with federal cash

Now, certainly people can take issue with the quality of this legislation, but the Congress has been active and impressive, especially given its ponderous nature in general and its functioning as the most partisan Congress ever. It's unfortunate that these accomplishments get lost in the hyperbolic discourse of political "debate" in this country, but it doesn't make the accomplishments any less impressive.

The Obama administration and the Dems have failed to sell their successes, both in the general and specific. This is a critical failure with regard to the public - both in its interest and their own.