Instead of Complaining, Thank Politicians who Keep their Promises

It is so easy to complain about politicians. It is much harder to be part of the solution. Something really pretty amazing happened this month and it shouldn't be ignored. Democrats running for the House made a whole bunch of promises. Some of those promises they said they would enact within the first 100 hours of the new Congress. They made promises. We like to say that we don't trust politicians when they make promises...but what about when the DO KEEP THEIR PROMISES?

House Democrats kept their promise and enacted each and every bill they promised within the first 100 hours...only they did it faster than expected.

This comes from the Campaign for America's Future:

Democracy worked!

Yesterday, the House completed the First 100 Hours agenda, with 58 legislative working hours left to spare. More work has been done for the American people in 42 hours than the previous conservative Congress did in two years. Thanks to the mandate our lawmakers received in the election -- and the pressure you've exerted since then -- strong majorities in the House of Representatives...

* raised the minimum wage for the first time in 10 years,
* required Medicare to negotiate for lower drug prices,
* cut student loan rates in half, and
* took back $14 billion in handouts to Big Oil to invest in renewable energy.

In every case, these First 100 Hours bills commanded such wide support from the public that significant numbers of Republicans abandoned their party leaders and voted for change.

We hope that you'll take a moment to savor this victory -- a victory that you helped create. The 100 Hours reforms are a concrete downpayment on progressives' long term goal to make America work for everyone, not just the privileged few. The pressure you exerted -- in concert with Campaign for America's Future and our allies in the CAN Coalition -- made it happen. Congratulations again and thank you.

Our job is obviously not done. And now, the fight to transform the 100 Hours reforms into law turns to the Senate. To help prepare for this fight, we'd like to hear from you. First, please join us to applaud the House leaders who delivered the 100 Hours reforms. Then, tell us how you want to work together going forward to ensure the Senate stands firm with the House, and delivers a strong First 100 Hours package to the president's desk.

Already, we see signs of both spine and weakness in the Senate. If we continue to stand strong, we can remind Senate Democrats and moderate Republicans alike that the public has spoken. We've called for the change in course that the 100 Hours agenda starts to deliver. It will be the Senators who stand in the way of this popular legislation who will face a public backlash, not those who honor the public's will to change.

The First 100 Hours is only a down payment on the change the American public demanded, so this is no time for backsliding. Together, we'll keep the call for change ringing loud and clear in the halls of our Senate.

Please join with us to applaud the House leaders who took this important first step, and then tell us how we can best work together in the weeks and months ahead to keep the pressure on.

Onward!

Ian Mishalove, Director Online Communications
Campaign for America's Future

The Campaign for America's Future aims to challenge the big money corporate agenda by encouraging Americans to speak up and to discuss and debate a new vision of an economy and a future that works for all of us. To find out more, go here.

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