Quote:
Originally Posted by purrtykitty
The president (whomever he/she may be) cannot authorize spending willy nilly. Congress has to authorize the spending, and if I'm not mistaken, it as a DEMOCRATIC Congress that authorized all those expenditures. How come no one is placing any blame on them?
The value of the dollar is in the tank due to the economy and that also isn't the fault of the president alone. I'm really not trying to defend Bush, but the blame should be spread more equally between his administration and Congress. Neither party has done that great of a job these past eight years.
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Here are the actual numbers from the senate website:
U.S. Senate
We didn't go to war with iraq until 2003.
Majority Party (November 12, 2002 - January 3, 2003): Republican (50 seats)
Minority Party: Democrat (48 seats)
Other Parties: 2
Total Seats: 100
Note: From January 3 to January 20, 2001, with the Senate divided evenly between the two parties, the Democrats held the majority due to the deciding vote of outgoing Democratic Vice President Al Gore. Senator Thomas A. Daschle served as majority leader at that time. Beginning on January 20, 2001, Republican Vice President Richard Cheney held the deciding vote, giving the majority to the Republicans. Senator Trent Lott resumed his position as majority leader on that date. On May 24, 2001, Senator James Jeffords of Vermont announced his switch from Republican to Independent status, effective June 6, 2001. Jeffords announced that he would caucus with the Democrats, giving the Democrats a one-seat advantage, changing control of the Senate from the Republicans back to the Democrats. Senator Thomas A. Daschle again became majority leader on June 6, 2001. Senator Paul D. Wellstone (D-MN) died on October 25, 2002, and Independent Dean Barkley was appointed to fill the vacancy. The November 5, 2002 election brought to office elected Senator James Talent (R-MO), replacing appointed Senator Jean Carnahan (D-MO), shifting balance once again to the Republicans -- but no reorganization was completed at that time since the Senate was out of session.
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108th Congress (2003-2005)
Majority Party: Republican (51 seats)
Minority Party: Democrat (48 seats)
Other Parties: Independent (1 seat)
Total Seats: 100
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109th Congress (2005-2007)
Majority Party: Republican (55 seats)
Minority Party: Democrat (44 seats)
Other Parties: Independent (1 seat)
Total Seats: 100
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110th Congress (2007-2009)
Majority Party: Democrat (49 seats)
Minority Party: Republican (49 seats)
Other Parties: 1Independent; 1 Independent Democrat
Total Seats: 100
Note: Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut was reelected in 2006 as an Independent, and became an Independent Democrat. Senator Bernard Sanders of Vermont was elected as an Independent.
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