Ode to Congress: Gone for the year, something to cheer

‘Tis two days after session and all through the Dome,

Not a member is working since they all have gone home;

House members left first, making deals left and right,

Then voting out bills near the middle of the night;

Senators, meanwhile, had debates on the floor,

‘Till the chance came Tuesday to bolt out the door;

If Murray and Cantwell looked to be a bit dour,

That’s because very soon they’ll be losing some power;

They’re majority today, minority tomorrow,

They’ve been in it before, still there’ll be some sorrow;

Murray will lead Dems on a key committee,

On which Rs may take aim at the N-L-R-B;

She’ll seek to rewrite No Child Left Behind,

But getting it done will be quite a grind;

Minimum wage is looming on the horizon,

If the panel gets there, brace for a collision;

Ds want it higher and will say Rs don’t care

Hey, doesn’t that sound like class warfare?

Where Cantwell is moving should be lots of action,

It’s the same energy panel where once sat Scoop Jackson.

Murkowski is the leader and knows issues ‘round here

But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to fear;

Cantwell wants biofuels put ahead of oil,

But the chair’s from Alaska, so expect a little roil;

This panel has created some great national parks,

Yet raising the subject may generate some sparks;

Congress acted swiftly in its final few days,

Hard to keep track in so many ways;

Buried at the end of those last-minute bills

Are what some fear are poisonous pills;

Like easing protections in ‘ole Dodd-Frank

Could leave the markets ripe for a prank;

And allowing the parties to haul in more cash

Could wind up inciting voter backlash;

Yet tucked in the bills are bites of good news

Regardless of one’s political views;

Like the sales tax deduction, it’s safe once again,

A rare cause that united our delegation;

‘Tis two days after session — yes Congress is done,

They’ll look back without fondness ‘cuz it wasn’t fun;

They’ll return in a few weeks, all full of good cheer,

Knowing they don’t face election next year.

Political reporter Jerry Cornfield’s blog, The Petri Dish, is at www.heraldnet.com. Contact him at 360-352-8623; jcornfield@heraldnet.com and on Twitter at @dospueblos