Congressional Democrats Show Priorities When It Comes to Working "Over Time"

Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), Majority Leader of the US Senate, has declared that he and his Democratic colleagues will work "around the clock" to solve our financial crisis. In a very real sense, this shows where his party's values and priorities are.

Of course it is all good and well that the Congress that played a pivotal role in getting us in this Wall Street crisis, would do something about getting us out, but the same Democratic leaders have not been nearly as interested in helping average Americans with a crisis that has been equally challenging to most. That is the raging rise in gas prices that has seen exponential growth, especially since the Democrats have taken over both Houses of Congress.

During the summer recess, many Republican Members occupied the US House and demanded Congressional action on our energy situation. Drill here, now, every where, and there too. Meanwhile the Democrats were dismissive about it and more interested in pursuing reelection rather than the needs of the vast majority of their constituents. They didn't see an energy crisis, but an opportunity to reduce demand on gas which would help conserve the commodity and lower pollution. It was a "good" problem that the "gasoline addicts" in this country needed. Tell that to the average American who was looking for relief and needed a break.

It is interesting that a party that has marketed itself as the "party of the people" will show up in mass to address Wall Street's concerns, but took a vacation when it came to the biggest issue facing average Americans. To me, it is unconscionable and they do it with a very straight face.

Instead of being embarrassed by their elitism -- going to premiers of Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" in fleets of SUVs and lecturing the rest of us to take a bus -- they behave as though they simply know best and it would be better if we did what we were told. With the Democrats, average Americans get gouged while Wall Street gets a hand out, and they are for the people? You have to be impressed by their unction.

There is plenty of fault to go around in our nation's current financial crisis. Republicans, Democrats, Congress, White House. However, the Democrats hypocrisy when it comes to their treatment of the issues of Wall Street and the average American, they appear to be for the average person in their public relations, but for the elite in DC and Wall Street when it comes to their policies. I hope we remind them of that in November.

Kevin Price articles frequently appear at ChicagoSunTimes.com, Reuters.com, USAToday.com, and other national media.

Kevin Price is Host of the Price of Business (M-F at 11 AM on CNN 650) and Publisher of the Houston Business Review. Hear the show live and online at HoustonBusinessShow.com. Visit the archive of past shows here.