Leid Stories - New Congress, Old Politics - 01/03/13

The 113th Congress is seated today -- in the aftermath of contentious negotiations on the so-called fiscal cliff and the prospect of continuing partisan acrimony on debt, tax and austerity measures related to the national budget and other leftover domestic and foreign-policy issues. The people worry: "Will this Congress shake off its do-nothing past?" "Will legislators actually carry out our wishes?" "Will President Obama do the right thing(s)?" The real question, says Utrice, is: "Are we prepared for battle?" Because that's what the next four years are going to be.