The 100 Hours are over in the House, with all of the measures passing successfully, and the local press finally pays attention to how the Nebraska Republican delegation (and western Iowa Congressman Steve King) voted on the bills.

Reflecting on the first 100 hours of the Democratic-controlled Congress, Republican Rep. Adrian Smith noted that he did support at least one successful measure.

“I voted for the resolution to congratulate the Florida Gators,” the Nebraskan said, referring to the House commendation of Florida’s lopsided victory over Ohio State in the national college football championship. “That was a tough decision.”

Typical of a do-nothing Congressman full of excuses, but not much else, Adrian Smith is correct… he didn’t support a single bill that his party leadership didn’t support. Terry voted for the student loan bill. Fortenberry voted for the homeland security bill and the energy bill. But to defend their votes against the popular measures put forward by the House Democrats, Republicans offered nothing but excuses:

They said the homeland security bill includes provisions such as strict scrutiny for cargo coming into ports that is simply not feasible. Terry said a layered approach to inspecting cargo would be more effective.

They said the minimum wage increase represents a heavy-handed government mandate that would hurt businesses and could lead to layoffs.

The congressmen said that expanded federal funding for embryonic stem cell research goes against the ethics of millions of Americans, and that more promising, ethically acceptable research avenues exist.

The cut in student loan rates would be expensive, they said, do little to improve access to a college education and encourage universities to keep boosting tuition.

They said rolling back tax breaks for oil companies would discourage exploration and hurt efforts for energy independence. They also voiced skepticism that the additional money would be used for renewable fuels.

The congressmen said the Medicare prescription drug program is working well and won’t benefit from more government intervention.

Taking all of these at face value, the question is why Republicans didn’t do these things in the last six years? It certainly wasn’t for lack of opportunity. A minimum wage hike was overwhelmingly approved by this Congress, with many Republicans voting with the Democratic majority. The Republican leadership never allowed a minimum wage bill to come to a straight up-or-down vote. If Republicans were truly concerned about small business like they say they are, and only oppose a minimum wage hike if it doesn’t include protections for small business, they would have passed a minimum wage increase long ago.

It’s sickening to think that security measures that would improve homeland security were delayed because of cost, while a war that cost $1 trillion and more than 3,000 American lives - against an enemy that never attacked us - was rubber-stamped by the Congress in 2002.

It’s strange that these Congressmen would think that Medicare is “working well.” They should tell that to the seniors who can’t afford prescription drugs.

Notice one common thread here? Aside from the stem-cell research bill, they voted against bills supported by an overwhelming majority of their constituents, and their excuses were all vaguely in the name of protecting corporate profits. Security would cost too much money. A minimum wage bill would hurt business. Student loan rate cuts would be expensive… (I’ve got a great idea, guys! You can pay for it by using all of the money that your biggest contributor stole from the federal government!!) And, no one honestly believes that the billions of dollars in profits that oil companies are making from federal subsidies are helping energy independence… do they?

Cut off from the majority, Nebraska Republicans have forgotten how to govern - if, indeed, they ever knew how. The blatant hypocrisy and lame excuses are predictable and all too common from partisan hacks like Lee Terry, Adrian Smith, and Jeff Fortenberry.