Fools fail to Capitol-ize on control

Charles Hurt - Inside Washington

WASHINGTON -- When this Congress rushed into office two years ago, it rode a swelling wave of high promises and euphoric optimism.

Democrats enjoyed virtually unstoppable power in both chambers of Congress. They controlled the White House. They had a long agenda. There was no end to what they would accomplish.

But today, as this Congress drains away, Democrats leave behind the putrid debris of failure and corruption and a foul stench of silly partisanship.

The ugly, tumultuous ending we are watching unfold in these final days is a fitting end to one of the worst Congresses in modern history.

A brief look back at the Democratic agenda:

* Financial regulations -- Democrats imposed massive new regulations that strangled many small banks and never laid a finger on big lenders Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which everyone agrees were among the biggest contributors to the housing-bubble explosion.

* Economy -- They plunged future generations $1 trillion further into debt on confident promises of spurring the economy and job growth. Unemployment was 7.6 percent when they began. It is 9.8 percent today.

* Taxes -- Democrats for years decried the Bush tax cuts as giveaways to the rich and harmful to the economy, but have now finally admitted that lower taxes are the only hope for a healthy economy.

* Budget -- For the first time since 1974, the Senate this year has failed to pass a single spending bill.

* Health care -- Despite controlling every lever in Washington, Democrats failed to pass the bold new government-run health-care program they wanted.

* Ethics -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi promised to "drain the swamp." Two words: Charlie Rangel.

churt@nypost.com