[ethbr1]

If "nothing for decades" isn't true, then parent can use different words.

"Least productive" != "nothing"

If language collapses into describing a different reality just because of the way someone feels, then communicating is going to be difficult.

[ggandv]

Exactly. They raise campaign funds and appear on tv and cross examine industry leaders like Altman and Zuckerberg. Clearly that is not “nothing”. But some worry that is not enough to keep pace with emerging threats and opportunities and that’s given justification for presidents to increasingly fill that gap, to disastrous effect. Some argue that a single strong leader calling the shots via EOs is better than having congress try to get up to speed on complex, emerging matters (ie AI export controls) but I’m unconvinced.

[ethbr1]

Something 'taking an Act of Congress' (to indicate that it's difficult and time-consuming) is in the lexicon for a reason. It's been true of the US legislative process for that long.

But!

That isn't to say that after the gears grind, Congress doesn't complete important and essential work, even in toxic times.

The nihilism of a blatently false claim that Congress is doing nothing just feeds into 'so let someone else do it' fervor. Untrue memes can be dangerous.