Obama facing reality
February 7th 2009 23:39
MSNBC's Chuck Todd wrote an insightful article today about Obama's troubles in trying to pass the "stimulus" bill. The entire article is worth reading, but there are a couple of points that were especially interesting to me. The first point has to do with the roadblock that comes from dealing with the bureaucracy of Congressional leadership:
This is so true. The current method of choosing committee chairs ensures that we get the same old dinosaurs trying to ram the same old pet projects and policies through our legislative bodies. Particularly in the House, many of the most inflexible and unoriginal legislators come out of safe, gerrymandered districts. Only death or jail will move them off their perches. This is not good for the country. We frequently need fresh blood and fresh ideas from Washington. Until that happens, partisan gridlock is all but guaranteed.
Below is the second point that I especially liked:
This is what I frequently said during last year's election. The GOP deserved to lose, but the Democrats didn't deserve to win. Now that the Democrats are in charge, the hostility towards them will grow. It has started already. Eventually, it will build up enough that they will be thrown out and the GOP will be given another chance. This is why voters often say that they are forced to choose between the lesser of two evils. Both parties alternately prove themselves to be incapable of governing in a meaningful, constructive way. It's unfortunate, but it's the reality of our current political system.
If you get a chance to read the Chuck Todd article, it would be well worth your time.
I’ve noted many times here and in “First Read” the stunning lack of change inside the leadership of the House Democratic caucus. The roster of current committee chairs is not exactly a profile of change Obama outlined during the campaign.
Some day the public might actually revolt against the undemocratic system of seniority that allows Congress to keep the old ways of Washington engrained into the culture of Congress.
Some day the public might actually revolt against the undemocratic system of seniority that allows Congress to keep the old ways of Washington engrained into the culture of Congress.
This is so true. The current method of choosing committee chairs ensures that we get the same old dinosaurs trying to ram the same old pet projects and policies through our legislative bodies. Particularly in the House, many of the most inflexible and unoriginal legislators come out of safe, gerrymandered districts. Only death or jail will move them off their perches. This is not good for the country. We frequently need fresh blood and fresh ideas from Washington. Until that happens, partisan gridlock is all but guaranteed.
Below is the second point that I especially liked:
We may like to think politics is a battle of ideas and that the best idea wins out. But that’s not true in most elections. Most elections are about the worst ideas losing, not the best ideas winning. Democrats have control of both houses of Congress and the White House because the country got fed up with the Republican rule, not necessarily because voters saw more merit in the Democrats. Eventually our country rewards the party out of power – those seen as not responsible.
This is what I frequently said during last year's election. The GOP deserved to lose, but the Democrats didn't deserve to win. Now that the Democrats are in charge, the hostility towards them will grow. It has started already. Eventually, it will build up enough that they will be thrown out and the GOP will be given another chance. This is why voters often say that they are forced to choose between the lesser of two evils. Both parties alternately prove themselves to be incapable of governing in a meaningful, constructive way. It's unfortunate, but it's the reality of our current political system.
If you get a chance to read the Chuck Todd article, it would be well worth your time.
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Comment by Lester Caudill
Round Politics
If we could actually get rid of every current politician and place them with not politicians this country would be better off.
Comment by PopulistConservative
Angry Electorate
Comment by Lester Caudill
Round Politics
Comment by PopulistConservative
Angry Electorate