Comments on: Fixing Congress by Restoring Conservatism

By: McGehee

McGehee — Wed, 11 Jan 2006 14:34:43 +0000

LJD, I'm pretty sure he meant by political means.

And even after you elect the best available candidate, sometimes you need to go stand on his desk and watch him to make sure he does right.

By: LJD

LJD — Wed, 11 Jan 2006 12:23:33 +0000

How about holding the officeholders accountable?

Uh Oh, time for another inquisition...

You don't think we should perhaps choose more carefully, BEFORE there's a need for an investigation?

By: jimbo

jimbo — Tue, 10 Jan 2006 22:06:50 +0000

Both redistricting reform and term limits are great ideas that probably ain't gonna happen, although there might be a hope that a court could see its way to finding gerrymandering as a violation of equal protection. It is up to the voters to bring in divided government.

By: cs

cs — Tue, 10 Jan 2006 21:20:15 +0000

We have separation of powers specifically to allow and foster a divided government. Concentrating power seems to make for efficiencies but that hasn't borne out in the last five years.

"How about coming up with some candidates with ideas and solutions ..."

How about holding the officeholders accountable? They are no better than we are, and it seems they aren't very good.

By: McGehee

McGehee — Tue, 10 Jan 2006 19:34:23 +0000

Divided gtovernment sounds good in theory, but the last time Democrats got back control of just one house of Congress -- after Jim Jeffords' switch in 2001 -- the President's party actually gained seats in both houses in a midterm election. Obviously if we're to have divided government, the Democrats can't participate.

By: LJD

LJD — Tue, 10 Jan 2006 19:32:54 +0000

Divided government makes for a big, expensive, bickering contest that achieves nothing. They waste tax dollars to stroke their egos...
How about coming up with some candidates with ideas and solutions, rather than a history of economic success, money in the bank, or powerful friends. Of course their constituents feel "entitled", they are following their leaders.

By: DaveD

DaveD — Tue, 10 Jan 2006 18:32:10 +0000

The American public seems to favor smaller government and fiscal responsibility in theory. In practice they do not want to make the sacrifices necessary for this to occur. Therefore, I think Rick's comment above about divided government is the only viable solution to achieving moderation.

By: PoliBlog: A Rough Draft of my Thoughts

PoliBlog: A Rough Draft of my Thoughts — Tue, 10 Jan 2006 16:34:20 +0000

Will and the House Republicans

In his WaPo column today, George Will takes House Republicans to task.
He starts with this quintessential Willian illustration:
Before evolution produced creatures of our perfection, there was a three-ton dinosaur, the stegosaurus, so neurologically ...

By: Rick DeMent

Rick DeMent — Tue, 10 Jan 2006 16:05:13 +0000

Historically divided government makes for smaller government.

By: M1EK

M1EK — Tue, 10 Jan 2006 15:21:27 +0000

The theory that things would be even worse with a Democratic congress is not borne out by the facts - Bush might, in fact, have the guts to dust off his veto pen if that were the case.

By: aTypical Joe: A gay New Yorker living in the rural south.

aTypical Joe: A gay New Yorker living in the rural south. — Tue, 10 Jan 2006 12:54:01 +0000

The ethical Will

George Will today: Before evolution produced creatures of our perfection, there was a three-ton dinosaur, the stegosaurus, so neurologically sluggish that when its tail was injured, significant time elapsed before news of the trauma meandered up its lo...

By: Below The Beltway

Below The Beltway — Tue, 10 Jan 2006 12:52:49 +0000

Congressional Evolution

George Will has a must-read column in today's Washington Post analyzing what has become of Congress under GOP control.