Wishful Thinking, David
David Broder waxes poetic in today's Washington Post about what should change in DC if the GOP loses control of congress.
Unfortunately, his vision is flawed.
The problem with his vision is the Democratic leadership in both the House and Senate. Unless the folks that are brought in by the election are also willing to vote Pelosi and Reid out as leaders of their chambers, the tone won't change.
Instead, I predict, what we'll see is an agenda from Congress that they know the President won't support, and instead of a work towards compromise, we'll see more partisan bickering that he won't rubber stamp their legislation.
What's truly needed, to see Broders vision occur, will be a total leadership change, not just the GOP losing the majority, but the Democrats realizing that the negatives on their current leaders are so high that they need to be swept out also, and replaced by people who are interested in dialog, not partisan politics.
Reid already has ethics problems, and Pelosi has as low an approval rating on a national scale as the president, so neither would be the right choice to run their chambers.
Democrats have to realize that a majority in Congress in and of itself shouldn't be the goal for them, yet thats all they talk about it. The last time they had the Senate majority the public gave them a couple of years, and tossed them, because they didn't do anything with it.
That very well could happen again. Their party, if they gain control, will have two years to show the public they are capable of an agenda and ideas, or those two years will be used as evidence their party isn't ready to lead and off they'll go again to the minority. The best way for them to start those two years would be to show that "business as usual" is dead, and find new leadership for both houses.
Technorati Tags: Pelosi, Reid, Congress, Majority, David Broder, Politics
Unfortunately, his vision is flawed.
"If that lesson is reinforced by the election results, Washington will change. Congress will be run by people who talk with each other, across party lines. And even the White House may learn that it needs to end its isolation and engage more broadly at home and abroad if it is to salvage some substantial accomplishments from Bush's final two years in office."
The problem with his vision is the Democratic leadership in both the House and Senate. Unless the folks that are brought in by the election are also willing to vote Pelosi and Reid out as leaders of their chambers, the tone won't change.
Instead, I predict, what we'll see is an agenda from Congress that they know the President won't support, and instead of a work towards compromise, we'll see more partisan bickering that he won't rubber stamp their legislation.
What's truly needed, to see Broders vision occur, will be a total leadership change, not just the GOP losing the majority, but the Democrats realizing that the negatives on their current leaders are so high that they need to be swept out also, and replaced by people who are interested in dialog, not partisan politics.
Reid already has ethics problems, and Pelosi has as low an approval rating on a national scale as the president, so neither would be the right choice to run their chambers.
Democrats have to realize that a majority in Congress in and of itself shouldn't be the goal for them, yet thats all they talk about it. The last time they had the Senate majority the public gave them a couple of years, and tossed them, because they didn't do anything with it.
That very well could happen again. Their party, if they gain control, will have two years to show the public they are capable of an agenda and ideas, or those two years will be used as evidence their party isn't ready to lead and off they'll go again to the minority. The best way for them to start those two years would be to show that "business as usual" is dead, and find new leadership for both houses.
Technorati Tags: Pelosi, Reid, Congress, Majority, David Broder, Politics
posted by Crazy Politico at 6:14 AM
1Comments:
Politics as usual are what is driving down the polls. It is not a Repub or Dem issue, it is the entire body politic. We have seen a complete failure to lead in all areas of government. The two things needed are:
1.) America first point of reference
2.) Selfless acts that promote the nation not the individual
Where are the statesman of today who are stamped in the pattern of those who founded this nation?
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