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StumbleLETTER TO THE EDITOR:
A more divided government would be improvement
Friday, Oct. 29, 2010 | 2:03 a.m.
I must express complete disagreement with the message in Mike Smith’s Tuesday editorial cartoon. The cartoon shows a possible outcome of the upcoming election: a government divided between a “Yes We Can” White House and a “No You Can’t” Congress. Meanwhile, a passenger in a car driving by the White House and Congress says, “This isn’t good.”
Under the current situation, government divided (or shared) in such a manner is the absolute best we can hope (or pray) for. The past 21 months have seen the worst collection of legislation and appointees imaginable.
The current party in power is openly dismissive of its opposition and contemptuous of any kind of legal or moral constraints. Current “leadership” declares openly that they can do anything they want. Shared power looks good to me.
Also, from a personal-experience point of view, a divided government appears to be better for the country. In my lifetime (and I’m 60 years old), the best times in a variety of ways were the 1980s and 1990s, decades in which shared power was more the rule than the exception. I remember vividly the first two years of the Clinton administration. One party was in control of both the executive and legislative branches and we had hideous legislation and laughable appointees (sort of a mild, relatively innocuous precursor to the past 21 months).
So, let’s have more divided government!
Discussion: 13 comments so far…
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Divided government doesn't work for anybody unless there is room for compromise. COMPROMISE! That has become the key word in this election. The Republician leaders in Washington ( Bonner and McConnell) have stated without reservations that now is not the time for compromise.
I wonder if they think that such also applies to the Democrates? I venture to say the answer is no. They, the Republicians/Tea Party, believe they must stand on their principles and in the same breath condemn the opposition for doing the same.
Divided government without room for compromise, as it is being promoted today, is equal to no government.
"So, let's have more divided government!"
Moldenhauer -- duh! A "divided government" is written into the Constitutions -- separate but equal branches created by a written constitution of some kind, with the people retaining the supreme power.
One glaring example of We the People acting more like We the Herd occurs at election time -- We keep limiting our candidate choices to Republicans and Democrats. Both have proven themselves not only incompetent but treasonous.
"...no man is good enough to govern another man, without that other's consent. I say this is the leading principle -- the sheet anchor of American republicanism..." -- Abraham Lincoln, Speech at Peoria, Illinois, October 16, 1854
Don't know what dream world Moldenhauer is living in . We haven't had subsistance wages since the 1960's. Reagan and Gingrich were clowns.
Divided government works. Look what happened under Bush II - we had 1 party control and spending went out of control. Look at Obama - one party control and he's copying George Bush II.
KillerB:
When I write about compromise, I'm referring exclusively to the Legislative branch. I believe the Framers of the Constitution intended compromise to exist there.
Without compromise, legislation does not land on the President's desk, the Excecutive branch. There is where division should exist. And the Legislative branch has the ultimate power with the veto override.
Do you really belive the Judicial branch has equal power with the Legislative and Executive branches?
A divided government does not work when the President and his leaders of Congress, ignore the other political party and the will of the people.
Divided government without room for compromise, as it is being promoted today by the Obama Administration, is equal to no government.
"Do you really belive [sic] the Judicial branch has equal power with the Legislative and Executive branches?"
TePee -- what can you cite showing the judiciary has any less power than the executive and legislative branches? It's inherent in every republican form of government, which ours is -- checks and balances can only exist so long as every branch is equal in power to the others.
"The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government -- lest it come to dominate our lives and interests." -- Patrick Henry
The story of American spending http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MQ2pk7kk...
get pumped to vote all the bums out... it is time to change our government.
(H)ookershaky:
We don't have subsistance wages in this country because the middle-class is disappearing (outsourcing of their jobs). With those jobs goes collective bargaining.
Since 1968 we have had a Republicaian administration 28 of the 42 years. In those years we have moved closer and closer to an oligarchy. Special interest no longer means unions and civil rights, the term now means the top 2 or 3 percent of the population.
These individuals care nothing about the national debt and possible collaspe of our economy, they have escape routes. So naturally they reject the idea of compromise which might just benifit the other 98, 97 percent.
I agree with the letter writer.
Bill Clinton and a Republican Congress was a good mix. Let's give Obama the same chance that Clinton had by giving Obama a Republican House and a new Senate Leader.
KillerB:
Sorry about my misspelling. Also sorry I misread your comment. I agree the Constitution grants the Judicial branch equal power. However a large number of Americans don't believe that to be the case.
The problem being the Judical branch has no means to enforce its decisions, depending on the other two to do so. Example: In 1954 the Supreme Court struck down Jim Crow laws (separate but equal) in public education (Brown v Board of Education). The decision was largely ignored until the court impose "busing." Then the "busing" decision require in 1957 federal troops be dispatched by the Eisenhower administration to Central High School in Little, Rock Arkansas for enforement. Then it took another 7 years and civil-rights legislation to abolish the remaining Jim Crow laws.
Regardless of what the first three articles of the Constitution establish, the Judicial branch is the weakest of the three branches. As Americans with-hold support of the Judicial branch, it becomes weaker and weaker.
Tepee - "Divided government doesn't work for anybody unless there is room for compromise. COMPROMISE!"
Very true, and as you noted Boehner, McConnell and others have no attention of working with the Democrats or the president. They've shown their hand when setting all time records for filibustering. I hope the Dems treat then accordingly, "what goes around, comes around." Maybe that will force the GOP/Tea Party to actually do something constructive instead of whining about everything. They've been acting like spolied brats who got their favorite toy taken away.
I have yet to hear any plan or policy other than the same talking points repeated as a mantra, "cut taxes, cut taxes, cut taxes."
boftx - "Bill Clinton and a Republican Congress was a good mix."
Was that before or after they accused him of murdering Vince Foster, or White Water, or when they tried to impeach him?
That was the first time I watched the GOP go over the deep end, the election of Obama was the second time, but far more damaging to the country.
Yes, a more open government would be an improvement, but we have had promises before and what did we get? MORE PROMISES...
A "divided house" gives ALL of the politicians an "excuse" for 2 MORE years of non-performance.
By the time the 2010 elections comes around (if we're not under martial law by them) everyone will be so confused that...
Oh wait! Everyone is ALREADY confused.
Never mind.
This is the DUMBEST letter in a long time.
Ignorance only a republican would back.