The House Republicans have a new idea: transparency in government, with five initiatives designed to make the House of Representatives more open.
Yes, that would be the same House Republicans that only three years ago were running the House in such a secretive and manipulative way that Tom Mann and Norm Ornstein, two of the most centrist political scientists one can imagine, wrote a sky-is-falling book about it.
My impression is that the Democrats have certainly been exercising the rights of the majority pretty forcefully, but nowhere near as brazenly as the DeLay GOP did during their twelve years in power. Nothing remotely like the Medicare prescription drug bill disgrace has happened since Pelosi became Speaker.
This stuff is pathetic. At least the Republicans could pretend to have a little humility about their own history, but of course the people they are talking to probably don't know or care about it, so why should they?
Monday, November 23, 2009
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The people they are talking are only sophisticated enough to chant, "read the bill" as if it is their mantra.
ReplyDeleteThe only way to save our country is to
ReplyDeleteNEVER REELECT ANYONE IN CONGRESS, AND DO IT EVERY ELECTION!
Nelson,
ReplyDeleteGreat slogan. Problem is, if politicians don't have a reelection incentive, it's not clear why they would ever care what their constituents think. (Well, that's one of the problems. Another problem is that weakening politicians strengthens lobbyists and bureaucrats. And there are other problems with it, as well).
Heterodox,
My guess is that it's not that people chanting "read the bill" are stupid; it's just that they've been following leaders who treat them as if they're stupid.