Can the lies about our system of governance finally stop?
Thus, our senate is not the world’s greatest deliberative body.
Nor are we the freest people on earth.
When I was in school (so cold war) I was taught that dictatorships violated treaties, that we did not. But then as an adult I learned that treaties with the Indians were routinely violated.
And re our norms… well from 1789-1861 northerners in congress were barely able to talk about slavery, and after the civil war a from of gentleman’s agreement allowed us to ignore the re-enslavement of southern blacks that continued until the 1960s.
I write this as someone who volunteers for a national park and who writes patriotic articles for our facebook page. (I still have pride in our flawed nation - I suggest all are flawed).
None of this changes our history as a great place for people seeking refuge. My family fled the potato famine in Ireland and one branch fled Czarist Russia. Of course it was best that we settled in the North and in a city where Micks, Wops, Polacks and such were accepted - the factories, mines and so forth needed labor.
When Obama became president, the GOP united as one man to make sure he would not succeed. Then they campaigned about the failure of Dems to help the working man. This strategy is strangely successful too. (Hence my scorn for the working man - sorry, I come from them but they are no me).
So re norms… can we stop lying to ourselves. It has only gotten worse, it has not changed in form at all.
The dissolution of norms did not begin with Trump. I think it began when the intransigence of the Republicans to Obama appointees compelled Harry Reid to, in a very limited way, limit the filibuster. Then Mitch McConnell used that as a rationalization for his handling of the Merrick Garland nomination to the Supreme Court and then the subsequent rushed appointment of Justice Amy. And all along the path of Trumps term McConnell and House Republicans did nothing to enforce the norms to control Trump while they had the power. And then when Democrats tried to enforce the norms Republicans moved heaven and earth to try and stop them.
I agree but, I think, even Newt held to normative tools at his disposal to oppose Clinton and the Democratic minority.
Although the majority-of-the-majority rule had not been articulated at the time, Gingrich followed it in practice. And that was his biggest violation of previous norms making it virtually impossible for the minority party to have any impact on legislative outcomes.
This was done, however, by the Speaker not allowing any legislation to come to floor which has always been within his/her power.
Fast-forward to today and we have a minority within the majority that can veto anything the Speaker does and remove him from office. So much for norms.
Can the lies about our system of governance finally stop?
Thus, our senate is not the world’s greatest deliberative body.
Nor are we the freest people on earth.
When I was in school (so cold war) I was taught that dictatorships violated treaties, that we did not. But then as an adult I learned that treaties with the Indians were routinely violated.
And re our norms… well from 1789-1861 northerners in congress were barely able to talk about slavery, and after the civil war a from of gentleman’s agreement allowed us to ignore the re-enslavement of southern blacks that continued until the 1960s.
I write this as someone who volunteers for a national park and who writes patriotic articles for our facebook page. (I still have pride in our flawed nation - I suggest all are flawed).
None of this changes our history as a great place for people seeking refuge. My family fled the potato famine in Ireland and one branch fled Czarist Russia. Of course it was best that we settled in the North and in a city where Micks, Wops, Polacks and such were accepted - the factories, mines and so forth needed labor.
When Obama became president, the GOP united as one man to make sure he would not succeed. Then they campaigned about the failure of Dems to help the working man. This strategy is strangely successful too. (Hence my scorn for the working man - sorry, I come from them but they are no me).
So re norms… can we stop lying to ourselves. It has only gotten worse, it has not changed in form at all.
The dissolution of norms did not begin with Trump. I think it began when the intransigence of the Republicans to Obama appointees compelled Harry Reid to, in a very limited way, limit the filibuster. Then Mitch McConnell used that as a rationalization for his handling of the Merrick Garland nomination to the Supreme Court and then the subsequent rushed appointment of Justice Amy. And all along the path of Trumps term McConnell and House Republicans did nothing to enforce the norms to control Trump while they had the power. And then when Democrats tried to enforce the norms Republicans moved heaven and earth to try and stop them.
I trace it to Newt Gingrich. Republicans in the house no longer cooperated with Dems on legislation of interest.
I agree but, I think, even Newt held to normative tools at his disposal to oppose Clinton and the Democratic minority.
Although the majority-of-the-majority rule had not been articulated at the time, Gingrich followed it in practice. And that was his biggest violation of previous norms making it virtually impossible for the minority party to have any impact on legislative outcomes.
This was done, however, by the Speaker not allowing any legislation to come to floor which has always been within his/her power.
Fast-forward to today and we have a minority within the majority that can veto anything the Speaker does and remove him from office. So much for norms.