Democracy, most basically ‘rule by the people,’ is an easy thing to support in principle. But in practice it can be an awfully tricky concept to implement. This post is the first in a series examining the principles of democracy and democratic systems. First, a bit of historical background in preparation for the next piece…
Process & Reform
A Nation Without Courts
Newt Gingrich is running as an ideas man, as ‘the smartest person in the room’ wherever he goes. Recently he boasted that one of his campaign documents was “the most thorough statement of the Constitution and the balance of power, I think, that’s been written by a political figure since Lincoln’s first inaugural in 1861.”…
On Greece and Democracy
Should someone hold a referendum on the Greek bailout? A few days ago Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou shocked the world by announcing that his country would hold such a vote. European leaders, who had just concluded a tough negotiation on Greek’s debt, condemned the move. Financial analysts the world over warned of the potentially…
The Need for Bureaucracy
I listened to an interview the other day with Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI). The interviewer (Ari Shapiro) asked him about a Treasury Department report finding that over-regulation was not killing business. In fact, the most highly regulated industries are experiencing the strongest growth. His response was, “Well, that’s just not what I’m hearing from my…
Of Senate Obstructionism
A few days ago, former Senator Judd Gregg penned an opinion piece in The Hill about the events of October 6. As an example of historical amnesia deployed for partisan ends, this piece provides an excellent opportunity to correct some misconceptions about the Senate and its rules. Read the piece here and then return for…
The End of the Senate As We Know It?
On Thursday night, the U.S. Senate may have changed forever. The Senate invoked the once dreaded “nuclear option,” potentially changing the rules governing filibuster for the foreseeable future. Those who find the details unnecessary should skip the next paragraph. What happened was this: As the Senate was debating a bill on China’s currency, a dispute…
Congress is Broken
By now you’ve likely run across a post/article/op-ed suggesting that Congress was actually designed to be a logjam of obstructionism and inaction. The author likely trotted out the usual evidence: two chambers; layers of subcommittees, committees, chairmen, speakers and majority leaders all able to block legislation; the veto power; and don’t even get me started…