Pre-Boomer Musings

The House of Representatives escaped Washington earlier in October to go back home and campaign for re-election, thus keeping this legislative body from passing any new bills until after the midterm voting is over.  When they return some fear the lame duck session may try to push something through even though it may be against the will of the people as indicated by the election results.  Others wonder if the next Congress will be caught in gridlock.  Believe it or not, this could be good for the country.

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Our Constitution was written to make it difficult to get things done.  The Founding Fathers had a brilliantly simple plan in mind.  Establish a strong national government that did not usurp the rights of the states. Protect the citizens while not limiting their rights.  Create a stable and enduring political system.  The purposes of the first two goals are apparent, but the latter one can be more subtle yet it is what has allowed the others to survive for more than 200 years.

Framers of the Constitution realized that change should be slow and deliberate.  And that a consensus was the best way to run a stable republic, meaning politicians would not always get their way. The public soon learned that checks and balances would provide consistency, which was good for the citizenry.  History tells us that when the system swings to far one way it ceases to run effectively.

In essence, gridlock occurs when advocates of change cannot convenience enough members of both Houses of Congress to vote on a specific proposal.  Even after passage the President must sign the bill or two-thirds of both Houses must agree to over-ride such a veto.  That’s why compromise is an important part of American politicians.

When there is a lack of compromise, it is difficult to pass legislation that result in major change.  However, the current make-up of Congress allowed one party to dominate and not seek consensus.  This allowed bills to be pushed through, including those unpopular with the electorate, which is why the majority of voters want to repeal health care reform and alter or stop other legislation.  What happens at the polls in November will indicate just how strong people feel about politicians who don’t listen to them.

The expiring tax cuts, which were put on hold because the subject is a political football, are yet to be addressed.  However, the lame duck Congress would be well-served to not try to jam through any legislation.  Polls show that 63% of likely voters want Congress to wait until the new members take office before considering new legislation.  But 85% of respondents believe the current Congress is very or somewhat likely to try and pass legislation before the newly elected members take over.

Ignoring the will of the people could be bad for the economy, bad for individuals and certainly bad for politicians.  So, New Seniors and all registered voters must be careful who they send to Washington.  Even if folks don’t get everything they hoped for, if the representatives do their jobs the way the Constitution suggests we’ll all be better off.   

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