Congressional Snake Pit

Dallasblog.com | William Murchison:

“Congresses come and -- fortunately -- go all the time, but the present specimen appears determined to be rated among the worst ever. Triumphalist Democrats seem bound on no higher mission than that of grinding down a president with an unpopular war on his hand. Defeatist Republicans can't figure out a mission so coherent even as that one. ”

Ed Cognoski responds:

Worst ever? No, I think that might have to be reserved for the Congress that gave Bush everything he wanted in his first term — tax cuts that turned huge surpluses into huge deficits and a blank check for turning a war against Osama bin Laden into a war against Saddam Hussein. It'll be a long time before another Congress exceeds the ineptitude or villainy of that Congress.

The current Congress is stymied by the fact that the Congress is held by one party and the White House by another. Often that keeps government handcuffed, which can be a good thing, if you believe government is the problem, not the solution. William Murchison probably used to believe that, but now seems to argue that the current deadlock is leading to bad results. Maybe he's yearning for unified government, as we temporarily had in the first term of the Bush Presidency. Be careful what you wish for. With the way things are going, government is likely to be unified in 2008 — under Democratic rule. Just wait for the squealing William Murchison will do then.

P.S. Tom Pauken has blocked me from commenting on Dallas Blog itself.