In the best traditions of Robert’s Rules of Order, I would like to provide a second to the previous motion from my distinguished colleague Robert Stein, and assign some additional, useless bloviation as an amendment. Right up front I would hasten to point out that, at least in theory, I have always felt that the Federal Government works best for the people when one party controls the White House and the other holds a majority in Congress. It forces the two ideologies to work together and find some common ground in order to accomplish anything and served us fairly well in times past, such as during the Clinton administration. With that said, though, some lessons in recent history may be in order.
The Republicans are now warning us all about the dangers of handing over unfettered power to one party in the Oval Office and both chambers of the Legislative. It’s powerful medicine, but as Stein points out, it is best served to those with short memories. Those with more synapses in firing order may recall the period around 2004. The GOP held not only the Presidency, but a decidedly non-bullet proof majority in both the House and the Senate. The message we were receiving then was notably different. The Democrats, we were told, were abusing their power in the minority. They were making a mockery of the Senate’s role in advise and consent when President Bush attempted to nominate highly conservative justices to the bench. They were preventing the properly democratically elected majority from pushing through their agenda in accordance with the will of the people. They were, in short, obstructionists.
Since we so love batting around pointless hypotheticals, let us postulate one possible future. Assume for a moment that a continuing repressed global economy and unstable global security conditions turn Obama’s first term into a disaster. In 2012 an angry and impoverished electorate is swept up in another wave of “throw the bums out” sentiments and thrust the GOP back into the White House and a slim majority on Congress. Come 2014, do you suppose we’ll hear the newly anointed Republican Majority Leader saying, “Hold on now. Let’s not get carried away here. For God’s sake, don’t elect any more Republicans. You don’t want one of those dangerous single party rule situations, do you?”
Remember, voters. Single party rule is dangerous. But only if it’s the Democrats.
UPDATE: An alert reader provides a brief history lesson and asks a poignant question.
Will Bill Frist come out of retirement next year if the Democrats fall short of 60 and deliver his famous speech on the House floor yet again? Will he remind us of the validity of using the Nuclear Option to prevent obstructionism by the minority party? Or will the Republicans who screamed for that option now suffer a collective memory failure and fall silent?