Jack Abramoff Quotes

the Speaker at that time Olympia Snow, a Republican, was one of the great members of Congress who was not partisan and especially so when the interest of the nation was involved. She was known for working with any and all other legislators regardless of political party. When Newt Gingrich became the Speaker of the House, he wanted the Republican caucus to stay together and not work individually with Democrats. Snow and Schroeder however continued to work together. When Snow want to the Senate, she was known for her patriotism and bipartisanship. In 2012, the Republican Party had become so extreme and hyperpartisan, that he left Congress and did not stand for reelection.

At the time Congress was gridlocked in bitter hyperpartisan conflict. Most people called for more comity and bipartisanship and most politicians wanted more bipartisanship but blamed the other party for the rift. Mourdock,arguing for less bipartisanship and no compromise defeated Richard Lugar in the Republican Senatorial Primary election. Lugar, one of the most respected and effective Senators was a statesman who worked with any and all to find effective compromises to reach national solutions. The nation was so politically polarized that the Republican Indiana voters ousted one of their most senior senators because he was effective at developing national solutions. See {626717} and {302706} for other Mourdock outrageous comments. While this rhetoric won in the Primary, it lost him the general election in a state where Republicans had a strong majority and should have had the seat.

2012 and 2013 with the Tea Party driving Republicans more to the right under fear of being attacked in their primary elections caused the handful to shrink to 2 or 3. The change stems from the historical fact that the majority of the Democratic racists (mostly of the South) were furious that their party, had passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 ending legal segregation and institutional racism of the South. The Republicans implemented a “Southern Strategy” by using code words that endorsed Southern racism and this swung the formerly Democratic “Solid” South to the Republican side changing the balance of power for years. The conservative Democrats became Republicans changing the balance in that party. The conservatives starting purging the liberal Republicans and then drove many of the moderates out. Meanwhile, the Democrats, without their conservative wing from the South became more left wing and made things uncomfortable for the remaining conservatives. Just as Tama predicted there were few moderates left to cross over and vote with the other party. Congress became totally dysfunctional.

formerly 2nd Viscount Stansgate

In the beginning of the 21st century political hyper-polarization made Congressional gridlock the norm. Anything that was acceptable to the Democrats would be rejected by the Republicans and vica versa. However, at times, the public would be impassioned by events and demand Congressional action. A movement for gun control after a serious of massacres with assault weapons in 2012 was the example that Thomas was using. If the legislative process could be stretched out until public passions waned, the normal gridlo{78528}k would control and there would be no reform.

This was one of the worst Congresses in American History and had the worst productivity record—passing very few bills, and none of any significance. The anti-government, Tea Party hyper-conservative Wing of the Republican Party intimidated the Speaker of the House and they were opposed to any compromise at all on anything.