Political Animosity Quotes
The ride was the 1933 inaugural where the outgoing President rode down Pennsylvania Avenue with his successor. Roosevelt had tried to engage Hoover in conversation and Hoover refused. For years after that FDR used to tell the story and would imitate Hoover with grunts and facial contortions.
President Obama was a true Constitutionalist who, unlike other modern presidents, truly believed that members of Congress had a right to express their views and act on them and the President should not retaliate against them for opposing him on major issues. Unfortunately, this was interpreted by most people as weakness. It also hurt his legislative initiative, as no one feared his retaliation or was intimidated when he asked for their vote.
Redistricting is one of the most contentious actions in a democracy. However, typically, the party in power arranges the redistricting plan to its partisan advantage (Gerrymandering) with no concern for fairness or equity. Queen Victory would not allow that and at the same time she insisted that the redistricting plan have a minimal impact on existing vested interests. This has not been a model followed by any jurisdiction in the United States until in 2008, California voters took the power to draw legislative districts out of the hands of state lawmakers by passing Proposition 20. They hope a commission will achieve use the guidelines suggested over 150 years earlier.
