By the way… Welcome back and I wish you and your wife a healthy, happy and prosperous New Year! (I am so glad that you were too stubborn to let a cow or two take you out of the game.)

And, I still haven’t heard your explanation of how Obama or Reid should deal with the Republicans after they obliterated the filibuster record. Do you think they should give Republicans everything they ask for? Every time or just most of the time? Should Obama and Reid simply let the Republicans write the bills and then rubber stamp them? Would the Republicans even vote for their own bills? Hmmm – not if Obama liked what they wrote.

Let’s hear it! How do you deal with the party of NO!

And, for the record, I was a Ronald Reagan/Jesse Helms Republican for 25 years or so. Right up until the crap show of the impeachment of Clinton – kinda gets your attention.

I’m sorry Mr. Thompson – you get a miserable F- here. One side is a bunch if miserable lying shits and the other side is tired of caving in. I for one am glad to see the Dems finally grow a bit of a spine.

However, I’m not convinced that our current crop of politicians (as ignorant as they are) should shoulder the entire blame. To the contrary, I’m becoming more and more convinced that the daunting fiscal problems our country now faces as much systemic as they are political.

Indeed, if nothing else, what these last few months have shown us is that our proud nation…. something our founding fathers set up as a “Federal Constitutional Republic” with its various built in checks and balances designed primarily to prevent absolute tyranny from a fanatical King…. simply doesn’t work when it comes to tackling major structural and fiscal change in the modern era.

Unfortunately, in many ways our constitutional system of government has now become more like a straightjacket where a highly vocal political minority…. of any political ilk…. can very effectively block the efforts of the elected majority and thereby bring the nation to the point where absolutely NOTHING gets done.

Right now, our country is a mess with a crumbling infrastructure, systemic and cultural decay, and HUGE deficits that only politicians making extremely unpopular choices can effectively address. Yet, so far, all we’ve gotten out of Washington is yet more hot air (and yet ANOTHER feeble attempt to “kick the can down the road”).

Perhaps that’s largely because, under our Constitutional Republic form of government, a simple elected majority in one of our branches of government can no longer effectively rule because the “checks and balances” built into our Constitutional system very effectively prevent it.

Specifically, a simple majority in either house of Congress is no longer sufficient to pass legislation. Now we have to have a “super majority” in order to achieve any real progress, which means that a tiny dissenting minority (in either house of Congress) can very effectively shut the whole process down. Toss in a dissenting President and everything REALLY grinds to a screeching halt!

Which, unfortunately, is where we find ourselves today.

Indeed, about the only thing that Congress and the President have been able to agree on is that our Country faces a serious fiscal crisis. But, because the “fix” is far too politically painful for any one of these constitutionally established constituencies, about the only consensus that is achievable is to once again, “postpone the pain” by continuing to print ever more worthless currency.

I think Andrew Potter, writing in Canada’s Macleans Magazine, very effectively discussed these issues in a 2011 editorial called “The Trouble With Too Much Democracy”.

It’s well worth the read. http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/08/05/the-trouble-with-too-much-democracy/

Indeed, rather than too many do-nothing politicians, perhaps what we in the USA are REALLY suffering from is “too much democracy”.

This site has provided fodder for many a radio show I’ve done over the years, and will doubtlessly continue to do so. Thanks to you & all associated with Capitol Hill Blue.

It is the planets gain to have you back and on the mend, but then again, I expected nothing less!All the best from the Isle of Staten in NYC, you deserve it pally!

Your editorial is spot-on and I’m gravely concerned about the path this nation is taking if any at all. Seemingly endless chaos will be the order of the day in the months and years to come all to our collective hazard.

Wishing you and yours a Happy and Successful New Year 2013. : )

Carl Nemo **==

Still, it’s probably high time for some fiscal crunching in our dear Capitol.

J.

PS – Hi Doug! You and I may disagree on many things, but I have the highest respect for what you are trying to do with CHB and journalist integrity. I missed you when you were gone. J.