Posted on 04/23/2012 8:49:33 AM PDT by Sub-Driver
Why stay? President, Congress should just go home until after the election By Judd Gregg - 04/23/12 05:44 AM ET
The president is in full campaign mode. So is Congress. The federal government has been put into a holding pattern until the November elections.
Like “Major, Major, Major” from “Catch-22,” it appears that although everyone in Washington is still there, no one is actually there.
This being the situation, one might ask — Why don’t they all go home? They could leave Washington to the pundits and lobbyists.
President Obama could go back to Chicago and campaign from there, reconnecting with his old friend and former chief of staff, Mayor Rahm Emmanuel. Members of Congress could go back to their districts or wherever else it is they live, since everyone knows that nothing is going to happen.
If Washington was vacated, it would be a more honest expression of the reality of the status of governance for the next six months. It might help the American people believe that there is some integrity to the situation.
Of course, this would give the bureaucracy a disproportionate role in the everyday activity of the government. But on the other hand, it would focus the fact that Washington is already run almost entirely by a professional, mid-level cadre of government workers.
Congress only engages at the margin in the day-to-day activities of the government and since no legislation is going to be done, no budget resolution passed or individual appropriations bills completed, even the role of Congress and the White House is dramatically reduced.
If all the elected folks simply left town, it would create a clearer picture of how things are going to be managed until November.
The president especially needs to leave.
Not because he has been ineffective in managing the nation, but because in his zeal to find new groups to blame for our economic failures, by leaving town he could be in a position to travel the countryside blaming what he left behind.
In fact, he could even blame the White House since he would not be there. He could claim no residency and thus no responsibility. He could run against Washington, the Congress and the White House. It would be the ultimate political strategy, deftly executed from Chicago. It would also place the blame where it should be.
Members of Congress, once they returned home or to wherever, could also run against themselves.
Washington would be appropriately excoriated as the problem even by those who are there, because they would not be there.
In addition, the American people might find this refreshingly honest.
Finally, the people charged with governing will openly admit they do not plan to govern. The people would be joined in their general disgust for the lack of leadership and problem solving in Washington by the president and Congress.
Everyone could be against Washington except, of course, the bureaucrats who are left behind to tend the store.
In November, the president, running against himself, and the members of Congress, running as anti-incumbents, will be able to expect victory. They can then return to the Capitol, which will then be safe for habitation. The country will be renewed and we can get on with business as usual and await the next election. It’s a plan.
It would save us a ton in travel expenses, it would make it harder for lobbyist and terrorist to have them all collected in one convenient spot, and it would make them more accountable to the people they are supposed to represent by having them where we can keep an eye on them.
” - - - Finally, the people charged with governing will openly admit they do not plan to govern. The people would be joined in their general disgust for the lack of leadership and problem solving in Washington by the president and Congress.”
ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Read Judd Gregg’s article, GOP-E! Read it and BELIEVE it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That's Maj. Major Major Major to you!
When they are not in DC they should not get paid.
Is this article from the Judd Gregg from New Hampshire?
Baseballguy:
When they are not in DC they should not get paid.
Just what kind of idiot are you Baseballguy? They are working all the time whether they are in the district or in Washington. How do you expect them to keep in touch with the people back home if they were to only be paid for the time they are in DC? Believe it or not some congressional hearings are actually held back in the districts rather than in DC. In fact I went to one this year in my home town. The witness panels were made up of local businessmen and state regulators who actually have to deal with the consequences of misguided regulations imposed by the federal government. In DC you'd get all the same old environmental interest group lobbyists who lobby for ever more government regulations. Putting everything in DC stacks the deck in favor of bigger government and more intrusive regulations. Ordinary people have more of an opportunity to get their voices heard in hearings if they don't have to go to the expense of traveling to the imperial capitol in DC.
I like FreeAtlanta's idea better. Much of the work of a congressman or senator can be done in the home district. The more time congressmen spend in the district during the work week, the less likely they are to be corrupted and the more they understand the problems ordinary people have dealing with the federal government.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.