A political cartoon depicting U.S. Democratic congressman Preston Brooks’s attack on Republican congressman Charles Sumner, an example of legislative violence./Wikipedia
(Editor’s note:Opinion pieces are published for discussion purposes only.)
By Phil Riske | Senior Reporter/Writer
Rose Law Group associate George Seitts and I had the distinct privilege back in the ’70s of working on the Hill for U.S. Senators, George for Barry Goldwater and I for Gale McGee.
Those were days when statesmanship, not fruitless partisanship, existed. Sure, there were solid partisan divides according to particular issues and various caucuses according to regional priorities — McGee, a Democrat, and Goldwater, a Republican sat side by side in promoting the interests of the West.
Today, not even a ghost of statesmanship.
Consider these points from Seitts:
1) I think the main difference is there weren’t cameras in the both chambers, only the press corps and press gallery coverage. When they allowed cameras — I think but not sure the House went first, then the Senate; and I think it was C-span but not positive. Once that occurred, we then had 535 members running for president, so to speak. The auditioning began. Since then, all hell has broken loose, with everything now based on how fast the member can run, or be asked to appear on camera with either CNN, often daily by many.
2) Staff was good. Many of us stayed a long time while becoming mini-experts and informed on a variety of subject matters. The loyalty to your boss, and your state was without compromise. Constituent relations and casework were huge; for most offices it was the backbone.
3) It’s the money, stupid. We all know how unreal it is. Used to be the
money used to flow back as there was no FEC. As long as the U.S. Mint could be print a dollar bill, cash would find its way into a member’s hand with no problem. It’s in the billions now with laws now making it legal to get it into a campaign pipeline.
4) In combination with number 3, the lawyer-lobbying community. Not much I can say other than it’s real industry spread all over the country and abroad, with deep deep dig working out of D.C. is plush and not so plush spaces. Then you look around D.C. I’ve asked several old time pals since living here, what’s with all the McMansions; big homes everyplace as well as fine small abodes super well maintained. Everyone of them, say without hesitating the benefits of big government, big law firms, and now big media. Many lawyers easily bill out $800-$1,200 per hour.
5) Finally, what crosses all those lines is the total lack of respect (More often than not hate is involved.) for the member across the aisle or across the hall from you. That coupled with below cesspool gutter language and daily innuendo by anyone who wants to jump in, you have holy hell. But this is not just confessional, it’s societal.
Something went poof when the money game took over national and local politics, and we’ve been left with what you see and hear today — the Congress of the United States not getting a damn thing done.
An ailing Senator John McCain a year ago recognized the decade’s long disease in a fiery speech to his colleague, imploring them to work together and come up with a health care plan and to drop acrimony and deliberate according to a gentlemanly process.
We’re not so foolish as to think McCain’s speech will turn things around, although it should. But we can hope.
In the meantime, don’t hold your breath, just get out and vote for reformers.
