George Will: "When We Have Gridlock, the System is Working"
One of Drudge's top headlines on this beautiful day tells us to "Expect Acrimony and Gridlock" in the aftermath of today's elections. The headlined article, which is from the Telegraph, concludes:
Washington will be largely divided between advocates of two competing and fiercely-held notions about the role of government. After today, and with the 2012 presidential election campaign approaching, expect acrimony and gridlock in Washington.
Paired with the word "acrimony," gridlock sounds like a rather bad fate, doesn't it?
But George Will has another take on it.
Will has always been one of my favorite conservative pundits. Whenever I watch him on This Week with Christiane Amanpour, I'm unfailingly struck by how thoroughly he outclasses his fellow panelists. He floats above the partisan squabbling and delivers wise and fresh insights on the political landscape.
A few days ago on This Week, he managed to pack a history lesson, a government lesson, and a political lesson about "gridlock" into less than thirty seconds of talk:
AMANPOUR: George, Senator Cornyn pretty much told us that they didn't expect to win the Senate. Made some news here.
WILL: Doesn't matter, though, because if Mitch McConnell has 48 senators, he will always have 41 senators for whatever he wants to have 41 for.
Let me just say this. The Republican Party is being told to be the party of no. No more stimulus spending. No cap-and-trade. No card check. None of this other stuff. Gridlock is not an American problem. It's an American achievement. The framers of our Constitution didn't want an efficient government; they wanted a safe government. To which end they filled it with slowing and blocking mechanisms. Three branches of government, two branches of the legislative branch, veto, veto override, supermajority, judicial review....What I'm saying...is that when we have gridlock, the system is working.
Brilliant.
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Comments :
Aug '10
Re: George Will: "When We Have Gridlock, the System is Working"
Gridlock is good!
Sep '10
Re: George Will: "When We Have Gridlock, the System is Working"
"Gridlock: its not just for traffic anymore."
Re: George Will: "When We Have Gridlock, the System is Working"
Agreed! This is my favorite part of what Will said:
The framers wanted a Constitution of "no."
Jul '10
Re: George Will: "When We Have Gridlock, the System is Working"
"Gridlock" sounds as if You could do a 30 second infomercial with it:
"Tired of Yer taxes increasing? Sick of all the federal government waste with so-called 'stimulus plans[?]' Do You fear that government officials will soon be making decisions for Yer healthcare?
Then try new 'Gridlock.' It's easy to use and much more affective than 'squishes.' Simply apply 'Gridlock' Nov. 2 to stop the swelling of government. One application lasts for up to two years!
So, go to Yer nearest polling place and look for 'Gridlock' today!"
Aug '10
Re: George Will: "When We Have Gridlock, the System is Working"
Jimmy Carter: "Gridlock" sounds as if You could do a 30 second infomercial with it:
"Tired of Yer taxes increasing? Sick of all the federal government waste with so-called 'stimulus plans[?]' Do You fear that government officials will soon be making decisions for Yer healthcare?
Then try new 'Gridlock.' It's easy to use and much more affective than 'squishes.' Simply apply 'Gridlock' Nov. 2 to stop the swelling of government. One application lasts for up to two years!
So, go to Yer nearest polling place and look for 'Gridlock' today!" · Nov 2 at 6:59am
Great post. All you left out was - "But wait! There's more! If you order Gridlock today, we'll throw in a bonus can of 'Rollback' - to get rid of those creeping restrictions on your daily freedoms!"
Jul '10
Re: George Will: "When We Have Gridlock, the System is Working"
Excellent addendum, Songwriter. There's a great Youtube commercial there somewhere.
May '10
Re: George Will: "When We Have Gridlock, the System is Working"
Put the Constitution into a word processor and you can quickly find 43 uses of the word "no" and another 29 uses of the words "shall not."
Jun '10
Re: George Will: "When We Have Gridlock, the System is Working"
Gridlock isn't a good thing when the system is on autopilot heading for the cliff. The entitlement/deficit crisis, healthcare program repeal, out-year spending on porkulus and TARP, extension of the Bush tax-cuts, and government by executive order and administrative action are all items that require action now. The state/municipal/union pension implosion is not far behind, as are dysfuntional school systems, illegal immigration, and the resulting growing underclass. Gridlock is like two male elk with interlocked horns, both will die if the interlock isn't broken.
Jul '10
Re: George Will: "When We Have Gridlock, the System is Working"
With 'Gridlock' Our government would still exist, but the rules would not change. So, then the private sector would begin to flourish and solve every economic situation.
And the government would be devouring less of the private sector. Win, Win.
Sep '10
Re: George Will: "When We Have Gridlock, the System is Working"
Or: "Don't just do something, stand there!"
Jul '10
Re: George Will: "When We Have Gridlock, the System is Working"
Gridlock is a good thing when the alternative is the greedy, reckless, destructive spasm of irresponsibility and corruption that is the current statist quo. It means two years of an ignorant President finding out what it means to be bitch slapped daily by a hostile House. Crank up the investigations, put the whole fat kleptocratic circus on trial. Gridlock is a good thing when it puts the basket case states like California and New York on notice that fur lined bail outs with silk accents are not an option. Gridlock puts Wall Street and Big Business on notice that bankruptcy is again the process for failed businesses of all sizes.
And if the Tea Party continues to educate and erode the statist Republocrat base, gridlock will end in two years and serious retrenching at the Federal level can begin, and the era of "super-size-me" government by death panel will end.
Sep '10
Re: George Will: "When We Have Gridlock, the System is Working"
Songwriter
Jimmy Carter: "Gridlock" sounds as if You could do a 30 second infomercial with it:
"Tired of Yer taxes increasing? Sick of all the federal government waste with so-called 'stimulus plans[?]' Do You fear that government officials will soon be making decisions for Yer healthcare?
Then try new 'Gridlock.' It's easy to use and much more affective than 'squishes.' Simply apply 'Gridlock' Nov. 2 to stop the swelling of government. One application lasts for up to two years!
So, go to Yer nearest polling place and look for 'Gridlock' today!" · Nov 2 at 6:59am
Great post. All you left out was - "But wait! There's more! If you order Gridlock today, we'll throw in a bonus can of 'Rollback' - to get rid of those creeping restrictions on your daily freedoms!" · Nov 2 at 7:06am
You should mention that Gridlock and Rollback are the answer to excessive consumption of Pork and the resultant over stimulus that is causing you to lose sleep at night due to excessive voter fatigue.
"Wouldn't it be nice to have some hope for a change?"
Jun '10
Re: George Will: "When We Have Gridlock, the System is Working"
OK, simple test for gridlock fans:
These are just the issues that I believe have to be resolved in the next two years, under this president with whatever we have for a congress January 2011 (forget any mischief from the lame duck session)
Jun '10
Re: George Will: "When We Have Gridlock, the System is Working"
I have always interpreted the "check" part of "checks and balances" as the ability to stop another government institution from doing something it wants to do (as in "checkmate"). In other words, Madison and the founders consciously built "gridlock" into the constitutional system.
May '10
Re: George Will: "When We Have Gridlock, the System is Working"
Well said, Pilgrim.
Gridlock is good when our government operates as it was initially designed. When government has grown beyond its bounds, gridlock is defeatist. It means settling for the corruption we have, rather than trying to roll it back. Gridlock is the way our government was meant to be but cannot be now.
After this election, Republicans will have the power to stop Democrats. That is a significant achievement, but it's only defense. Without an offence, we only delay our ultimate defeat. Generally, gridlock will suffice until we can do more in 2012.
In the meantime, Pilgrim, Republicans should compromise on some of those issues, but perhaps not on all. On the tax cuts, we should get what we can. But where's the room for compromise on EPA regulation of CO2? They might as well tax us for a Mermaid Protection Fund.
Jun '10
Re: George Will: "When We Have Gridlock, the System is Working"
Aaron, I certainly agree that we should compromise as little as possible on as few items as possible. Some energy regulation that we could live with, or even support, might be put into a bill that expressly denied EPA the powers that the Supreme Court said were granted in prior legislation? New funding for Fannie and Freddie but conditioned on a glide-path to privatization and withdrawal of taxpayer guarantees? Debt ceiling expansion in exchange for return of porkulus and unexpended TARP slush funds? Everything on my prior list is a fait accompli. I am just hoping that we get something back, and gain some credibility with the people. without kicking down the barn. I like a little fat-back with my spinach.
Aug '10
Re: George Will: "When We Have Gridlock, the System is Working"
Pseudodionysius
Songwriter
Jimmy Carter: "Gridlock" sounds as if You could do a 30 second infomercial with it:
"Tired of Yer taxes increasing? Sick of all the federal government waste with so-called 'stimulus plans[?]' Do You fear that government officials will soon be making decisions for Yer healthcare?
Then try new 'Gridlock.' It's easy to use and much more affective than 'squishes.' Simply apply 'Gridlock' Nov. 2 to stop the swelling of government. One application lasts for up to two years!
So, go to Yer nearest polling place and look for 'Gridlock' today!" · Nov 2 at 6:59am
Great post. All you left out was - "But wait! There's more! If you order Gridlock today, we'll throw in a bonus can of 'Rollback' - to get rid of those creeping restrictions on your daily freedoms!" · Nov 2 at 7:06am
You should mention that Gridlock and Rollback are the answer to excessive consumption of Pork and the resultant over stimulus that is causing you to lose sleep at night due to excessive voter fatigue.
"Wouldn't it be nice to have some hope for a change?" · Nov 2 at 8:18am
These commercials write themselves.
Oct '10
Re: George Will: "When We Have Gridlock, the System is Working"
Will has always been one of my favorite conservative pundits.
I don't have ABC in my cable, but i have FOXNEWS. Who's the better pundit? Will or Krauthammer?