Lacter/edit/oct.12/dt1st/mike2nd
Hd Less Is
Not More
The do-nothing Congress has finally found a way to occupy its time: Conduct an impeachment inquiry. For the Republican leadership, what better way to show that it’s actually doing something than to hold hearings on whether the Democratic president should be thrown out of office? Convicting the guy would really provide proof positive that this Congress wasn’t just standing around on Uncle Sam’s dime.
The funny thing is, Americans seem quite content with Congress doing as little as possible on impeachment and most everything else. If such logic seems perverse, consider the results of the latest New York Times/CBS News poll, which showed that Congress’ approval rating only started to dip after it got involved in the impeachment business.
Before that, its approval rating was well over 50 percent, the highest level in a quarter century. Contrast that with last year, when Congress did all that heavy lifting (passing the first balanced budget in three decades, Medicare reform, etc.) and wound up with an approval rating of only 33 percent. It was even lower two years ago when welfare reform and a host of other key measures were signed into law.
This year’s less-is-more strategy, however, isn’t a recipe for good government. Beyond the White House sex scandal (sorry MSNBC), there are a host of matters that Congress hasn’t acted on matters that are substantially more important than stained dresses or cigar props.
Only a very few including the tightening of bankruptcy regulations and funding for the beaten-up but still necessary International Monetary Fund stand any chance of getting through before the end of the session. As of late last week, Congress and the White House were even having trouble agreeing on funding to operate the government.
Not making the cut are managed care reform, an overhaul to the banking system, tax relief for married couples, fast-track trade legislation and changes in the campaign finance laws. There also is some question whether old standbys like the R & D; tax credit will get renewed.
None of this represents the end of the world. But the inability to craft policy whether through compromise or cajoling is distressing, even in the short term. Americans do rely on the federal government for getting things done (even when they’re not always happy with the result). If there’s any doubt, talk to the married couples next April who will get shafted yet again on their taxes. Or the import-export guy whose business nosedives because of a global recession.
The pundits are offering all kinds of explanations for the do-nothing phenomenon, including an ideological split between social conservatives in the House and moderates in the Senate and, until recently, an upbeat view of the economy that makes it politically prudent to lay low. Then, of course, there is the logjam over Clinton.
The reasons are less important than the perceptions. And with the elections less than a month away, it’s more than just the president who must be held accountable for his actions. It’s the 105th Congress, which must be held accountable for its inaction.
