It is all about Newt.

[Duck_walk]

I saw some interviews of repubs and Dems in Congress and they pretty much agreed this extreme polarization in Congress started with Newt Gingrich.

Back in 79-80, CSPAN came about and he started giving speeches at night which would be shown on CSPAN during the week and since the camera was zoomed in people assumed he was attacking Dems patriotism to their face and they weren’t responding, when in reality there was no one in the audience. He distributed a list of strong words for pubs to use when describing democrats.

Then when he became speaker a couple of significant changes occurred. 1. People who raised the most money for the GOP got the chairs of all the important committees so they had to spend an absurd amount of time fundraising. Both parties do this now.

2. As a cost cutting measure they cut way back on the staffs of all U.S reps which meant they no longer employed subject matter experts to help keep them informed and write bills, which pretty much turned over bill writing to lobbyists.

3. Also power over what bills are debated in the house and senate have evolved into being centralized to the speaker and senate majority leader like never before.

 

[3Rfan]

I saw some interviews of repubs and Dems in Congress and they pretty much agreed this extreme polarization in Congress started with Newt Gingrich.

Back in 79-80, CSPAN came about and he started giving speeches at night which would be shown on CSPAN during the week and since the camera was zoomed in people assumed he was attacking Dems patriotism to their face and they weren’t responding, when in reality there was no one in the audience. He distributed a list of strong words for pubs to use when describing democrats.

Then when he became speaker a couple of significant changes occurred. 1. People who raised the most money for the GOP got the chairs of all the important committees so they had to spend an absurd amount of time fundraising. Both parties do this now.

2. As a cost cutting measure they cut way back on the staffs of all U.S reps which meant they no longer employed subject matter experts to help keep them informed and write bills, which pretty much turned over bill writing to lobbyists.

3. Also power over what bills are debated in the house and senate have evolved into being centralized to the speaker and senate majority leader like never before.

Along with federal judges. McConnell wouldn't bring them up for approval for YEARS waiting for the next republican president now he's running them through like clock work. Last number I heard was 174 approved fro these LIFETIME appointments since Trump took office. I still say NO ONE should get a lifetime appointment for ANY job in government. I'm sure the founders would be very proud of what has become common practice by the speaker and majority leaders in congress.

 

[SadButTrue]

Your gop buddies on this forum would like to see fat donnie get a lifetime appointment.

 

[3Rfan]

Your gop buddies on this forum would like to see fat donnie get a lifetime appointment.

So would donnie.

 

[Peter Quill]

I saw some interviews of repubs and Dems in Congress and they pretty much agreed this extreme polarization in Congress started with Newt Gingrich.

Back in 79-80, CSPAN came about and he started giving speeches at night which would be shown on CSPAN during the week and since the camera was zoomed in people assumed he was attacking Dems patriotism to their face and they weren’t responding, when in reality there was no one in the audience. He distributed a list of strong words for pubs to use when describing democrats.

Then when he became speaker a couple of significant changes occurred. 1. People who raised the most money for the GOP got the chairs of all the important committees so they had to spend an absurd amount of time fundraising. Both parties do this now.

2. As a cost cutting measure they cut way back on the staffs of all U.S reps which meant they no longer employed subject matter experts to help keep them informed and write bills, which pretty much turned over bill writing to lobbyists.

3. Also power over what bills are debated in the house and senate have evolved into being centralized to the speaker and senate majority leader like never before.

And how dare he write a fictional book on the Civil war where the south wins!

 

[Duck_walk]

What exactly that has with the cause of dysfunction in our government, I do not know.