| Topic: |
Politics > Politics-USA |
| User: |
"Harry Hope" |
| Date: |
11 Nov 2006 12:48:41 PM |
| Object: |
For Incoming Democrats, Populism Trumps Ideology. |
For Incoming Democrats, Populism Trumps Ideology
By ROBIN TONER and KATE ZERNIKE
WASHINGTON --
The newly elected Democratic class of 2006, which is set to descend on
the Capitol next week, will hardly be the first freshmen to arrive in
Washington promising to make a difference.
The last time Congress changed hands, the Republican freshman class of
1994 roared into town under the leadership of Newt Gingrich as speaker
and quickly advanced a conservative agenda of exceptional ambition.
Many in the class of 2006, especially those who delivered the new
Democratic majorities by winning Republican seats, show little
appetite for that kind of ideological crusade.
But in interviews with nearly half of them this week, the freshmen
conveyed a keen sense of their own moment in history, and a distinct
world view:
they say they were given a rare opportunity by voters, many of them
independents and Republicans, who were tired of the partisanship and
gridlock in Washington.
Now, they say, they have to produce -- to deal with long-festering
problems like access to affordable health care and the loss of
manufacturing jobs, and to find a bipartisan consensus for an exit
strategy in Iraq, a source of continuing division not only between but
also within the parties.
Many of them say they must also, somehow, find a way to address the
growing anxiety among voters about a global economy that no longer
seems to work for them.
There is a strong populist tinge to this class.
______________________________________________________
Gratefully
Harry
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| User: "" |
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| Title: Re: For Incoming Democrats, Populism Trumps Ideology. |
11 Nov 2006 01:53:13 PM |
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Harry Hope wrote:
For Incoming Democrats, Populism Trumps Ideology
By ROBIN TONER and KATE ZERNIKE
WASHINGTON --
The newly elected Democratic class of 2006, which is set to descend on
the Capitol next week, will hardly be the first freshmen to arrive in
Washington promising to make a difference.
The last time Congress changed hands, the Republican freshman class of
1994 roared into town under the leadership of Newt Gingrich as speaker
and quickly advanced a conservative agenda of exceptional ambition.
Many in the class of 2006, especially those who delivered the new
Democratic majorities by winning Republican seats, show little
appetite for that kind of ideological crusade.
Don't know about any 'ideological crusade' but I do think that a few
investigation committees subpoening some people would have been in
order.
The way to stop corruption is by exposing and punishing it - and not by
covering it up.
Covering it up only allows corruption to persist and ultimately gives
it the opportunity to infect new victim legislators.
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