Jonathan Day

Congressman Anthony Weiner, a Democrat from New York, said this: “We’ve always been a majority rule country since our founding. We’ve never been a 60% to-get-something-done country.”
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Are you kidding me? Wash your mouth out congressman or go back to school! This statement from the congressman is either an outright lie or complete ignorance of our government. Either of these is completely unacceptable coming from any congressperson. We have been a 60% to-get-something-done country since 1975, when the Democrats changed it from 67% (the cloture rule). We are also a 67% to-get-something-done country because that’s what it takes in both houses of Congress to override a presidential veto. We are also a 75% to-get-something done country because that’s what it takes in one procedure to establish a constitutional amendment.
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This talking point: “we are a majority rule country” has been circulating for some time. I just wanted to make clear in writing that this is very deceptive! At least President Obama left this talking point at deception whereas the Congressman from New York extended this to an outright lie (or complete ignorance).
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Robert Dahl in his book, A Preface to Democratic Theory, made it clear that “American government was founded primarly on the principle of protecting minorities rather than swiftly implementing majority desires.” (Wattenberg, 1991)

I have been reading Jules Witcover’s book, Marathon. It’s about the political events between 1972 and 1976. President Ford developed the reputation as a bumbler between 1974-1976. There were two assassination attempts on Ford, he would trip and bump into things, and he had some trouble pronouncing words like geothermal.  They parodied the song, “If I only had a brain” (Wizard of Oz) for President Ford.  The lyrics are:

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I could while away the hours
Reflecting on my powers,
As we go down the drain
I could spend like Rockefeller,
I could talk like Walter Heller,
If I only had a brain.

I could overcome inflation
Put gas in every station
And we would feel no pain
I could make the Arabs cower,
I could be an Eisenhower
If I only had a brain.

Oh, gee, if I could be
Like Truman in his prime;
Salty speeches whipping Congress into line,
Say “geothermal” – the first time.

I could hold down grocery prices,
Wipe out the oil crisis,
Solve problems with no strain.
I could do a lot of thinkin’,
I could be another Lincoln,
If I only had a brain.

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This shows that it isn’t just George W. Bush who developed this reputation.