Echoing Evan Bayh

I read the piece Evan Bayh had in the New York Times. I agree. The partisanship of Congress is disabling the ability of those bodies to get things done. Being elected to Congress is not about getting re-elected, it’s about serving your constituents, state and country.

It’s important for me here to come out as a Republican, but these days I’m astonished by what the party seems to be for. I’m a fiscal conservative and a social moderate, I would like to see the party be more concerned about people and small business than on-the- mountaintop pronouncements.

The reason why there are multiple parties is that no single party has the answer. They must come together to effectively govern. The rhetorical silence of the Republicans is not characteristic of a party that wishes to govern. A game is being played that damages the credibility of Congress.

It is a dangerous game because the radical elements within the Right are emboldened and the frustrations of others rise. The Tea Party Movement to my mind seems all about revolution, and some seem to spoil for armed conflict. I fear violence. I’m sure some on the Right might not have said coup d’état aloud, but they have pleasant dreams of it.

I don’t think that is has yet to register to some Republicans and the rich elites who are their fellow travelers that the economy is in crisis and fixing that crisis has required extraordinary steps to stem total collapse.  A lack of regulation has played no small role in these troubles. You would think that the party of business would understand that in finance there must be trust, and if you violate that trust you will pay dearly. This trust is manifested in rules and regulations unless there is a nation and a party infected with greed.

I hate to see what is happening to my party. I hate to see good men like Evan Bayh leave public service, but I understand why.