The president's favourite pundit is depressed by the bills on climate change and healthcare that are emerging from Capitol Hill, and thinks Obama is being overly deferential to the legislative branch:
The great paradox of the age is that Barack Obama, the most riveting of recent presidents, is leading us into an era of Congressional dominance. And Congressional governance is a haven for special interest pleading and venal logrolling.
When the executive branch is dominant you often get coherent proposals that may not pass. When Congress is dominant, as now, you get politically viable mishmashes that don’t necessarily make sense.
Brooks frames Obama's timid approach to legislating as an over-reaction to the failure of Clinton's healthcare plan in 1994, which was blamed on an arrogant White House attempting to impose a detailed bill on Congress. Obama and his team might plead that all they're trying to do is act within the letter and spirit of the constitution.
Either way, Brooks's conclusion is difficult to argue with. When was the last time Congress passed a truly bold, difficult, interest-smashing piece of legislation? 1965?
Comments