On NPR this afternoon. Simpson & Mitchell-former senators

[ChairmanAgnostic]

They discussed ye good olde days when they fought one another, but still got along on a personal level. They cooperated, they tolerated dissent, they agreed to disagree, and they agreed to agree (get this - it seems so quaint) FOR THE GOOD OF THE NATION!

They were intelligent, honest, and critical of what has happened to the Senate. Both agreed that all of today's divisiveness came about because of the following:

a) after 40 yrs of control, the house Dems became a little arrogant and content with power. (Both also agreed the same would have happened to the GOP in the same way)
b) the people who took over the GOP and led the take-over had absolutely no sense of history, nor respect for the other side. (They did not name names, But Newt, Delay and a few others were clearly fingered by both)
c) the divisiveness they created was deliberate, and even was used to attack moderates in their own party.
d) too many of these punk warriors tried and succeeded to get into the senate, and rather than learn the rules of negotiation and compromise, they brought their house ways and "means" with them, bringing the Senate down to the level of the house.
e) the leadership of the senate did nothing to stop it; in fact, it supported the pnac/neocon take over.
f) the White House fully supported this, by having the minority leader of the senate in the White House (they were both aghast and pissed at this) exactly ONE TIME in SIX YEARS.

Considering that Simpson was a GOP leader and Mitchell, a Dem leader, their words were really impressive and convincing. They also agreed that having a split (one house dem, one house GOP) is much healthier and that one party having a monopoly on all three (the exec AND both houses) was a very bad thing.

how refreshing to have master legislators discuss the process and how it has failed over the past 6 yrs. They both called the last session of congress not just a waste, but destructive and bad for America at large.

I only wish we had people with their wisdom, experience and knowledge back in office. Perhaps Barack Obama's push for civility is not quixote-like at all. Perhaps it is timely and the right thing to do.

Anyway, this was a hell of a radio interview and I hope NPR repeats it.

[wryter2000]

1. There's nothing that'll get me to listen to Alan Simpson

Not after the insulting and condescending things he said to and about Anita Hill. He accused her of having a foul mouth and then pretended surprise (surprise!) that such a nice looking young woman should say such filthy things.

Dumbass

[ChairmanAgnostic]

2. boy, I forgot about that. Seems like ancient history.

I think you would have been impressed by a lot of what he said today. They both made the GOP leadership in Congress and the WH look real bad.

[wryter2000]

7. I'll take it

But I still can't stand the sound of his voice. :hi:

[blm]

3. What caused the problems was too many GOPs and Dems PRETENDING they were

being bipartisan by dropping investigations that would have stopped alot of the ongoing liefests that this nation has endured for so many decades.

The liars would have had to face their lies and the Republican party AND the Democratic party would have been stronger today if they had done so.

Open the books on the last 4 decades and we'll see how united the country can become when they are all hearing the same TRUTHS about what has been done in their name all these years.

http://www.consortiumnews.com/2006/111106.html

[Gman]

4. I changed channels after 10 minutes

of them talking about how great and wonderful the other one was. Classic Senate collegiality.

[Bucky]

5. I'm trying to recall a single politician who hasn't said he intended to work w/ the opposition

I'm trying to think of single candidate who didn't say he intended to bring dignity, decency, and ethics to the White House. I think they all say it. I'll wait for someone to do it. Of course when Clinton did that, he was called a Dino and denounced for triangulating and selling out Democratic values.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

6. newt. frist. McConnell. Delay. Sanitorium. Boyner (until the last election)

They all said "my way, or the highway" and actively promoted the idea that they did not care one whit about the Democrat party position.