Political Command and Control
The midterm elections have been widely viewed as a sudden change of direction, with Democrats seizing the wheel from Republicans. While that may be true, the big electoral news — news that has gone largely unnoticed — is this: After decades of weakness, after sideswipes from independent candidates, the two major parties are back. Indeed, they are more potent and influential than at any time in the past century.
Parties, which grew strong in Congress after Reconstruction, began to fray after 1910, when a group of progressive Republicans joined with the Democratic minority in a revolt against the House speaker, Joseph Cannon.… Seguir leyendo »