One of the most celebrated “Average Joe takes on the Government” movies of all time is Mr. Smith Goes To Washington, with Jimmy Stewart. Dozens of movies have since copied the idea of one man or woman fighting for justice and all that is good by giving those DC folks an earful. It is, like most movies that take the unlikely and stretch it into the reasonably possible, mostly a fairy tale; it is chicken soup for the frustrated citizenry. Mr. Smith stopped Congress from voting into law an unfair bill by filibustering for 23 straight hours, by himself. One man, one mission, one government being taught a lesson in what is just. The moral was that everyone gets a say, and everyone has power.

This month, two Republican senators, Sen. Jim Bunning of Kentucky, and Senator Richard Shelby of Alabama, had their own warped Mr. Smith moment. Sen. Bunning stopped the vote on an extension of unemployment benefits for 200,000 Americans, because, according to him, the government just couldn’t “afford” to pay for it. Sen. Shelby held the nomination process of 70 qualified candidates, most for important Defense roles, because he wanted to secure two pet projects for his home state. They both claimed to be representing the will of the people…but which people? And does this type of representation even qualify as “democratic”?

In a country of over 300,000,000, should the survival of a personal ideology, or the prosperity of a few sweetheart companies, be enough to suspend government? Sen. Bunning’s halt led to thousands of people not getting their unemployment check in the mail, when long-term unemployment is at a historic high. Sen. Shelby’s “blanket hold” (ceasing all Senate activity through procedural maneuvering) left critical Defense and National Security posts empty. Is this still part of a democracy?

On the other end, there are tools and protocols in our system that are misused. The filibuster is no longer used to debate or give pause to transformative legislation. It is now used to fight petty political battles, or threaten gridlock for the sake of a political win. The reconciliation process, which is inherently democratic, is called “partisan” and “forceful” for the same reason.

The rules and the tone of the discussion are being rewritten constantly, by both the majority and minority party. There is no consensus on what classifies as “consensus.” A filibuster can be patriotic to some, obstructionist to others; majorities are allowed to set the pace of the agenda, unless you are in the minority and want your vote to count as much as when you were in power. A see-saw like this can make any American feel thrown out of the process.

With the midterm elections 9 months away, it’s unlikely that the see-saw will slow down. The aftermath of those elections, however, will be a rude awakening for many. Bunning and Shelby are up for re-election this year, so their antics may be more of a show than an pervading attitude. GOP Senator Mitch McConnell’s incessant call for filibustering anything touched by Democratic hands may be more of a distraction maneuver than a party strategy. It may all be glitz and fireworks.

But if Americans want to send a message to political divas, letting them know that power should always be more of a burden than a benefit, they must cast a vote against those flaunting it recklessly. If Americans wants someone like Mr. Smith to have a chance to exist in our politics, they must vote for people who want to fight the good fight, not just fight for the sake of fighting.

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Tags:   democracy · jim bunning · richard shelbyNo Comments