All Politics Are Local

It is a truism that all politics are local. It is tantamont to affirming that survival is the primary impulse of any being. But here's the rub about local politics in Washington. More and more the local politics of D.C. are not connected to the politics back home in the states. For example, Senator Feingold's reolution to censure President Bush for violating the Constitution and the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, I.E. Bush spied on Americans without a warrant, found little or no support for an immediate vote by the Senate. Instead it was kicked into a committee where it will probably be talked to death. Since the committee is run by the local republican mandarins nothing will happen. Who is served by this tactic, the Washington crowd or the voters back home? With a 60% plus disapproval rating of Bush's performance, the Washington locals foiled a legitimate vote of censure.Equally repulsive is the revelations of Team Hillbilly ( Clintons together). Hillary is fighting the Dubai Ports World deal while Billy is taking millions from Dubai as a quasi-lobbyist trying to get the deal done!

What can be done? Washington has becomes filled with charlatans with few exceptions. The antidote to their quackery is to withdraw issues that they have control over. For example, education should be a state responsibility. Also war should only be fought after a National Referendum . Simply keep more power at the state level where would-be charlatans can be monitored more closely.