So we’re waiting on Congress to act before anything gets ok’d?
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AW
Apologies to an unknown (to me, anyway) cartoonist where I saw this decades ago. Some things never change.
AW,
Very good cartoon.
We are waiting no the American public.
Be careful what you wish for. The Supreme Court is not deciding where any of this winds up.
Another view is that the Supreme Court is shipping things back to Congress for action. Kicking Congress in the butt, so to speak.
If only Congress could get its act together and put away endless gridlock.
…If only Congress could get its act together and put away endless gridlock.
To put the situation into SCOTUSese, kicking the can down the road is “deeply rooted” in Shinyland.
Steve
“If only Congress could get its act together and put away endless gridlock.”
Do be careful what you wish for.
Howie52
Congress exists to collect campaign funding from big money contributors, and lucrative, post-retirement business opportunities for Members.
Legislative inaction doesn’t seem to interfere with either.
intercst
Yes, and gridlock means they can continue to enjoy their perks while blaming all the inaction on someone else.
Not voting for anything is almost without risk. If they do something, one side or the other may criticize.
There has only been one vote since 1981 that has mattered, all of those votes to cut taxes on the top bracket.
The rest of it is a sideshow.
That is until this court.
Do be careful what you wish for.
Yes, its known as the terror of the majority. Our founding fathers were careful to make sure that didn’t happen in the US system. Boy did they succeed. In spades.
In the parliamentary system, when a government fails, usually over some issue, they hold an election soon after. Everyone has the issue fresh in their mind when they vote. So voters have direct input.
Our system of voting by the calendar means a dozen issues may be on their mind (or forgotten) when voters vote.
Yes, when parliamentary government forms a government they have the power to pass almost anything they want. Easy, peasy. And not taking care of minorities. Or non-winning interests.
A friend pointed out Britains efforts to privatize some industries. Apparently it went back and forth several times as they took an industry private and then nationalized it again. As different interests came to power. It can take a while to sort things out and decide what is best.
No doubt without our system of checks and balances issues like gun rights and abortion would have been decided years ago (or reversed repeatedly).
If only Congress could get its act together and put away endless gridlock.
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FYI:
It was FY 1997, that was the last time congress finished their budgetary requirements BEFORE the fiscal year began!!!
How have the congress-critters performed recently?
2020: the 1st Continuing Resolution (CR) moved the deadline to Dec 11th, the FOUR more CRs moved it to Dec 28th. Appropriations passed Dec 27.
2018: the 1st CR moved the deadline to Dec 7th, another CR pushed the deadline to Dec 21st: President Trump vetoed a proposed extension to Feb 8th 2019–triggering a 35-day partial shutdown of the Govt. Three appropriation bills signed Feb 15.
sunrayman
perpetually disgusted taxpayer & Voter with a memory
p.s. Anybody really think they will be done by the end of Sept???
Yes, its known as the terror of the majority. Our founding fathers were careful to make sure that didn’t happen in the US system. Boy did they succeed. In spades.
Too bad they didn’t do the same with the terror of the minority.
AW
In our system, they certainly did make it possible for the minority to block legislation. And passage in two houses of Congress tends to do the same plus President’s signature.
Passing legislation is not easy.
I do not think we can lay it off on our system v the parliamentary system.
I think all of these popular positions decided by the prior supreme court justices took the public support for them off the table. No need for congressional action. This court is unleashing the public. Full of irony and actually their purpose.
If you look at the 1932 to 1980 period congressional action was non stop. The only major goal in the 1981 to 2020 period was to cut taxes for the super wealthy. The country did not do well during supply side econ.
“If only Congress could get its act together and put away endless gridlock.”
Gridlock is the safest form of government. It gives lawmakers time to think, if they are so inclined.
The Captain
Gridlock is the safest form of government. It gives lawmakers time to think, if they are so inclined.
Captain,
That conclusion is simplistic.
The 1981 to 2020 gridlock has meant very low GDP growth.
If you stack that growth up against China’s GDP growth it means we as a nation have failed. In particular we have failed our manufacturing base.
In our system, they certainly did make it possible for the minority to block legislation. And passage in two houses of Congress tends to do the same plus President’s signature. Passing legislation is not easy.
Add the unchallenged Senate filibuster and gridlock is guaranteed. Congress has an easy job when it is allowed to just endlessly talk (the filibuster) and not actually do anything or make any decisions. Congress does act when there is a crisis (2001, 2008, 2020), but does little to prevent crisis or make progress.
Congress is allowed a few bills every year to deal with the budget (reconciliation) that can pass with 50% in the Senate. But these are limited to budget items, and so Congress is constantly changing the tax code to enact legislation.
As an example, the airline industry is in turmoil. Not enough pilots, too few carriers, many cancelled flights. Some say Congress should act to prevent a crisis.
— links —
Pilot shortages have caused thousands of delays and cancellations. Can air travel ever improve?, July 06, 2022
A pilot shortage that’s been brewing for years adds to the summer travel chaos.
Airlines are cutting flight schedules. You can expect longer lines and higher fares.
The US airline industry is more concentrated than ever, with only 4 major carriers, and no new carriers in the last 14 years. Most major carriers (2002 United, 2011 American, 2005 Delta) have gone bankrupt before but now might be too big to fail. Was the 1978 deregulation a failure?
https://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2022/07/06/airline-flight-cance…
“A filibuster is … characterized as a form of obstruction in a legislature or other decision-making body… The procedures of the [UK] House of Commons require that members cover only points germane to the topic under consideration or the debate underway whilst speaking… It is not part of the US Constitution, becoming theoretically possible with a change of Senate rules only in 1806 and not used until 1837. Rarely used for much of the Senate’s first two centuries, it was strengthened in the 1970s and in recent years, the majority has preferred to avoid filibusters by moving to other business when a filibuster is threatened and attempts to achieve cloture have failed. As a result, in recent decades this has come to mean that all major legislation (apart from budgets) now requires a 60% majority to pass.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filibuster
Congress does stuff all the time. But lots of it is ceremonial and not very significant.
When everyone agrees something should be done Congress acts. Controversial issues usually end in gridlock. Hence people rely on the Supreme Court to make difficult decisions.
This court seems to reject that role and increasingly sends tough decisions back to Congress (or the states).
Rarely used for much of the Senate’s first two centuries, it was strengthened in the 1970s
Originally, the filibuster required a Senator opposed to a bill to actually stand up and talk. They could yield the floor to an ally, but SOMEBODY had to keep talking. This was a significant effort, took some organization…
Now, it only requires that a Senator say “I am filibustering this bill” and the Senate moves on to another topic. Almost no effort. No organization.
Wonder why filibusters became more common…
people rely on the Supreme Court to make difficult decisions.
This court seems to reject that role and increasingly sends tough decisions back to Congress (or the states).
A crucially important and accurate point with big macro implications. If SCOTUS were balanced in its pushback we would only have a small constitional crisis, but with the imbalance we may get a big constitutional crisis with a very hard to predict outcome.
I predict either chaos or a moderate left victory when all is over in about 15 years, but then I’m the idiot who confidently claimed “Ain’t gonna be no Brexit” because that wss so obviously stupid…
david fb
“As an example, the airline industry is in turmoil. Not enough pilots, too few carriers, many cancelled flights. Some say Congress should act to prevent a crisis.”
and how?
When air travel by PASSENGERS went way down, airlines had to downsize. The offered pilots ‘early retirement’ to reduce payrolls. Same likely for other crew members with lots of years. Just like ANY business would do.
No one could predict the sudden turn around, least of all the government.
Yeah, let’s have the government do something! Maybe force retired pilots back to work? How would that be in your book? Same for crew members! Ordered out of retirement and back to work!
Otherwise, how is the government going to fix this other than threaten gigantic fines for ‘late’ and ‘canceled’ flights, which will lead to 30% of flights being canceled for the future until crews are built up again. Is that your solution?
Oh, whenever there’s a problem, there’s always some politician demanding ‘government action’.
You can’t fix stupid. Two years ago, the Chicago shooter had all his knives and swords confiscated by the police. Three months later, his father BOUGTH HIM a rifle - A 16 year old troubled youth - and nearly two years later he used it in the July 4th parade…
t.