Even though he's writing about Georgia, it's relevant on a national level.
http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/stories/0201edbarr.htmlLegislators, fight urge to go overboard
By BOB BARR
Published on: 02/01/06
In January 1995, I and more than 50 other freshman Republicans were sworn in as part of the first GOP majority in the House of Representatives in four decades.
It was a heady time. Plans were already under way to dramatically cut the size of government and its power over businesses and individuals. For a few years, it worked; not smoothly, but at least there was progress. We balanced the federal budget for the first time since the 1960s, significantly reformed welfare and cut taxes.
Unfortunately, like an old car patched together with duct tape and electrical wire, it started to sputter, slow down and eventually died. Now the federal budget and its accompanying debt are at all-time highs. Domestic discretionary spending has skyrocketed.
In many areas, government power over the citizenry is more prevalent and pervasive than under Democrat administrations. The Republican leadership is mired in defending itself against charges of corruption.
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It's frightening just how much I've agreed with him lately, with the exception of this little gem:
"The fundamental challenge facing Georgia state legislators — who belong to a party that was kept from the trough of power for far longer than their colleagues at the national level — is to resist the urge to force individuals, business, communities and local governments to do what the legislators want. This, of course, is what the Democrats did for decades."
Seriously, was there any need for this little slap? Ever since the GA GOP got control of the House and Senate here, they've been drunk with power. They've managed to become the thing they bitched, moaned and railed against for well over a hundred years in a matter of two years. Overachievers :sarcasm: