THE INABILITY OF THE GOVERNOR IS NOT THE UNGOVERNABILITY OF THE REPUBLIC:

America The Ungovernable (Michael Cohen, 1/25/10, Newsweek)

[A]nother, more disturbing, conclusion can be drawn from the Democrats' sudden reversal of fortune in Massachusetts—a mere year after Obama's historic victory. Is America simply ungovernable? Are the impediments to governance so great—obstructionist Republicans, spineless Democrats, and an increasingly incoherent electorate—that no one can run the country effectively?

We of a certain age recall with some hilarity that when Jimmy Carter was president it was similarly claimed that the fault for his ineptitude lay in the structure of government. A day of the Reagan presidency ended that silliness.

Fun to see them trot the hobby horse out again one presidency after George W. Bush had the most successful first year in modern presidential history despite losing control of the Senate to the Democrats. Somehow the ideologue/idiot managed to work with Ted Kennedy and pass NCLB--his signature bill.

You revive a meme from the carter years not because it is any truer now but because the occupant of the Oval is Carteresque.

Posted by Orrin Judd at January 25, 2010 8:09 PM