What has gummit wrought?

The more things change ….

In reading an article recently, some phrases starting jumping off the page like a frog in a hot skillet.

 “The plain fact is that the integrity of our government is threatened by a group lobby claiming to speak for millions of Americans.”

 “The recent pay increase voted by members of Congress caused a popular explosion that sent many Congressmen back to private life….”

 “Part of the problem is that Congress does not understand what it is spending. Enormous office buildings have been erected, connected by costly underground passages.”

 “Congressmen speak to empty (seats).” A real debate on the floor has almost ceased to be. Congressmen pass their days in their private offices (and in meeting after meeting after meeting) ….”

 “The forefathers of this country, when they framed out Constitution, were thinking in terms of a small nation ….They did not have the luxury or foresight to visualize a nation of (300 million) people occupying a whole continent ….”

 “Had they anticipated such an outcome, they would no doubt have (implicated the following):

“The president shall be elected for a term of six years and shall be ineligible for re-election.

“Members of the Senate shall be elected for a term of 12 years and shall be ineligible for re-election.

“Members of the House of Representatives shall be elected to a term of three years and the alternate Congressional elections shall synchronize with presidential elections ….”

 “Most voters take no interest in the choice of their legislators. Congressmen are chosen by the votes of small majorities ….”

 “If these are permanent habits of our democracy, it is difficult to see how government of the people through its elected representatives can succeed ….”

The punchline? The source of the article is the Atlantic Monthly magazine, 1935.

As it is written … read it and weep.