Terry v. Jackson: Say What?

by: Ryan Anderson

Oooo... I like this new format. Gives me an excuse to cover certain stories where extended comment just doesn't seem possible. Like this item from yesterday's OWH editorial page: If Congress exhibited the same passion for solving problems that US Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. showed when confronted by Rep. Lee Terry about alleged taunts, perhaps progress on immigration, anti-terror tools, responsible budgeting and postwar Iraq might be taking place. Instead, another day goes by when the House of Representatives is better known for posturing and political threats than accomplishing the people's business. That is a shame. Maybe I'm just being incredibly dense here, but the only comment I can muster is this: huh? Though I'm tempted to just leave the OWH with my patented, spot-on Gary Coleman impression ("Whatcha talkin' bout, Harold?"), let me hazard a guess that this is some kind of joke. Har har, if only we could see that fighting spirit directed towards the national interest, then maybe we'd see something being done about the great issues of our time. The issues?  Terrorism, immigration, the Iraq war... does the World Herald seriously think what's lacking from these debates is passion? We must be watching two different C-Spans, because I see passion and spirit and fight invested into these issues daily on the floor of both the House and the Senate. What I don't see is a consensus from the Republican Party that these proposals deserve up-or-down votes. I don't see an administration willing to negotiate with Congress in good faith for the change in direction we so desperately need. And I definitely don't see a local media willing to hold its own representatives feet to the fire, to place the blame where it belongs and give the credit where it's due. That is a shame.