NEW CASTLE —
The national approval rating for Congress hovers around 18 percent, according to various polls.
We think that figure speaks volumes about the disgust most Americans have for the House and Senate.
(We also think it speaks volumes about the 18 percent of Americans who apparently think Washington is working quite well. What’s wrong with them?)
Anyway, with this sort of approval rating, you might conclude most lawmakers are in trouble with the folks back home. Such a stark revelation of public opinion ought to signal a massive voter backlash.
But that’s not the case. Most members of Congress enjoy what are called “safe” seats. Absent some sort of scandal or other unexpected turn of events, they face little danger of being thrown out of office.
And as Congress’ overall popularity drops, the number of safe seats seems to grow.
According to Nate Silver, the New York Times data analyst who picked 50 out of 50 states correctly in November’s presidential election, the House had 103 swing districts in 1992 — meaning they were up for grabs by either party. Today, Silver calculates that number at just 35.
The reason has to do with a process called gerrymandering. Both parties have gotten the practice of carving out safe districts down to a hard science.
Congressional redistricting in most states is designed to serve the party in power and the incumbents who hold seats. Creating compact, sensible districts that serve constituencies is of no concern to those making the decisions.
Not only does the lack of competitive districts protect incumbents, it also contributes to the ideological gulf we are seeing in Washington. Basically, most incumbents in the House retain their seats by appealing to the activist voters in their district — either Democrats or Republicans. For most of these lawmakers, there is no incentive to reach across the aisle or talk about the need to compromise.
In fact, such suggestions are tantamount to treason in some districts. The danger to many incumbents in safe districts comes from within their own party — from potential challengers who are even more ideologically extreme.
Because of gerrymandering, compromise and dialogue have all but vanished in Washington. It’s been replaced with a system of brinksmanship that produces an endless series of conflicts and crises that allow underlying problems to go unresolved.
This is absolutely contrary to the American tradition. From the founding of this country — despite deep political differences — the need to compromise and negotiate always has been essential in addressing America’s concerns.
Are there ways to get Congress back on track? We think so, and we’ll look at those tomorrow.
Editorials
Our Opinion: Gerrymandering creates conditions for endless conflict
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Our Opinion: New Castle school tuition travesty? Enough is enough
New Castle’s taxpayers deserve an explanation. And some money. With the release of the latest Pennsylvania auditor general’s report on the city’s schools, it’s been revealed that some district employees abused taxpayers to the tune of more than $110,000.
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Our Opinion: IRS probe may reveal multiple problems
When a murky scandal is investigated, the goal is to obtain clarity, as well as to right any wrongs. But reaching such a conclusion can be a tortuous process. And so it is with the current probe of allegations of political targeting by the Internal Revenue Service.
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Our Opinion: Supreme Court rejects patents on human coding
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Our Opinion: Vo-tech nursing program faces elimination in budget crunch
The past few years have been difficult financially for Pennsylvania’s education system. Tight budgets produced by an economic slowdown, weakening support from Harrisburg and an ever-increasing rise in personnel costs has created a fiscal bind for most school districts, those in Lawrence County included.
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Our Opinion: Government’s seizing records a threat to liberty
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Our Opinion: News leaks reveal dramatic scope of government data collection
(First of two editorials): In case you had any doubts, Big Brother is watching. And listening. And for all we know, smelling and tasting as well.
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Our Opinion: Pennsylvania has transportation needs, but plan has problems
Spending money on transportation projects is a popular political pastime. After all, what’s not to like about programs that create jobs and make driving smoother and safer? Yes, construction is an inconvenience, but generally, the public understands it’s necessary for the greater good.
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Our Opinion: IRS conferences take advantage of public funds
Things aren’t getting any better for the Internal Revenue Service. In fact, the credibility of the nation’s tax collection organization seems to be eroding away as Americans look on with disgust.
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Our Opinion: Ruling assures sweeping access to DNA
Do you trust government? Well, you better, thanks to a new U.S. Supreme Court decision that gives law enforcement — and ultimately others in government — the ability to access sweeping new information about individuals.
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Our Opinion: Declines recorded all across Lawrence County in latest data
Lawrence County’s long trend of population decline was highlighted when the Census Bureau reported yet another drop. Last month, the bureau said that the county’s population fell from 91,108 in 2010 to 89,871 in 2012. This compares to figures from 1960, when the county’s population was recorded at 112,965.
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