Political Gridlock Is a Good Thing

Voters in the U.S. generally recognize that political gridlock is better than one-party rule — a judgment that seems lost on the ruling class. Since the founding of our country, Americans have been mistrustful of government — especially a distant centralized government that dictates how they should live their lives. Liberty seems to be implanted into the genes of most Americans. We recognize that a too-powerful government is a threat to liberty, and government is most powerful when it is ruled by one party. The damage that can be done to liberty by one-party rule was on national display when democrats in Congress rammed Obmacare through against the will of the American people.

I find the specter of one-party rule by Democrats who generally favor bigger government to be most frightening. One-party rule by Republicans who say they favor smaller government but continue to support the growth of government is only slightly less frightening. In America we have far more government than is needed; most of the legislation that is passed at the federal, state and local levels of government is not necessary for the protection of a free people.

Recognizing that big-government policies, supported by many Democrats, have failed to bring Michigan out of its economic slump, voters have given Republicans control of the machinery of state government. As we look forward to a new year, let's hope we are not once again disappointed with decisions made by the ruling class in Lansing and find ourselves pining for the days of political gridlock.

Permission to reprint this blog post in whole or in part is hereby granted, provided that the author (or authors) and the Mackinac Center for Public Policy are properly cited.