King John was such a big nauseating spectacle when i last saw him standing in front of the white house fence many years ago. it looked like he was on the wrong side of a barred cell.

And you have to wonder: If King John ever in his most lucid moment paid enough attention to a real story in Washington that was a blockbustin' muckrakin' ugly spectacle of exploitation and abuse, would he even know it -- much less report on it?

My guess... like a tree falling in the forest when it comes to old King John... nada...zip...

I guess it depends on whether you believe in representative democracy, or if you think that Bennett knows what's right for his constituents better than they do.

I guess it depends on whether you believe in representative democracy, or if you think that Bennett knows what's right for his constituents better than they do.

Your representative owes you, not his industry only, but his judgment; and he betrays, instead of serving you, if he sacrifices it to your opinion.

or if you understand what "representative democracy" actually means

Or if you want to ignore plain meaning and common sense...

Good for him -- and praise to King, for asking the question.

The prophet of record on this is Henry Hyde, who gave a speech to incoming Republican freshmen in 1992, after the last election in which Republicans were the minority before the Contract with America.

Hyde told 'em -- congratulations for getting here. Now comes the hard part, and I'm not going to give you the cliches about how for the first two weeks, you will wonder how you got here where the nation's laws are made, walking where Lincoln and Clay and George White walked, and for the rest of your career, you'll wonder how the rest of us got here. I'm going to give you a better piece of advice: go home tonight, and write down on a piece of paper the issue on which you are prepared to LOSE.

He said, look -- this is the bigtime. We debate real issues here. Reasonable, principled people can disagree -- and lots of 'em are smarter and better-informed than you or I will ever be. You will always be tempted to split the difference, to look for a way out of a tough choice -- and sometimes, that will be the right thing to do. Everybody will understand when you don't want to be forced to choose between your own opinion and your party, or between your party, your opinion, even your principles, and your district. Finessing that is part of what a US Representative has to do -- and that's a good thing, an important skill. Not everything needs to be all or nothing.

But, he told 'em, if NOTHING is that important to you -- you're no good to us, and you're no good to America. So go home, and be honest with yourself: what is the issue you are willing to have such an open and plain disagreement with your employers -- the voters of your district -- that you are willing to provoke them to fire you over it?

And he said: be real, too. No fair writing down "my commitment to national defense" when you're from a district with a US navy shipyard and a fighter jet engine factory next to an Army base.

Maybe you're pro-life, from a pro-choice district. Maybe you think that Army base should have been closed right after the Indian Wars. Maybe you've concluded a big chunk of your constituents are on the take and should start making an honest living. The truth is, IMNSHO, open disagreement between the voters and their Representatives on specific matters is the best barometer of the health of the republic.

The point is, Hyde told 'em -- if YOU don't know what the issue is that you are willing to lose over, you simply cannot do this job.

I wrote about it a couple times, in pieces with titles like: "Can you Hyde?", and I always wanted to survey all 535 of 'em, keeping a running list of who was willing to answer the question honestly.

Anybody wants to take up that project, feel free to steal the idea.

His answer should have been:

"Yes, but I reject the premise of your question -the country is overwhelmingly in favor of health reform, even though some of those people believe the current bill has been watered down."

I'd consider the question the ultimate soft ball and the answer the ultimate no brainer. If I were a senator and all I cared about was re-election I would certainly answer yes. Same if I cared about the public interest.

We learned nothing about Senator Bennet from his answer. The only thing the exchange suggests about King is that he wants Coloradoans to re-elect Bennet.

Don't miss the unspoken premise of King's question: REGARDLESS of whether the eventual policy will be popular, it is possible, even likely, that opponents will be able to frame the issue and keep supporters on the defensive to the point that some will lose -- maybe a lot.

Remember Triple M, Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinksy, the one-term US Representative from Pennsylvania who cast a deciding vote on Clinton's 1993 budget?

For all his flaws, the Big Dog led the nation through 8 years of peace and prosperity, and that first budget was the very big first step -- and it really did kill Margolies-Mezvinksy's Congressional career.

Enough with the circular firing squad crap: let's keep THEM on the defensive.

And, puh-leeze, give it up over the notion that asking a guy if he's willing to lose over a vote is the "ultimate softball" -- ask MMM if answering yes with an ACTUAL VOTE helped her any.

Senator Bennett wasn't elected he was appointed. I believe he is doing what his citizenry want based upon input and of course his own personal values. I have called his office in support of health care reform as have many, many others here in Colorado. It is the right thing to do for America.

I wrote about it a couple times, in pieces with titles like: "Can you Hyde?",

Oooh! How very clever! My gosh I am impressed!

Or if you want to ignore plain meaning and common sense...

"Plain meaning and common sense" = complete ignorance of everything that's been said about representative democracy in the last couple hundred years.

I suppose others may wonder why you posted that, Stefan, but since I live for the moments when I impress the likes of you....

I suppose others may wonder why you posted that, Stefan, but since I live for the moments when I impress the likes of you....

*chuckle* Lord, it's always funny to me how defensive folks can be. But I guess some fish just can't resist jumpin' at the bait.

Stefan: you're an asshole. I was merely observing that you also have nothing to add to the conversation.

"Stefan: you're an asshole. I was merely observing that you also have nothing to add to the conversation."

Sure he does. As usual, he said what everyone else was thinking.

You got rightly mocked for preening over something that anyone who doesn't have a total tin ear would have been too embarrassed to admit in public. Quit yer cryin' and man up for once.

Oy.... in case ya dunno what a contribution looks like:

"Remember Triple M, Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinksy...."