“Father Knows Best” was a hit TV show back in the 50’s. In this age of sequels and spin-offs, it’s a wonder that a new TV show hasn’t been launched it could be called “Washington Knows Best.” TV execs have come up with worse ideas.
Now you might argue that today’s Congress has been trying to return power to the state and local level. But that’s only their rhetoric. Even with the success of welfare reform in which the states played the key role, Congress continues to gobble up more power and control.
Senator George Voinivich of Ohio has experience at the state level as a former governor. He’s also taken the Term Limits Pledge to leave Washington after two terms in the Senate. Voinivich supports returning power to the states. He says, “Everybody up here is constantly saying we should send power out of Washington, but we hardly ever do.”
Michael Bird, with the National Conference of State Legislatures, says, “It’s the same old story: People in Washington think they know what’s best for the states. They beat their breasts about returning power to the states, but whenever they don’t like the way states do something, they step in and do it their way. It’s so hypocritical.”
Career politicians tell us one thing and do another. Old news and not very appealing, so maybe the studio execs won’t produce this show. But we the voters are stuck watching this real-life sitcom anyway without even a good laugh track. If we could only find a way to change the channel.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.