Big Government Halted by Gridlock

Once it became evident that a Republican takeover of the House of Representatives was indeed taking place, fear began to spread among political commentators about a government trapped in a halting gridlock.

Statists now question whether anything will get done or whether the Republican and Democratic branches of the Big Government Party will be able to work together to keep giving us bigger government.

However, in this era of hyper-governmental intervention in almost every aspect of our lives, the inability of the federal government to accomplish more big government schemes doesn’t seem so doomful to me.

And it doesn't seem to be such a bad thing to Steven Horwitz either, who in recent article at The Freeman Online commented on the positives of a divided government in that: “to the extent that “gridlock” slows or halts the growth of government, it enhances, at least in relative terms, the freedom of people to make those improvements in their own lives and those of others.  That’s not 'gridlock' or 'paralysis;'  that’s an expansion of the range of human freedom.”

For a further look at the benefits of a "gridlocked" government, check out the rest of Horwitz's article here.

The Fifth of November Isn't the Only Thing to Remember

John Stossel and Steve Chapman talk Midterm Elections and "why the Republican victory won't matter":

Stossel:

This was to be the year of the Tea Party triumph. As a libertarian, I so want to believe that the Tea Party marks the beginning a comeback for small government.

But I’m probably deluding myself. I know that big government usually wins. Remember the last time the Republicans took power? They promised fiscal responsibility, and for six of George W. Bush’s eight years, his party controlled Congress. What did we have to show for it?

Chapman:

Politicians make promises... because they are big and vivid. But the bigger the goal, the harder it is to reach. That's even more true when power is divided between a Democratic president and Senate and a Republican House. The things that are plausible, on the other hand, are usually not so exciting.

In campaigns, anything is possible, and on Election Day, a lot can change in a hurry. Afterward, not so much.

Attack Ads, Circa 1800

From Reason.

Poll: Obama on Voter Fear and Irrationality

President Obama recently said the following:

Part of the reason that our politics seems so tough right now and facts and science and argument does not seem to be winning the day all the time is because we’re hardwired not to always think clearly when we’re scared. And the country’s scared.

In light of these comments (more detailed report on them here), here is a poll: