Connecticut House Speaker Jim Amann and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid have a lot in common. They have both achieved top legislative leadership ranks and they are both forced to deal with chief executives of another party. Executives who have just enough power to ensure their legislative rivals are not unstoppable.
In Amann’s case, he is hampered by the fact that Gov. M. Jodi Rell is propped up by a 70 percent approval rating. In Reid’s case, President Bush is far less popular, but can not be ignored, because Reid does not have the votes necessary to override a presidential veto. This leads to frustration for both and it sometimes boils over in public.
Both men have let their guard down recently to expose the continuing quest for power necessary to successfully drive a political agenda.
In recent months, both Amann and Reid have felt the need to state for the record that, Rell “is governor not queen” and in Reid’s case, Bush “is president not king.” Both Amann and Reid have also resorted to name calling. Amann has called Rell “dishonorable” and Reid has called Bush a “loser” and a “liar.”
The governor and president have a greater ability to manage their public statements so we rarely get an opportunity to hear how they honestly feel about their counterparts. It’s almost certain however that their private views are not uniformly complimentary.
While many decry the occasional name calling that results from the natural tension between the executive and legislative branches of government, it should be seen as a sign the system is working.
The real reason Amann and Reid have resorted to rank ridicule in their public statements is because they are frustrated by their inability to change policy direction with a simple vote in the House or Senate. Though Amann has the ability to override the governor’s veto, he knows to do so is risky, because the public is generally on her side. Though Reid sees his new status as majority leader as a message from the electorate to change course, he can’t make it happen.
While both warn against an imperial executive, both wish their legislative powers rendered the executive branch irrelevant. They long for the complete control they claim to be fighting against.
Members of the executive branch often see themselves as the only players who make government work and the only ones who pay the price when things go wrong. They are prone to see lawmakers as mere critics with no understanding of what it really means to take responsibility for a decision.
Checks And Balances
Legislators on the other hand, often view themselves as the true policy makers, who can change the course of history by winning a floor debate over an obscure amendment. It is not uncommon to hear a legislator say privately; “Don’t worry about what the law says, we write the laws.”
Each view has some validity, but they also demonstrate why the separate branches need to be held in check. A chief executive without reins can become dismissive of the electorate. A legislative body without a foil can be just as dangerous for a number of reasons.
An occasional cringe brought on by an indelicate remark from a senator, congressman or president is not always a bad thing. While we hope our children don’t grow up to talk that way about each other, the childish ranting of one politician against another is actually a sign that none can succeed at becoming too powerful.
Dean Pagani is a former gubernatorial advisor. He is v.p. of public affairs for Cashman and Katz Integrated Communications in Glastonbury.
