Chewing the Fat with Jeff Fisher - Jeffys Corner: "Our Country Is In A Free Fall To Mediocrity" - 'Confessions of Congressman X'

Episode Date: June 18, 2016

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You're listening to The Jeff Fisher Show. Voters are incredibly ignorant. I had high hopes when I was first elected to Congress. My main job is to keep my job. Facts, smacks. I'll say anything to get elected. So much of what I do is a farce. BS raised to an art form.

Does money corrupt? Of course it does. we're not obsessed with the truth in Washington. Harry reads a pompous ass. I think we all agree on that. I feel disconnected from reality. I'm a closet moderate. We're terrible custodians of the people's money.

The news media is as biased as the politicians it covers. I'm not hopeful about the future. Of course, we've become conditioned. from shows like House of Cards, scandal, even a little bit from Madam Secretary, how Washington, D.C. works. And it ain't good. It ain't good at all.

Now, we had scheduled to talk to Robert Atkinson, former Chief of Staffs and Press Secretary for two congressional Democrats, took notes on a series of these informal talks with Congressman X. and now published them. We told you, I don't know, about a month ago, that it was coming out, and it is now out. You can buy it on Amazon as the book, or you can just download it with the free Kindle app for three bucks. And it's a fascinating quick read. It almost reads as if, if you watch House of Cards on Netflix, there are times when,

President Underwood, Frank Underwood, just in the middle of whatever is going on, we'll just look at the camera and talk to you. Which is a really cool thing to do. It made set House of Cards apart. And he just brings you into

whatever's going around. He'll tell you what's going on in his head, and then you're right back into what's happening live in the show. And a lot of what this Congressman X has to say is

like those. You know, like those. Some of my favorites, as I was plowing through this book last night, it's fast read. A key part of my job is helping constituents cut through red tape

and secure government benefits. They feel that They're due to them. Some try to game the system. I don't care. When they come to talk to me and ask for such favors, I feel like the godfather. Payback comes on election day

when their gratitude translates into votes. Then we have, just because something's technically legal, doesn't mean it's morally right. Perceptions count, which is why no one trusts us to do the right thing anymore. Wow. That's one of my favorite quotes from this book.

He goes on to tell us, I've come to the conclusion the whole Washington scene represents a diminishment of civilization. Our country is in a free fall to mediocrity, and Congress is leading the way. Confessions of Congressman X. Wow. And, of course, I'll have to read the Harry Reid as a pompous ass because, I mean, that's just Harry Reid is a pompous ass, sometimes a bit too clever for his own good. The same goes for a McConnell and his pathetic lieutenants. Ditto for most of the House leadership bullies on both side of the aisle. They wield too much dictatorial power, manipulating legislative procedures, and denying members due process.

Boy, and we've heard during this campaign, I have been privy to conversations that I cannot repeat to you. But I will tell you that this is a perfect highlight of these dangleberries, especially Mitch McConnell and Harry Reid and how they act and wield their so-called power in Washington. It is agonizing, agonizing. So as I go on here, I'm just telling you that I'm going through this because I really wanted to talk to Robert Atkinson, the editor of this, and find out really what, you know, his total impressions were, how many times he took the years that it took,

because so much of this information in here is really, I don't know, depressing. Very depressing. But when you go on to, let's see, where was I at here? This one right here. The more laws we pass and fail to follow through on, the more common sense we seem to suck out of life. No kidding. I understand the lack of trust and resentment voters have in Congress. I understand the lack of trust and resentment voters have in Congress's ability.

to do its job. But let's face it, there's no real incentive for us to change. Creative gerrymandering and the polarized electorate's propensity to vote for the party line pretty much guarantees the re-election of incumbents.

And he goes on to what would what would fix it. And it's some of the things that we talk about, have talked about for a long time. It's not quite the fishbowl mentality of the government, but his plan to make it work, they should agree to support independent, nonpartisan commissions to redraw congressional districts every 10 years.

They should agree to significant campaign finance reform without loopholes, without loopholes, severely cap political contributions from individuals and PACs, and mandate full disclosure of all donors. lobbyists should be prohibited from raising money for those they lobby. Compulsory, publicly financed primary and general election campaigns should also be on the table. It's time to show the American people, Congress is not for sale. Now, this is his plan to fix, so I can't laugh at that because that would actually mean that it's not, and meaning that you and I both know that it is now.

They should agree to overhaul obstruction and legislative procedures. Bring about a return to regular order in the House, especially when it comes to the budget process. enough with the uncertainty caused by continuing resolutions. It's time to pass spending bills on time each year. They should agree to limit the power of party leaders and abolish the seniority system. Why should the speaker dole out committee assignments and why should someone chair the same committee forever? It's time to rotate committee chairs every so many years. The ban leadership packs and fundraising quotas for committee chairs.

And he goes on. Then he ends it with, I could go on. But you know what? It's all a damn pipe dream. Don't you see? Congress echoes the excessive partisanship of voters. Everyone has such a loathing for the other party that meaningful change has no hope of evolving. Besides, you're lucky to get 20% of the electoral voting in primary elections.

I fear those who govern and those who are governed will continue to watch out for their own self-interest. God help us. The Confessions of Congressman X. One of the main reasons I was really hoping to talk to Robert Atkinson, who was editor of this book, I wanted to have him tell us who Congressman X was. He had said in the foreword, and he said in other written interviews that I've seen,

that he would not do that. that's not with you and me here on the Blaze Radio Network. And I think the reason that he didn't show up, he was scared and knew that I would make him spill the beans. So who is Congressman X? We may never know unless he comes on the air. Then we'll know who really is, Congressman X. This is the Jeff Fisher Show on the Blaze Radio Network.

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