In Search Of Common Ground April 18, 2019April 17, 2019 All that will matter today — and for a while — is what’s in the Mueller report. I’m taking the rest of the week off to join you in reading it. In case you’re up early with nothing to do until the report is released, I offer this . . . Reading Mitch McConnell undid 213 years of Senate history in 33 minutes, one realizes how important it is to wrest the gavel from his hands next year. Republicans will still be over-represented — Idaho will still have as many senators as California — but consider: “McConnell has a history of doing things for short-term tactical gains, regardless of the cost. He did more than anybody else to open the floodgates to unlimited dark money in politics, famously declared his top priority was for President Barack Obama ‘to be a one-term president‘ and killed the Supreme Court nomination of Merrick Garland in 2016 by refusing to act on it. Between 2009 and 2013, McConnell’s Republicans blocked 79 Obama nominees with filibusters, compared with 68 in the country’s entire previous history.” Boy, do we ever need to redraw Congressional districts so that moderate, centrist candidates can win. Centrists compromise. Centrists respect heart-felt extreme views . . . but look for common ground . . . and cooperate to find constructive ways forward. Centrists have a drink after work, regardless of party . . . and enjoy drinks with those further left and right, as well. It’s great to elect some passionate folks on the far right and left. They help define the argument. They represent legitimate views. But our legislatures and politics have become far too polarized. Only Putin is happy about that. He has thousands of agents working to make it worse. I’ve long argued that “it’s not equivalent.” That both parties are not equally to blame. Read that argument here. Until recently, moderate Republicans were the only ones being removed from office by hard-line primary challengers — or fearing that they might be. Now — though it’s still not as bad and I hope never will be — the same thing has begun to happen on the Democratic side. Join the fight against gerrymandering?