The jet airliner. Before the development of jets, most of the United States was too distant in travel time for politicians to easily get back home. So they ended up living in Washington, they became friends, and they had to work with one another. Back in the day, many congressmen lived in rooming houses that were established to provide cheaper housing to federal employees. It's hard to be an asshole to the person that you're going to see at school meetings and at Scouting events.
Now, they pretty much all go home for the weekend. They suck up with their donors, and they never have to get along with each other. This is why, for example, we have intelligent imbeciles like Rafael T. Cruz masquerading as members of "the worlds most deliberative body".
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I still gotta point to the death of the Fairness Doctrine. And/or the acceptance of news as a for-profit business.
What Nangleator said. Add to that "Language: A Key Mechanism of Control", stir in a need for a constant flow of campaign cash, and bake under the threat of primary challenges, and as Jeff Beck put it "Nothing is being done"...
-Doug in Oakland
The Great Chief Justice John Marshall made good use of the rooming house to build support for his positions. Also Marsala wine.
Of course, by the time the Fairness Doctrine was murdered, we were already in trouble.
I go with for-profit news. Keeping an eye on the gubmint isn't as profitable as chronicling the Kardashians.
And owning a news outlet will cut down on negative stories about your business, I bet.
Air conditioning. It keeps Congress in session all year round. The longer they are in session the more trouble they cause.
They are also away from thier constituents longer so they can avoid them better.
Dennis the librarian shusher
Arguably an extension of the problem of cars. That's what makes it possible for the upper middle class to escape the problems of cities were they work instead of working to resolve them.
The demise of the big format magazines like Look and Life is another factor .
For all there faults they brought the lives of other people into our knowledge .
I remember vividly a country doctor leaning on the kitchen counter having a smoke after a home birth , Malcolm X giving a speech and a young couple trying to get by on not quite enough money in New York City .
Where do you go to get that diversity today ?
Glenn
I have also heard "Air Conditioning" is the fault. And, that was here in Northern Ca.
The thought(?, if there was one there) was that A/C allowed people of lesser moral fiber, to move to otherwise harsh places, where they did not fit in or even belong. I heard that from an Auto Shop customer that was actually having his A/C repaired at the time.
I agree with you Comrade, the distances, physical and otherwise are what has destroyed our Government.
I heard it was supposed to be a "deliberative body" that discussed pros and cons of proposed amendments and laws.
That "deliberation" part has become a joke, sadly. It's much more an auction than discussion.
I bemoan the loss of passionate discussions, even arm twisting as it used to be. Guys like LBJ for all his faults, was able to get stuff done, by talking with others, not "tweeting" his inner frustrations.
Put them all in a cage at one time and the victor can sit in "that chair". Pompous Idiots.
w3ski
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