HAIL, GRIDLOCK!

Gridlock: It's a word we all dread when it describes rush hour traffic. When it's used to describe the political landscape, it's a word we should all welcome.

Prior to this year's midterm election, the Republicans controlled the White House and both Houses of Congress. After the election, the Democrats regained control of the House, while the Republicans increased their majority in the Senate. The media portrayed this has a stunning defeat for President Trump. But was it really? The Democrats gained 29 seats in the House. By comparison, during Clinton's first midterm election, the Democrats lost 53 seats in the House and 6 in the Senate. During Obama's midterm, The Dems lost 63 seats in the House and 6 in the Senate. Those numbers make the Republican losses in the House  in 2018 look like a minor blip. In fact, it's typical.  Historically, Americans have traditionally given the majority in Congress to the party not holding the White House. Only twice in the past 96 years, 1934 and 2002, have the voters increased the President's majority in Congress during the midterm. It seems that Americans value balancing the powers of the Federal government. That situation has earned the title of gridlock.

But is gridlock in Washington a bad thing? When political parties operate with little or no opposition, their worse tendencies emerge, particularly as it effects the economy. The marketplace hates uncertainty. Business men live in fear of the government hammer falling on their heads in the form of higher taxes and more stringent regulations. With  a divided Congress and White House, the risk of such a calamity is signifigantly reduced. Look what happened the day following the 2018 election. The stock market gained over 500 points. Why? Because with gridlock, the marketplace believes both parties will fail to cobble together a majority to pass major legislation. In fact, we are all saved from an overactive government. Someone once said that he who governs least governs best. Gridlock allows that scenario to play out, saving us from a burdensome avalanche of rules, regulations and laws that ultimately reduce our freedom. In any given year, Presidents have signed into law as many as 300 bills, the vast majority restricting our freedom to one degree or another.

Americans are a tough, self-reliant  bunch who prosper the most when politicians get the hell out of the way and allow citizens to run their own lives as they see fit.

Hail, gridlock! The American citizen's best friend.