Shields and Brooks on Partisanship and Politics in Washington

Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks sort through the top political stories of the past week, including the state of partisan politics in Washington, the issues driving voter anger, and what President Obama's slipping approval rating means for his legislative agenda.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• PBS NewsHour
• Mark Shields
• David Brooks
• Politics
• Opinions
• Analysis
• President Obama
• Congress
• Washington
• Capitol Hill

[libertyrepub]

Ridiculous to blame the private sector when the cause of the bubble and the financial collapse was the insane push starting in the early 90s, supported by both Dems and Repubs, through agencies like FHA, HUD, Fannie, Freddie to push up homeownership rates.

[callouschristian]

I don't think it's any coincidence that republican presidents were behind all the "failures" that have made people "lose trust in their government". The party of "less government" (for corporations), who gifted us with Xe to go where the "army just couldn't" now pontificates on the stagnation of our "failed government". This is why many think of republicans as a long epic terrorist attack on our country.

[kevin120857]

I think it's astounding that the current economic crisis is mostly the result of the private sector spinning out of control with its lending, banking and economic practices. Government, got out of the way. How the government is getting blamed for it, is amazing but not difficult to understand since there is no collective voice for the government equal to the voice of Republicans and the Democrats.

[pretorious700]

These guys are completely out of touch with reality...None of the "achievements" mentioned can be attributed to government action, and some don't even exist in reality.

Morons.

[pretorious700]

no, he said it...and I almost did a spit take...typical clueless msm idiocy...they have no idea what is really going on, everything is polls and statistics, which never tell the whole story...these academics are really useless.

[mmsayre]

lol did he say there is no corruption attached to this downside in the polls?

I must have misheard that, because it is just too absurd to be taken seriously.

[Icarianbrother]

I will paraphrase what Anchor Jim Lehrer said there is no corruption attached to the down side in the polls for trust in our government. Columnist Mark Shields agreed with him. I could not disagree more strongly. Americans see influence purchased over their elected officials not with outright bribes, but with campaign contributions. I am shocked that Jim Lehrer and Mark Shields do not seem to understand that.