Bipartisan Battering of Freedom

Some idealists may believe that a sufficient number of scoldings by editorial pages and talk-show hosts will spur members of Congress to repent of their reckless ways. But thanks to pervasive gerrymandering, most of them have seats that are sufficiently secure that they have nothing to fear as long as they are not indicted on at least half a dozen criminal charges. Members harvest a flood of campaign contributions for the favors they disburse. Congress’s gross negligence helps explain the widespread anger against Washington that is driving the 2016 presidential campaign thus far.