Advise and consent as important as ever

There is a great old movie, a black and white classic called “Advise and Consent.” I make sure to watch it at least once a year, not just because of the incredible cast that includes Charles Laughton, Henry Fonda, Gene Tierney, Walter Pidgeon and Franchot Tone, but because it is incredibly relevant six decades after it debuted in theaters. It’s about the tug and pull of politics in D.

C. and a brutally honest examination of how the sausage is made. The title refers to the process by which presidential nominees make it through the sausage grinder, the requirement that the Senate must “advise and consent” to the executive’s choices.



While most Americans believe a president should be able to fill his administration with people of his choosing, we also believe the legislature acts as a necessary brake on some executives’ “runaway trains.” Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

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