Possible talking point: is political power now a drawback for a candidate?
The back-to-back primary defeats of two powerful appropriators have sent an unmistakable message to lawmakers: The trappings of power can be a trap...
[A]t a time when many voters blame powerful institutions — the government and Wall Street — for their economic woes, the more lawmakers talk about winning small chunks of cash for a home state or district, the more they look like they’re out of touch with constituents worried about the costs of big-ticket items like the financial bailout, the stimulus and the health care overhaul.
Is this a sign voters want government doing less? Or do voters just not like what government has been doing?
