Lexicographer review — Page 30 of 37 S4

He went for more aspirin later in the day , and passed the surly landlord on the way -- he was still alive and scowling as usual , as if tenants were a burden in his life .

Phil shrugged and ignored him .

He went back to work Monday .

By Wednesday the landlord was still alive .

Of course On Thursday , Haney mailed the monthly check for separate maintenance to his wife Lolly , and wished the stranger could do something about her

However , Haney knew it was not a dream .

He might be very tight , but he knew where he was .

It was the same bar , and it was two weeks later -- Saturday night , when he had an excuse to drink heavier than usual .

He had been sitting in the usual corner at the little table , as far as possible from any talkative , friendly lushes .

He was enjoying the weekly ritual of washing down his pet grievance with bourbon slightly moistened with water .

Haney felt like shrinking out of sight , but he was already trapped in the corner with the wiry , dark little man .

He began to wish that he had n't shouted that other evening when the truck bore down through the crossing .

Was he going to be saddled from now on with a creep for a bar - buddy ?

He 'd have to start going to some of the other places again .

In a low voice , almost whispering , the man had asked Phil if he was happy with the way the landlord had been taken off his back .

Was he going to be saddled from now on with a creep for a bar - buddy ?

He 'd have to start going to some of the other places again .

In a low voice , almost whispering , the man had asked Phil if he was happy with the way the landlord had been taken off his back .

He made the mistake of answering in an offhand way , and instantly realized that his skepticism must have showed in his face or voice .

Pete frowned slightly , then became sad and moody .

Pete frowned slightly , then became sad and moody .

Haney did n't want to encourage his company , but felt he ought to buy him a drink anyhow , to prevent possible trouble .

But there was no trouble .

The guy sulked over his drink , obviously upset by Haney 's lack of appreciation .

To break the uncomfortable silence , Haney began to talk .

Each legislator , after all , is only one out of 535 when it comes to national policy making .

In races for the White House , a voter 's incentive , at the margin , is to lean Republican .

Although a GOP president may limit local benefits to the voter 's particular district/state , such a president is also likely to be more effective at preventing other districts/states and their legislators from bringing home the local benefits .

The individual voter 's standing consequently will be enhanced through lower taxes .

While this theory is exceedingly simple , it appears to explain several things .

In races for the White House , a voter 's incentive , at the margin , is to lean Republican .

Although a GOP president may limit local benefits to the voter 's particular district/state , such a president is also likely to be more effective at preventing other districts/states and their legislators from bringing home the local benefits .

The individual voter 's standing consequently will be enhanced through lower taxes .

While this theory is exceedingly simple , it appears to explain several things .

First , why ticket splitting has increased and taken the peculiar pattern that it has over the past half century : Prior to the election of Franklin Roosevelt as president and the advent of the New Deal , government occupied a much smaller role in society and the prisoner 's dilemma problem confronting voters in races for Congress was considerably less severe .

Third , the theory suggests why legislators who pay too much attention to national policy making relative to local benefit-seeking have lower security in office .

For example , first-term - term members of the House , once the most vulnerable of incumbents , have become virtually immune to defeat .

The one exception to this recent trend was the defeat of 13 of the 52 freshman Republicans brought into office in 1980 by the Reagan revolution and running for re-election in 1982 .

Because these freshmen placed far more emphasis on their partisan role -- spreading the Reagan revolution -- in national policy making , they were more vulnerable to defeat .

Fourth , the theory indicates why the Republican Party may have a difficult time attracting viable candidates for congressional office .

Because these freshmen placed far more emphasis on their partisan role -- spreading the Reagan revolution -- in national policy making , they were more vulnerable to defeat .

Fourth , the theory indicates why the Republican Party may have a difficult time attracting viable candidates for congressional office .

Potential candidates may be discouraged from running less by the congressional salary than by the prospect of defeat at the hands of a Democratic opponent .

To the extent that potential Republican candidates and their financial backers realize that the congressional prisoner 's dilemma game works to their disadvantage , the Republican Party will be hindered in its attempts to field a competitive slate of congressional candidates .

Fifth , the theory may provide at least a partial reason for why ticket splitting has been particularly pronounced in the South .