WHEN Newt Gingrich, the House Speaker in Waiting, decided to do away with taxpayer funding for congressional caucuses, he struck the right chord for many Americans who view these appendages as a flagrant example of unnecessary (and liberal) government spending.
Clearly, the caucus-syndrome had gotten out of hand.
A review of the 28 groups that had permission from the House Administration Committee to receive free space and equipment and to receive contributions from a representative's office account to hire staff shows how ludicrous it had become.
There's not only a Black Caucs, but also a Hispanic Caucus and a Women's Issues Caucus.
Geographically, there's a Border Caucus (southern border, we suspect), a Northeast-Midwest Caucus (the rustbelt folks), a Sunbelt Caucus, a Pennsylvania Caucus, a New York State Caucus and a California Democratic Delegation Caucus (Republicans from the Golden State have to meet somewhere else).
The list doesn't stop there. Congress sanctioned special caucuses on the arts, arms control, automobiles, children and families, energy and the environment, human rights, hunger, narcotics, older Americans, space, steel and textiles. There was even a Populist Caucus and a Rural Caucus. Plus a Travel and Tourism Caucus.
Had enough? Republicans certainly feel that way. And, as many Americans will say, not a moment too soon.