The Rules

With the Democrats taking power in congress, I want to remind everyone what the rules are for assigning credit or blame for economic conditions.

I found the rules for divided government -- a president of one party and congress controlled by the other -- on the editorial pages of the Wall Street Journal, the National Review Online, the Washington Times, and a few other places. They were last used during the Clinton years. The rules are fairly simple:

1. Anything good that happens is because of legislation from congress.
2. Anything bad that happens is the president's fault.

These rules apply without exception.