政治瘫痪是一个强国衰弱的开始。美国政治这几年的确出现了一些弱化的特征。这并不奇怪，真实的世界从来都不是一帆风顺的。亨廷顿提出的政治能力，不仅适用于发展中国家，其实也适用于发达国家。

意大利也是典型的政治能力衰退的国家。当政治能力衰退后，往往就给了民粹主义以机会。

Trump and GOP Allies Want Investigation of Mueller Probe’s Roots

Senate Judiciary chairman asks Barr to appoint special counsel

President says ‘people’ behind probe will be ‘looked at’By?Jennifer Jacobs?and?Steven T. Dennis

(Bloomberg) –?President?Donald Trump?and a key ally, Senate Judiciary Chairman?Lindsey Graham, said Monday that after?Robert Mueller?closed his Russia probe, they want an investigation of the investigators.

Graham said at a news conference that Attorney General?William Barr?should appoint a new special counsel to examine why the U.S. government, under President?Barack Obama, decided to open an investigation into Russian election interference in 2016, and whether it was an excuse to spy on Trump’s campaign.

Lindsey Graham

“Was it a ruse to get into the Trump campaign?” Graham said at the news conference. “I don’t know but I’m going to try to find out.”

Trump told reporters at the White House that unspecified “people” behind the Russia probe would “be looked at.”

The remarks show that Trump and some of his allies have retribution and score-settling on their minds after Mueller found no evidence that the president or his campaign colluded with the Kremlin’s election interference. It’s unclear whom Trump wants investigated, but possibilities include former FBI Director?James Comey, whom he fired in May 2017; Obama’s CIA Director?John Brennan, whom Trump stripped of his security clearance last year; and other former intelligence and Justice Department officials who have vocally criticized the president.

Jerry Nadler

The stage is also set for dueling and contradictory congressional investigations. In the House, controlled by Democrats, several committees have opened investigations into the president’s financial and business affairs, and Judiciary Chairman?Jerrold Nadler?said Sunday he wants Barr to testify soon on his finding that Mueller didn’t produce sufficient evidence that Trump obstructed justice by interfering in the Russia inquiry.

The Senate Majority Leader,?Mitch McConnell?of Kentucky, on Monday blocked a vote on a measure by the Democratic leader,?Chuck Schumer?of New York, calling for Mueller’s report to be made public. McConnell said Barr should have time to consider which portions of the report can be publicly released given concerns about classified information, ongoing investigations and other information protected by law.

Republican Allies

Several other Republicans backed Graham and Trump on Monday. Senate Oversight Committee Chairman?Ron Johnson?of Wisconsin said he’d like to work with Graham “to get those answers for the American public.”

“We need to find out what happened,” he said in an interview.

Senator?Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican, tweeted: “Time to investigate the Obama officials who concocted and spread the Russian conspiracy hoax!”

Representative?Mark Meadows, a North Carolina Republican, said “underlying documents” supporting what became Mueller’s probe should be released to the public.

“Let them decide for themselves whether this invest