Congressman Doc Hastings

Twenty Years of Turmoil

Congressman Doc Hastings: Twenty Years of Turmoil traces the causes and growth of our nation’s political divide during the twenty years that Richard “Doc” Hastings represented his Eastern Washington district in Congress. A trusted ally of Republican House Speakers, Doc was rarely in the public spotlight yet helped create the nuclear cleanup caucus, insured funding for the Hanford Site, protected Northwest dams, backed water storage solutions, and championed the development of public lands. Voters elected him nine times by an average margin of 63 percent. During his tenure, Doc was a witness and active participant in the nation’s most controversial events, including the 1994 “Contract with America,” Clinton impeachment, 9/11, multiple wars, massive increases in the national debt, the Great Recession, multiple budget battles, Obamacare, and the 2013 fiscal cliff. A party loyalist, Doc and his fellow Republicans engaged the Democrats in battles that rarely led to compromise on key legislation. Frustrated, voters changed the political composition of Congress three times. Yet, after each wave election, the new majority continued to push through its agenda―because it could—and the cycle continues.