It’s shaping up to be another dysfunctional year in Congress. Non-election years (is there such a thing anymore?) used to be the time to get things done. Just think how bad the gridlock will be in 2016.
Can you imagine serving on a community or professional board that functions the way Congress does? How long would we want to remain part of a group that rarely accomplishes anything, had poor leadership, and so many dysfunctional members?
The world most of us live in revolves around cooperation and working towards common goals. At work, in our neighborhoods and communities, and in our personal lives, we strive to build relationships. We work diligently to establish good reputations based upon trust and respect.
Most people serving on boards seek out win-win solutions. When decent people can’t reach agreement, they remain civil. If disagreements are preventing important progress or causing harm, we redouble our efforts. We find new information to support our positions. We reach out to those who don’t agree with us, listen to their concerns and try to understand their position better. We try gentle persuasion. We give and we get, and a compromise is reached.
If there were board members who are unreasonable, or treated other members poorly, we’d call them on it, or put them in their place. At a minimum, these bullies would lose influence and esteem.
This is how Congress used to function. Of course, partisan politics has never been wholly collegial – bare-knuckles and sharp elbows have always been part of it and always will be. But the current level of vitriol and dysfunction that Congress has devolved to is reprehensible.
However, members of Congress only have to answer to 51% of their voting constituents and to their parties. They can act as they please and do as little as they want, as long as they can keep a slight majority of their voters happy and kowtow to party bosses.
The parties have lost their way too. The radicals of the far-right and the far-left drive the agendas of their respective parties. Although the radicals rarely attain leadership positions, they make it difficult for party leaders to achieve a majority on most legislation. It’s this power to obstruct that gives the radicals significant say in both parties.
Since the radicals have no interest in searching for common ground, there is none. The politics of polarization become the rule, compromise becomes almost impossible, and voters in the broad center are unrepresented. In Congress it’s more about posturing and grandstanding than it is about being effective. Compromise is not only a dirty word, it’s seen as a sign of weakness.
The staggering amount of money in federal politics is the root problem. Does anyone really believe big money contributors don’t have undue influence with lawmakers? It’s all about winning the next election, at any cost. Have Faustian bargains and the quid pro quo become the operating system of Congress?
Hefty campaign war chests help members attain almost hereditary status in office. The obscene amounts of money that incumbents can raise for re-election allow members to live like jetsetters. Little known Leadership PACs further help these elected leaders sustain lifestyles of the rich and famous (if you are unaware of these PACs click on the link below to a 60 Minutes video – eye opening and sure to raise your blood pressure).
After a few years in office, elected officials can go to work in lucrative positions serving their former funders. For too many of them, serving in Congress is just a stepping stone to getting rich. This kind of conduct doesn’t pass the smell test, and it’s wrong.
Federal politics has become a corrupt system. A system fueled by big money, controlled by radicals, and populated by self-serving members.
This state of affairs causes voters to become frustrated and lose confidence and trust in our system. Faith in government is at an all-time low. Polls show that dysfunctional government is rated the biggest problem in our country. Not only that, some surveys show that most voters no longer trust the government, or believe it hurts them more than it helps or protects them. And these are the voters! The people who still actually vote and haven’t completely given up. For many non-voters these feelings are magnified, and are becoming deeply held beliefs.
This corrupt system should not, and must not, be acceptable. It engenders apathy, encourages distrust, and endangers our liberty. Our country faces many serious problems and the clock is ticking. It’s time our legislators start acting like adults and provide the leadership we desperately need.
Next blog: Restoring Trust
Link to 60 Minutes video on Leadership PACs (eye opening and sure to raise your blood pressure):
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/washingtons-open-secret-profitable-pacs-2/
Links to past blogs related to this subject
Ideas for a more functional Congress:
http://www.commonsensecentrist.com/wanted-courage-in-the-congress/
Ideas for Leadership in Congress:
http://www.commonsensecentrist.com/leadership-not-misleadership/
The problem of big money in politics and government:
http://www.commonsensecentrist.com/the-root-problem-in-politics-and-government/
The radicals in Congress have too much influence:
http://www.commonsensecentrist.com/radicals-have-too-much-congressional-influence/