Congress's Petty Infighting - Destroying Government Efficacy

It's no secret that the United States Congress has not been popular lately. Unfortunately, that unpopularity has gone to some stellar lows lately. One poll shows that Congress is less popular than cockroaches, Genghis Khan, and the world famous band Nickelback.

 

Although to be fair, it's hard not to like a man who rocks dressed like this.

Why is Congress so unpopular lately? It's completely ineffectual. All that Congress does lately is delay making important decisions, such as how to address major revenue issues, taxation, and the infamous debt ceiling, in order to score political points with pundits.

After all, getting favorable comments from Fox News is guaranteed to increase your likelihood of publishing a best selling memoir after your political career is over.

One lovely example of this is introducing bills that have a part that most people agree with, such as keeping interest rates on student loans from doubling and then including an addendum that the other party cannot vote for, such as removing part of the healthcare reform law or raising taxes on businesses. After the law does not pass, the Democratic or Republican party can go on a media blitz of how the other party does not support education and wants to screw students over. This kind of behavior does not encourage members of the parties to work together to get legislation that actually passes through Congress. All it does is take up gratuitous amounts of Congress's time between recesses on bills that are guaranteed to never become laws.

Additionally, the parties frequently insult each other in the press. For instance, a forthcoming Republican strategy retreat was greeted by the Democratic Party with  a long mocking list of topics to focus on, such as how to speak to women and minorities and a need to take a course in science 101. Although political humor can be amusing, it should be saved for venues like the Daily Show with Jon Stewart. It should not be employed by Democrats or Republicans to burn any chance of a positive relationship with the other party.

 Especially since politicians are generally incapable of being as amusing as comedians.

How can this problem be fixed?

For starters, reducing the influence of the media blitz from networks like Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC would help. All of these networks produce partisan coverage that only serves to divide the public and prevent politicians from coming to any sort of compromise. Cutting back on the number of fanatical guest pundits might also help these shows actually have an informed and reasoned debate instead of a holy war between conservatives and liberals.

Another helpful addition could be to reduce or eliminate the number of bills that are produced with additional unrelated legislation attached. The majority of large bills have multiple riders that are not at all necessary to the issue the main bill is meant to address. This makes it extremely difficult for Congress to act efficiently, as every important piece of legislation is joined by little additions that benefit a tiny portion of the country or that may not be a good idea at all. However, since the larger bill is important to pass, these small additions make it into law. Alternatively, these riders may make it impossible to pass the main bill because they are destructive and unacceptable to one party's values.

A typical bill in Congress. It may be useful but it also comes covered with ferocious bees. 


However, these solutions will only cover up the main issue-that Congress does not seem able to compromise anymore. I feel that a large part of this problem is because of Gerrymandering, the drawing of election district borders. Many Congressmen are set up so they reside in a liberal or conservative stronghold. This means that the only threat to their reelection hopes is if a more liberal or more conservative challenger arrives to provoke the extremes of the voting population against the representative. Although this is convenient to reduce the likelihood of losing elections, it also makes it so representatives are beholden to the extreme views of their party. Compromise is not viewed as acceptable by some conservative or liberal zealots, hence the inability of House Speaker John Boehner to get his party to fall in line with the national party's position on the recent fiscal cliff legislation.

What's needed is for someone to slay the Gerrymander. I don't feel that this is likely though, instead the United States will be stuck in muck and mire for generations to come.

Will a hero arise who can defeat the fearsome Gerrymander? Only time will tell.