The Pros And Cons Of Congress

In 2012, Congress polled at a ten percent approval rating by the American public (Grant): it is nearly unanimous in the electorate that Congress is ineffective in its current condition. Congress can only be improved by changing the rules, or changing the environment, whether by shaking up the distribution of parties, or by improving relations between the two major parties that dominate the Congressional landscape.
As of 2012, the U.S. Congress had failed to pass a budget on time for three years, and had gone more than ten years since it had been done according to the rules “with all the appropriations bills being considered and passed” (“Raising the Bar”). The budget, one of the largest responsibilities of Congress, stands as a testament to

Since the 1970s, Democrats have become more liberal as Republicans have become more conservative (Smith 139), leaving little potential for compromise when both parties are separated by a rift in ideology. The president himself is blocked in Congress, and actions that may benefit the nation with perhaps no relation to party politics are downvoted by “legislative leaders acting as though they were. . .his sworn enemies” (Edwards “How”). Little is able to get by the gridlock supplied by partisanship: midway through its term, “the 112th Congress has approved just 106 bills, versus 906 in the actual ‘Do Nothing Congress’ of 1947-48” (Grant). A bill advanced by the Republicans is opposed by the Democrats, and a bill advanced by the Democrats is opposed by Republicans, for perhaps no other reason than the opposing party supports it. In a nation held together by compromise and cooperation in trying times, “activist control of party primaries and a commitment by party leaders to wage a perpetual struggle for political advantage have created an environment in which intransigence is rewarded and cooperation is punished, making the bipartisan compromises of the past almost impossible” (Edwards “Unraveling”). Negative campaigning against colleagues adds

longer than a few days a week, taking them away from their district may reduce their identification with the constituency. Elected as a representative of the constituency’s interests, a Congress member may lose touch with the issues in prolonged periods of absence. This would also limit the campaigning of incumbents in election years. Regardless, restoration of the functionality of Congress is most important, and prolonging the work period of Congress members would greatly improve the conversationality and friendliness of the Congressional