In June, Gallup reported that only 19% of Americans think Congress is doing a good job. The main factor in this opinion is that Congress does not seem able to pass a bill that a majority of Americans can agree on. This seems to be the case because compromise is not popular anymore.
Both sides of the aisle demonize their colleagues that try to find common ground on controversial issues with political opponents. The strategy of using party majority to ram legislation half of Americans do not want only works in the short term for one party. Recently, the obstacles of bipartisanship have come from three sources: the media, the base, and the President.
First, an obsessive media that zooms on one-minute detail can wreck the legislative process. With sources like CNN and Fox News that need a breaking news story every hour of the day, any development is suddenly the story of the century. This exaggerated media seems to be deterring lawmakers from reaching across the aisle as it is often interpreted as some form of deception or betrayal for a Member to meet with a colleague from another party. This 24/7 coverage hunt can make mountains out of molehills for the sake of a byline.
Second, on both sides of the aisle, party bases are forgetting that America is here today because of compromise. The mindset of both Democrats and Republicans is that not supporting them means not supporting America when that just is not the case. The divisiveness our country faces today is toxic, but the solution is simple, we need to get back to the negotiating table. Zero-compromise mindsets alienate other lawmakers that are trying to make a genuine step toward progress.
An example of progress was last night when Representative Marcy Kaptur with the help of her colleagues on both sides of the aisle passed the VET MD Act (H.R. 2787). The bill helps VA clinics better care for those that valiantly served the United States of America in combat. These lawmakers did not need to make a national debate out of good work to help Americans, because that is ultimately what Congress' job is.
An example of base craziness is yesterday when Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R) who represents Florida's 26th Congressional District introduced a carbon tax bill and immediately the bill was considered dead on arrival. The reason, a carbon tax would mean recognizing the world faces a climate change issue, and the Republican base refuses to recognize an issue ninety-nine percent of scientists agree on. The same goes for Democrats like Rep. Dan Lipinski, who represents Illinois' 3rd Congressional District, who is one of the few Democrats that is anti-choice but is castigated for not supporting one tenant of the Democratic platform.
Finally, a tweet-happy President that cannot seem to wait for anything also prevents the legislative branch from doing its due diligence. Time and time again, the practice of retaliatory and antagonizing tweeting hurts the President more often than it helps him. Whether it is Nancy Pelosi or John McCain, Trump's sweeping condemnation of everyday actions prevents lawmakers from stepping out of bounds without fear of national criticism.
All of these factors combined to create the stagnant swamp we hear so much about in Washington, but with the right lawmakers and the right motivations, progress is possible.
