Federal Legislative Funk

As a C Span junkie and frequent political Tweeter, I am unhappy with the lethargic pace of political change from our Congress.

From my right sided political perch it seems that for all the rumble of change voters demanded in the fall elections of 2010, little is happening. Our Congress has been unable to reduce our national budget or set aside much of the progressive legislation of the Obama Administration. While I support national parties with different views and sincerely believe in a loyal opposition, it seems changing our national course, based on elections results, is miserably slow.

While the 2012 elections will likely shift the balance of political power to a nervous coalition of Republicans and Tea Party advocates I don't think this will necessarily hasten the timely or meaningful change in our political landscape.

I believe federal lawmakers of all flavors are in a funk of procedural inefficiency. Some of this is caused by traditions and historic precedents. But, much of it is caused by a general lack of common sense. Simply stated, Congress must update it's practises and abolish some of it's foolishness..

When I watch C Span and see it takes a committee of 20 or 30 lawmakers to escort the Prime Minister of Australia into Congress to make a speech, this seems an immense waste of energy and time. When dialogue between politicians is unnecessarily and hypocritically flowered with speech about "my great friend" blah, blah, blah, I see our ship of state drifting aimlessly. When spending bills are hundreds of pages long and cover hundreds of earmarks and pork projects which are all light years distant from the original intent of the spending bill, I fantasize calling in an air strike on the whole damn chamber. When the Senate spends much of it's legislative day practicing inertia while "waiting for a speaker" or a "quorum call", I'd like to run through the Senate blasting a fog horn to awaken the members. And, when congressional members spend valuable hours, sometimes days, proposing and debating bills honoring the memory of George Washington or proclaiming the week as " Eat Your Vegetable Week ", my blood pressure builds beyond the medical help of all my hypertension drugs.

I want my Federal Lawmakers to be polite to each other and dignify those things that deserve special recognition but I want these matters to be done more efficiently on my taxpayer dime. The issues which effect my security, tax liability, and basic liberties should be the primary labor of Congress. Elected legislators must be more businesslike in their deliberations. Use simple English in the language of bills and eliminate all materials not directly related to the subject of the legislation. Senators and Representatives must spend their entire workday in the Chamber and be retired at the same age as regular working folks. Reducing their holidays and perks would help their efficiency too. Issues without great import to the nation must be adjudicated with less formality and speechifying.

In general the kinds of practises that distinguish successful businesses must be adopted in the halls of Congress. Productivity, less ceremony, standards of performance, accountability, and measurable results, must become standard to the operations of Congress. When a business begins to fail, management is changed or the business plan is altered. Whether by ballots or bullets, our Congress must improve it's handling of the peoples business and PDQ.

We cannot prevent local electortates of fools and incompetents from sending fools or incompetents to Congress. But, we can require all members adhere to a code of standards for better performance. Also, we should insist that the way business is conducted within the halls of Congress be modernized and streamlined. Whether the political winds blow from the left or the right, Americans deserve federal legislation which is timely, understandable, and more representative of the peoples will.

Finally, I'm reminded of the Capitol in Colonial Williamsburg and the explanation a historic interpreter gave of the buildings features. The interpreter explained that the Capitol Building featured no fireplaces, extra sources of light, powder or convenience rooms, and no comfortable lounges, and that this was all purposefully done. It was done to insure those colonial lawmakers got the "peoples business" done in an expedient manner without a lot of creature comforts. Perhaps our modern federal legislators should have a few less ceremonies and comforts and get on with the "peoples business".