Congressional Reform

Incivility, demonization, and partisan gridlock have increased in both houses of congress. Cross partisan friendships--so crucial for reaching bipartisan agreements--are mostly gone. Respect for congress and approval of the job it's doing have hit historical lows -- now around 10%. On this page you'll find analyses of the institutional rules and procedures that have contributed to the problem, and you'll find suggestions for rule changes that might make both houses function more civilly and more effectively. I) THE SENATE --The Senate is broken , as George Packer explains in the New Yorker --Here's another porttrait of the Senate and its decline into dysfunction, by Sarah Binder, at Brookings [posted by haidt, jan 2012] II) THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES III) OTHER OR OVERARCHING ISSUES WITH CONGRESS --A simple suggestion: mixed party seating during the State of the Union Address. “The choreographed standing and clapping of one side of the room — while the other side sits — is unbecoming of a serious institution,” [Senator Udall] wrote. “And the message that it sends is that even on a night when the president is addressing the entire nation, we in Congress cannot sit as one, but must be divided as two.” A poll shows the idea has considerable bipartisan support with the approval of 72% of the American public (with 22% disapproving). Mixed party seating is supported by 81% of liberals, 83% of moderates, and 56% of conservatives. Support appears slightly higher among older and female voters. IV) The No Labels approach: This bipartisan group argues that the most common fixes discussed (changing primaries, reducing influence of money) will take many years. Instead, they propose a list of 12 changes that could be implemented quickly. Here's a video describing all 12. This page is edited by Jonathan Haidt, for now		News and Links --How to Free Congress's Mind, by Amy Gutmann & Dennis Thompson, 11/20/11; Ideas to promote compromise, --The Commuter Congress: No more Senate Wives club, no more meeting your opponents' families; gone is one of the great supports of civility in Congress. (Newsweek) --See a great list of reforms offered by Mickey Edwards (former Republican congressman).

Incivility, demonization, and partisan gridlock have increased in both houses of congress. Cross partisan friendships--so crucial for reaching bipartisan agreements--are mostly gone. Respect for congress and approval of the job it's doing have hit historical lows -- now around 10%.

On this page you'll find analyses of the institutional rules and procedures that have contributed to the problem, and you'll find suggestions for rule changes that might make both houses function more civilly and more effectively.

I) THE SENATE
--The Senate is broken , as George Packer explains in the New Yorker
--Here's another porttrait of the Senate and its decline into dysfunction, by Sarah Binder, at Brookings [posted by haidt, jan 2012]

II) THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

III) OTHER OR OVERARCHING ISSUES WITH CONGRESS
--A simple suggestion: mixed party seating during the State of the Union Address. “The choreographed standing and clapping of one side of the room — while the other side sits — is unbecoming of a serious institution,” [Senator Udall] wrote. “And the message that it sends is that even on a night when the president is addressing the entire nation, we in Congress cannot sit as one, but must be divided as two.” A poll shows the idea has considerable bipartisan support with the approval of 72% of the American public (with 22% disapproving). Mixed party seating is supported by 81% of liberals, 83% of moderates, and 56% of conservatives. Support appears slightly higher among older and female voters.

IV) The No Labels approach: This bipartisan group argues that the most common fixes discussed (changing primaries, reducing influence of money) will take many years. Instead, they propose a list of 12 changes that could be implemented quickly. Here's a video describing all 12.

This page is edited by Jonathan Haidt, for now

News and Links
--How to Free Congress's Mind, by Amy Gutmann & Dennis Thompson, 11/20/11; Ideas to promote compromise,
--The Commuter Congress: No more Senate Wives club, no more meeting your opponents' families; gone is one of the great supports of civility in Congress. (Newsweek)
--See a great list of reforms offered by Mickey Edwards (former Republican congressman).

Congressional Reform

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