Criticism and
Suggestions to Fix Congress

Friday,
March 13, 2009

12:10 PM

From a former
congress man

Ways Fallen Short

Budget is out of control

Budget process broken

Congress can't reign in
spending or tax cuts

Too responsive to narrow interest groups

Rewards big time contributors

Failed/Refused to deal with flaws in electoral system

Voter registration

Ways elections run in
different areas

Mostly in hands of partisan
office holders

Should be taken care of
nationally

Congress is polarized

Before 1994, Congress was more willing to talk and
compromise

More civil and less party
hard line

Now many votes are strict
party line - little middle ground

Middle has eroded

Fairness in legislative process

Majority rules at all time/all costs

No
consensus building

(Obama is trying - does not
seem successful)

Refused to look seriously at reforming itself

Committee structure outdated

Does not fit into diverse
nation

Can't oversee executive
branch

Can not overcome it's own
turf battles

Does not spend enough time at its job

3 days a week is not enough

Too much time campaigning

Congress has seceded its war powers to the president

Founders explicitly let Congress does that

Yet Congress has rolled over

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Criticism and
Suggestions to Fix Congress

Friday,
March 13, 2009

12:10 PM

From a former
congress man

Ways Fallen Short

Budget is out of control

Budget process broken

Congress can't reign in
spending or tax cuts

Too responsive to narrow interest groups

Rewards big time contributors

Failed/Refused to deal with flaws in electoral system

Voter registration

Ways elections run in
different areas

Mostly in hands of partisan
office holders

Should be taken care of
nationally

Congress is polarized

Before 1994, Congress was more willing to talk and
compromise

More civil and less party
hard line

Now many votes are strict
party line - little middle ground

Middle has eroded

Fairness in legislative process

Majority rules at all time/all costs

No
consensus building

(Obama is trying - does not
seem successful)

Refused to look seriously at reforming itself

Committee structure outdated

Does not fit into diverse
nation

Can't oversee executive
branch

Can not overcome it's own
turf battles

Does not spend enough time at its job

3 days a week is not enough

Too much time campaigning

Congress has seceded its war powers to the president

Founders explicitly let Congress does that

Yet Congress has rolled over