The American Circus

Our Congress is broken!

It has been some time since it functioned as the Framers intended. Serious people no longer want to be there. Many who believe they have been elected to pass laws and hold hearings of substance are quickly cured of those ideas. The only thing that matters is how many appearances a congressman or senator has on cable news.

At one time, a successful legislator passed bills and brought home money for his state or district. They did constituent work such as making sure a veteran received his benefits or fixed a problem for a senior with her social security check. Now, a senator or congressman’s main concern is becoming a regular on Hannity for Republicans or on Morning Joe for a Democrat.

The poster boy for a congressman that is more commentator than legislator is Matt Gaetz, who represents Florida’s 1st district. Matt even has his own makeup kit and is pleased to give tips on which powder to use before appearing. My research shows that not one of the bills he has introduced has become law or passed in the House even when the Republicans were in the majority.

Similarly, the Democrats have their star do-nothing in Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez representing New York’s 14th district. She too would rather be on the news than pass legislation. Ocasio-Cortez, just elected to her second term in the House, already has her eye on the Senate. She would have to go some to push another showboat out of the news eye, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.