Are the two congresses ultimate
compatible, or are they diverging, each detrimental to the other? That’s a multifaceted
so let’s begin by breaking it down. First breaking down what the two congresses
actually entails, not speaking of the two separate houses but rather the two
very distinctly different challenges that every member of congress must deal
with, its legislative side and it’s representative side, which has kind of been
the entire theme for the course over the semester. Now that we have a basic
understanding of what I mean by two congresses, I can move on to the bigger
question of, whether these two congresses are compatible or are they diverging
and detrimental to one another?
I plan to explore the latter argument
and then decide how my member of congress fit into this equation. After my
almost 3 months of following the exploits of Majority Leader and Senator Harry
Reid of Nevada. Senator Reid has been majority leader since 2007, constantly it
seems as if he has to balance more than just making laws and representing his constituents.
He also must rally his own party members and be their guiding light I suppose. It
seems that Reid would try and make a concerted effort to have friends on both
sides of the fence. If you truly want to be an effective legislator its
necessary to pass legislation and without support for vote from both
republicans and democrats that can prove very difficult. At least in my time
studying Senator Reid he seems to have alienated himself from republicans constantly
blaming them and calling them anarchist.[1]
Senator Reid also ripped republicans
for the government shutdown, saying that Republicans must decide whether to
pass the Senate’s clean CR, or force a Republican government shutdown.[2]
The point I’m trying to make is that the added weight of being a leader within
a party creates an impasse between the two congresses I previously described.
Yes laws do get passed but do those laws always reflect the constituency that remains
to be determined. Reflect isn’t the right word, maybe these laws only appease
the constituency and leave them happy enough to keep the same personas in
congress.
I think that Senator Reids position
as leader compromises his ability to appropriately be a part of the two
congresses. On the whole however it would seems that there is a delicate
balance throughout congress of those who are great representatives but poor
legislators and great legislators and poor representatives. For the most part
it seems to be working however flawed the system might be.
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