Coming into U.S. Congress this semester, I- like most other Americans- thought of our Congress as a bunch of boring, useless politicians sitting on Capital Hill. Over the course of this semester, however, I've truly learned to appreciate the work Congress men and women do, and have found that, the further you delve, the more interesting Congress becomes to study and observe.
Our blog this semester has been a useful tool in helping me gain a greater appreciation of Congress. At the beginning of the semester, I got to know my own Congressmen, exploring different facets of their campaign and delving into the work they do both in Washington and in Pennsylvania. Sadly, I never knew much more about my Congressmen than their names, and learning about them has helped me to become more invested in the politics of my own district, instead of just focusing on national and international politics.
Our blog has also allowed me to study the inner-workings of Congress, both through my own research and writing, and through the research and writing of my peers. We were incredibly lucky to be in this class during such a historical moment in Congress' history. John Boehner's resignation caused a huge stir in Washington, and the information I learned in our class and in the blogposts written by my classmates was vital to my overall understanding of the situation. This information allowed me to create informed opinions about former Speaker Boehner, the near impossible task he was handed, and his ultimate decision to step down.
The simulation was another activity that truly enhanced my understanding of Congress. Since we are writing a separate paper on the simulation, I won't get too into it, but I will say that if our simulation taught me anything, it's that a Senator's job is a tough one. With so many complicated steps in passing legislation, and with so many methods of preventing a bill from being passed, it is easy to see why Congress has issues getting anything done!
Ultimately, this class has truly changed my opinion of Congress. Though I wish that they could be more productive, I now understand why Congress seemingly accomplishes so little. Congress men and women have an extremely complicated job, balancing their work between the two Congresses (both by serving at home and in Washington, and by doing work for both their constituents and their party) and going through the seemingly impossible task of making a bill a law. After this course ends, I will certainly be keeping more up-to-date on Congressional news and will be more appreciative of all of the work that Congress does.
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