Basil Smikle, P&E Ph.D. student, in the NYT, April 18
From The Room for Debate section of the New York Times: Too Concerned With Re-election to Compromise
The Room for Debate section of the New York Times.
Too Concerned With Re-election to Compromise
Basil
Smikle is a political strategist and an
adjunct professor at Columbia University's School of International and
Public Affairs.
APRIL 18, 2013
President Obama’s rare public display of exasperation and animus after the defeat of bipartisan gun control in the Senate was unmistakable. He could only bemoan the handful of senators -- four of them Democrats -- derailing the hopes of 90 percent of America. Sadly, there are many reasons for the derailment of the gun bills, at the local level and by our legislative process.
The founding fathers were concerned about excessive and direct democracy and favored representative government, which proscribes simple majority influence on policy issues. Our Constitution and subsequent laws governing legislative processes have at times expanded or curtailed the influence of the legislative power. But even in a revered body like the Senate, the arcane rules -- like the filibuster -- undermine majority preferences instead of acquiescing to them.
Closer to home, the hard truth is that many legislators are concerned with re-election rather than building consensus around issues that preoccupy their constituents. Their election imperatives are fueled by the will of a few active voters and powerful interest groups.
Despite the trends that should indicate the opposite,
research shows that political participation is declining in this
country. Loopholes in campaign finance laws and the Supreme
Court’s decision in Citizens United have encouraged
organizations to infuse vulgar amounts of money and resources into
campaigns. Unless we prevent senators from hiding behind parliamentary
procedure and make them more responsive to the population, ordinary
Americans will lose participatory power and suffer under the tyranny of
the minority.
Published Friday, Jul. 26, 2013