Party Rule And Disfunction In The Modern Congress

“The Capitol Building Falling Apart,” through Craiyon.com

Increasingly in modern times, each political party has demanded that members not think for themselves but unite politically on most legislation. The ability of a few members of Congress to bring the whole legislative process to a standstill, however, is only one of many negative consequences. Reform requires courageous members of both parties to develop rules that promote bipartisan work. This includes empowering a Speaker with the ways and means to achieve that end, rather than just finding some new party punishments for recalcitrant members. Piet Hein described the problem better in 1969 than anything I can add.

Majority Rule (From Grooks 1)

by Piet Hein

His party was the Brotherhood of Brothers,

and there were more of them than of the others.

That is, they constituted that minority,

which formed the greater part of the majority.

Within the party, he was of the faction,

that was supported by the greater fraction.

And in each group, within each group, he sought

the group that could command the most support.

The final group had finally elected,

a triumvirate whom they all respected.

Now of these three, two had the final word,

because the two could overrule the third.

One of these two was relatively weak,

so one alone stood at the final peak.

He was: THE GREATER NUMBER of the pair

which formed the most part of the three that were

elected by the most of those whose boast

it was to represent the most of most

of most of most of the entire state -

or of the most of it at any rate.

He never gave himself a moment's slumber

but sought the welfare of the greatest number.

And all the people, everywhere they went,

knew to their cost exactly what it meant

to be dictated to by the majority.

But that meant nothing, - they were the minority.