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Call a truce: How Congress can actually address Americans’ concerns

by William S. Becker, opinion contributor - 11/16/22 1:15 PM ET

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File
FILE – With the U.S. Capitol in the background, people walk past a sign that says say, “Voters Decide Protect Democracy,” Jan. 6, 2022, in Washington. This week’s ballot had an unspoken candidate, American democracy. Two years of relentless attacks on democratic traditions by former President Donald Trump and his allies left the country’s future in doubt, and voters responded. Many of the candidates who supported the lie that Trump won the 2020 election lost races that could have put them in a position to influence future elections. But the conditions that threatened democracy’s demise remain, and Americans view them from very different perspectives.

With national elections every two years, congressional campaigning never stops. Likewise, presidents are elected every four years, but their most productive period is generally the first 100 days in office.

But now that the 2022 midterm elections are over and the 2024 campaign has not heated up, this might be one of the rare times a president and congressional leaders can step back and introspect about what they should do better.

The American people are frustrated. In August, the Pew Research Center reported that voters are tired of political cage-fighting while some of the country’s most pressing problems grow into crises. “Neither party is very popular with the public,” Pew found. Voters are even questioning the two-party system.

Gallup found in September that 75 percent of Americans over age 18 disapprove of how Congress is doing its job, and that was its most positive rating for the year. Based on a survey at mid-year, the New York Times reported nearly 6-in-10 people believe American democracy needs a complete overhaul. Majorities across almost all demographics and ideologies felt the government isn’t working.

“Americans’ bipartisan cynicism about government signals a striking philosophical shift,” according to the Times. “For generations, Democrats campaigned on the idea that government was a force for good, while Republicans sought to limit it. Now, the polling shows, the number of Americans in both parties who believe their government is capable of responding to voters’ concerns has shrunk.”

Are there any issues on which Republicans and Democrats can agree? Indeed, there are quite a few at the grassroots level. The University of Maryland’s School of Public Policy identified 150 issues that received bipartisan support in a study of 80,000 Americans. It used the best type of polling, where respondents were educated on issues before they voted on them. Their ideas ranged from Social Security and campaign finance reforms to immigration policy and a national goal for reducing America’s greenhouse gas pollution.

“What’s striking is that when citizens think through the issues and hear both sides, they often find common ground–clearly, much more so than Members of Congress,” said Steven Kull, president of Voice of the People, one of the two organizations that conducted the survey.

“On issue after issue, Americans agree across party lines and are ready to get things done,” concluded Jillian Youngblood, executive director of the second organization, Common Ground Solutions. “All these positions are also supported by majorities from both parties in the reddest and bluest congressional districts, and by primary voters who are typically more partisan.”

When the 118th Congress convenes on Jan. 3, its New Year’s resolution should be to restore the American people’s confidence in democracy. President Biden could help by inviting the leaders of both parties in the House and Senate to join him at Camp David, where they would explore whether there are any critical issues on which they can agree. If so, they would put legislation on those issues at the top of the new Congress’s agenda. This early example of collaboration could set a more positive tone for the rest of the session.

Is this wishful thinking? Yes. Several prominent Republicans are already planning investigations of Democrats and cuts to entitlements programs. They may try to undo the current Congress’s progress on infrastructure, clean energy, prescription drug costs and industrial policy.

But before they begin another year of mixed martial arts, House and Senate leaders should make restoring confidence in democracy their highest priority. To paraphrase filmmaker and historian Ken Burns, we need a lot more Pluribus and a lot less Unum in Congress. That’s one thing on which nearly all Americans seem to agree.

William S. Becker is co-editor and a contributor to “Democracy Unchained: How to Rebuild Government for the People,” a collection of more than 30 essays by American thought leaders on topics such as the Supreme Court’s perceived legitimacy. Becker has served in several state and federal government roles, including executive assistant to the attorney general of Wisconsin. He is currently executive director of the Presidential Climate Action Project (PCAP), a nonpartisan climate policy think tank unaffiliated with the White House.