The State of the Union has hindered the 112th Congress
After Republicans gained control of the House of Representatives last November, they vowed to repeal major legislation passed by the previous Congress and satisfy the Tea Party, whose conservative votes and voices lifted them to victory. However, despite months of rancorous debate on topics ranging from health care to the notorious debt ceiling, Congress has not accomplished much.
Bills pass one branch of Congress only to be immediately shut down by the other. This phenomenon has characterizes many previously divided Congresses, but today’s historic polarization signals a shift in how the government functions. Analyzing the circumstances surrounding this impasse provides a glimpse into political debate in the near future.
Business as Usual
A cursory glance at history indicates that Congress has seen similarly dire circumstances before. Midterm elections have often ushered in legislatures dominated by reactionaries hostile to the incumbent president. Yet it is unfair to lambast this Congress with the ‘Do-Nothing’ label, as Harry Truman did to his Republican opponents in the 80th Congress. Joseph Postell, professor of political science at the University of Colorado, told the HPR, “It’s hard to define what it means to be a do- nothing Congress. It seems like obviously compared to the Congress before it…this Congress has done much less. It’s certainly a do-less Congress.”
Yale Professor David Mayhew asserts, “Generally speaking, major enactments come later in a Congress under divided party control. It takes longer to cool down the antagonisms and make the deals.” This indicates that any greater progress under divided Congresses this early would be surprising. “The current Congress seems more or less typical in actual enactments,” continues Mayhew. Indeed, this session’s major achievements remain limited to free trade deals with Colombia, Panama, and South Korea, and the debt compromise, which, while controversial and tricky in its negotiation, eventually passed.
A Different Political Climate
Several factors underlie the dearth of progress. Postell believes these include, “greater polarization, the Tea Party, and the circumstances in which the country finds itself.” The current economic crisis has dominated Congressional attention, preventing most other issues from emerging. Reaching meaningful compromise on the incredibly broad issue of economic recovery has been difficult. While the American people hope for quick remedies, both parties are careful to not upset their bases with fiscal or economic heresies. Members of the Tea Party, for example, have been particularly vocal in their emphasis on shrinking the size of government. Liberals, likewise, have consistently refused to reform entitlements: the problem which economists agree will become the largest driver of future deficits. A growing focus on ideological purity, including GOP pledges to not raise taxes, has stalled negotiation by forcing legislators to toe the party line or face primary challenges.
The changing Republican base has also made compromise with the Democrats increasingly difficult. Theda Skocpol, Harvard government professor, maintains that Republicans, “have a huge Tea Party- oriented caucus that has really made it impossible for Speaker Boehner, even if he wanted to, to make any kind of compromise.” While party feuding has occurred since time immemorial, Skocpol believes that “Republicans in both the House and the Senate are determined to do nothing at all. Their top priority is to defeat President Obama in 2012… I don’t think the Republican Party can go a whole lot further to the right.” The data support Skocpol’s claim. According to National Journal, the 112th Congress is the most polarized in modern history. The moderates of years past have largely disappeared, wiped out in wave elections and replaced with dogmatic ideologues.
Compounding this scenario is a rather perplexing occurrence: the American people may not even know what they want. Postell thinks that “At this point no one knows exactly what the public mood is… Maybe the public is still waiting to see what the economic stimulus and health care acts produce.” History has shown that the country’s mood can rapidly swing when dissatisfaction is widespread. When no dominant voice of the people emerges, however, Congress treads cautiously. Indeed, despite the fact that Congressmen and Senators typically have their own clear-cut agendas, Skocpol states, “Voters in general often don’t know what to do when they’re disillusioned with things.” Representatives in Washington can only sit and wait while their constituents make up their collective mind.
The Eternal Campaign
The lens through which the public sees its representatives has also shaped the discussion, or lack thereof. The sheer volume of media analysis and criticism continuously assails Americans, overwhelming all other discourse. Postell believes there is great significance in “the amount of political commentary the people are subjected to these days.” As pundits offer constant reminders of Congressional gridlock, general dissatisfaction with the political system becomes an unavoidable outcome. While intense scrutiny of politicians before an election is nothing new, this focus is now relentless. Immediately after new legislators win elections, the next campaign cycle begins.
Augmenting this obsession with campaigns, a core to conservative politicians’ plans for 2012 is convincing the public that the Obama administration bears the blame for continued economic distress. While opposition to a president by the opposing party in Congress is standard practice, Skocpol believes that “what we’re seeing under Obama is new. The Republican popular base…outright hates and fears Obama.” Delivering any major legislative victories would increase Obama’s standing, creating a conundrum for GOP leaders seeking to leave their mark. Others feel that contention has simply become the new norm, with Postell citing the deep-seated opposition liberals had against President Bush. However, he does believe, “There is a problem here with the constant campaign.”
Eyeing 2012
With an increasingly conservative Republican base and outrage surrounding the sour economy afflicting both parties, the current legislature is certainly a “Do-Less Congress”. The media’s fixation has fired up partisans of every stripe. In this toxic environment, national policy-making has stagnated. Regardless, America is facing major changes.
Skocpol says that “the 2012 election is probably one of the most pivotal in American history; [if the Republicans win, they] will restructure the role of government in society.” A sweep of the House, Senate, and White House by Republicans would constitute a national mandate for overturning of Obama administration policies. However, if Obama wins reelection, Skocpol believes, “The Republicans may take a step back and realize that they have gone too far.” Such a victory would constitute an endorsement of the President and a rebuke against the ‘Do-Less’ Congress’s policies and practices.
John Prince ’13 is a Staff Writer. Thomas Esty ’14 is a Contributing Writer.
Photo Credit: House GOP Leader, Flickr