Frank's Musings

When the U.S. republic was initially designed, its Congress was split into two Houses for the purpose of balancing the immediate preoccupations of the public with keeping the republic true to the overriding goal of protecting its democratic government from domination by an autocrat or by special interests.  Since then, one special interest that was not anticipated by the founders of the republic has overtaken the others—the money needed by politicians to follow their careers.  The search for financial support has made many congressmen, and particularly those in the House of Representatives, advocates of special interests.  Their original mission has been corrupted by the expense of winning their election every two years.   Not only has the cost of political campaigning grown far beyond the parameters of campaign finance at the end of the eighteenth century, but the importance of political party affiliation, its simplification to two predominant parties, and the close affiliation of the Congressional parties with that of the President, the head of the administrative branch, have made the legislative branch more likely to serve other interests than the will of the public.

Among the ways that under modern conditions, the HR may be restored to its original function are the following three changes:

1. Use modern communications technologies to make direct democracy possible, without the need for elected representatives to legislate on behalf of the collective constituents.
2. Transform the legislative personnel lor each geographic district into civil service staff who are professionally qualified to understand the various preoccupations of its constituents and to draft legislation for their consideration in electronic adoption polls.
3. Redefine House representatives as managers of those professional district staffs, subject them to periodic elections by the public in each district and finance their audited campaigns exclusively with public funds.

The Senate will be needed as currently structured to act as the arbiter of the legislation proposed by the HR to assure its conformance with the overriding political goals of the republic.

Of course, such reform of the Congress will never occur; but congressional candidates may incorporate some of its principles into their campaigns.  For example, they may consult regularly with their constituents through electronic means; they may also focus attention on the quality of their and their opponents’ staff; and they should advocate and vote for replacement of private election finance with public funding.