Compromise… The Life Blood of the Representative Government but What has it become?

The Preamble of our Constitution states:

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

These simple words are the start for one of the most important documents for our country.  This is framework for the workings of our government. We the people elect representatives (congress) to serve our interests in the goals stated in the Preamble.  When congress meets there have a large collection of people with many different agendas, ideas, beliefs, and opinions.  The founding fathers envisioned that this collection of representatives would find a way to work together thru discussion and argument but ultimately a compromise would be reached that would be acceptable to all parties.   

The concept of compromise is seen as a failure in many circles. But, true compromise is the way that everyone comes away with something live with.  Our constitution is full of examples of this type activity:

·         The separation of powers into the Legislative, executive, and judicial branches

·         The representation of the House is based on population and the Senate being fixed

·         The “Great Compromise” between the northern and southern states about the counting of the slave populations. (Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons.)  This was modified by the 14^th amendment to remove the three fifths of a person clause.

These agreements were not obtained quickly or easily.  But, men of honor and character carried out these deliberations and their efforts gave us the most far reaching system of government ever devised.

What about today?

The concept of compromise has changed.   The idea of careful debate seems to over. Instead we have hurry up mentality. Hurry to pass legislation with far reaching implications like Cap and trade or healthcare reform.  Hurry up to pass huge economic stimulus and omnibus spending packages with little discussion or debate.   These votes usually end up going right down party lines with predictable results.  This congressional session has spent more money and pass more pages of legislation without being able to tell anyone what were the provision of the bills that were actually voting on were.  

This best example of this hurry and pass things without reading it came in the form of the American Clean Energy and Security Act a.k.a Cap and Trade or the Climate Change Bill.   Henry Waxman (D-CA), the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, introduced a 900 page bill near the deadline off the committee’s business. The minority party insisted it be publically read. So Mr. Waxman hires a speed reader to spend the next nine and half hours to read the bill before the committee votes.  Then the morning of the floor vote another amendment as added. Normally, this is not a giant deal, but this amendment was 300 pages long!  Few representatives could find it, much less read all of it to find out what they were actually voting on.   This is entire episode shows a total contempt for the legislative process.  There was little debate and when there was debate the house leadership used its rules to shut it down.  Very little time was given for the any type of thoughtful consideration and analysis.  Instead, what happened is that the party agenda was advanced over the needs or wished of the electorate so that a bill could be passed before the upcoming summer recess.

Today, compromise we see and hear about is more like horse trading.  Support my pet project or earmark, then I will support yours.    This happened with stimulus package passed a few months ago.  The base proposal was for 500 billion dollars but then the horse-trading started, the final bill that was sent to President Obama ended up being closer to 750 to 800 billion.  Why?  I believe the simple answer the congressional horse-trading to get votes together.  Every congressman had to get something for their district and/or supporters.  So, the political landscape changed and everyone when on a big grab looking to payoff political favors.  Now, nearly six months after this spending bill was passed only 0.5% of the money has actually been spent on the “shovel ready projects” and job creation that the public was promised.  What was left out of this spending package was the analysis, debate, and plan are how, when and where this public money should be spent.  

This type of horse trading mentality came to a head with a dustup between Congressman Dave Obey (D-WI) and Maxine Waters (D-CA).  The story that has been unfolding is that Maxine Waters wanted support for a $1 million earmark for the “Maxine Waters Job Preparation Center” in her district. However, Dave Obey refused citing new party rules against using earmarks for “monuments to me” projects.  Apparently, their discussion grew more heated and it escalated to the point that they were shouting and name calling in a public area.   Obviously, there was an expectation of cooperation for her earmark, after all it is only a million dollars. When Congresswoman Waters did not get what she wanted tempers flared up and the argument got out of hand. 

It is quite clear that the type of elected officials that our founding fathers has in mind do not exist anymore.   Careful and thought deliberations of proposed legislation have been lost. What we have now is partisan party politics being done by professional politicians.     In the writings of our founding fathers, you can get the sense that felt that government service was to be temporary. It was to be public service for the betterment of country not self interest and definitely not life time employment.