There is yet another group that is losing patience with today’s crop of US Senators: their predecessors. Recently, 70 of them, Republicans, Democrats, and Independents, having served in every decade since the 1960’s, are delivering a unified message: “it’s time to give up your dysfunctional hyperpartisanship.”
They suggest the formation of a bipartisan caucus that would wield the balance of power to assure that sensible legislation pass and that constitutional restraints on the Presidency be restored.
It wouldn’t take many. A group of about 5 from each party would be very effective, if they stick together. An early order of business may have to be some new filibuster rules to cut back on the abuse of that extra-constitutional veto point.
It may be that this call for reform falls on deaf ears in the Senate. But there is another audience for this warning that must listen. That audience, of course, is you and me and the rest of the American electorate. We must soon reach our own bipartisan consensus for fundamental reform and put it into effect. The Public Check on Congress — the collective congressional accountability amendment — is a strong candidate for that reform agenda.