For the past year I have been sharing the Public Check on Congress with a broad range of audiences. Virtually everyone sees the need for fixing Congress and most see the advantages of the systemic fix this proposal offers. A frequent lament, however, is what can be done in the meantime while a Constitutional amendment works its way through the process of Congressional and state ratification? One response, of course, is that as soon as the possibility of PCC registers with members of Congress they will not wait until it is fully ratified to begin changing their behavior.
We now have another response to that question. The non-partisan organization No Labels has introduced a very impressive suite of recommendations that Congress can immediately implement itself through its own procedural rules. These twelve modifications to Congressional procedures will help break the gridlock, promote constructive discussions, and reduce polarization. Check out the details at: http://nolabels.org/make-congress-work . After the year we have just been through, and the early signs for the year ahead, we need some “quick hits” to get our government to take some sensible actions.