Members of Congress Should Live Together, But Not in Dorms

Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska recently launched a fascinating critique of the dysfunctional state of the United States Senate with his recent op-ed in The Wall Street Journal calling for—among other things—the abolition of the 17th Amendment. In his proposal to “Make the Senate Great Again” by eliminating the direct election of senators, he suggested various other reforms to return a sense of collegiality and debate to the esteemed legislative body. Perhaps the most compelling idea focuses on the need for senators to have legitimate bipartisan, across-the-aisle relationships to promote real cooperation. Specifically, Senator Sasse believes senators need to live together in order to work together. The suggestion is not only brilliant, but knowing Americans will never give up directly electing their representatives, the idea of senators living in a single community may be the most feasible aspect of his proposal.

What the United States Congress and contemporary American society are missing is a common vision and sense of community about the tasks of governing. In the past 25 years, we have digressed from simple issue-based differences into bitter partisan animosity. It does not have to be this way for even the most vigorous of disputes. What Senator Sasse envisions (and our political leaders need) is a return to the spirit of the relationship between Republican President Ronald Reagan and Democratic Speaker of the House Thomas “Tip” O’Neill. These two statesmen were fiercely loyal members of their political parties, but they were equally loyal to the “United” States of America. They were also deeply respectful of each other. In fact, President Reagan once quipped, “Tip, if I had a ticket to Heaven, and you didn’t have one, I would give mine away and go to Hell with you.” Who among our politicians today has the character, strength, and authenticity to make such a pronouncement today? The same relationship existed between Supreme Court Justices Antonin Scalia and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and their friendship should inspire respect and collaboration, rather than the bitter disrespect their deaths have caused.

Republicans and Democrats and independents need a commitment to a common national identity and a renewed sense of purpose as neighbors and community members. The downside of the tribalism and partisanship that has infected the past 30 years is an inability and unwillingness to understand views different from their own. Recent books like Jonathan Haidt’s The Righteous Mind and Bill Bishop’s The Big Sort have exposed how ideological divides devolved into geographical and community divisions. Rigidity of party platforms (and identification) explains why citizens and voters can no longer civilly discuss the issues. Even worse, our political leaders cannot allow themselves to get along, lest they risk ridicule, exile, and primary challenges from within their own party. In the 1960’s, congressional representatives voted with their party roughly two-thirds of the time. These days party compliance approaches 93%, which means that voters truly cannot vote for the candidate as opposed to the party, though many Americans profess a desire to do just that.