Can We Rebuild Trust in Congress?
How Congressional Dysfunction Paved the Road to Political Violence
After conducting dozens of interviews with senior staff in Congress from both parties, I recognized that I wasn’t simply studying polarization, but a series of deliberate, specific changes that transformed disagreement between colleagues into battles of good versus evil.
My new OpEd in The Hill traces how:
Shortened work weeks eliminated the informal bonds that once made compromise possible
Cameras in Congress turned persuasion into performance
The 24-hour news cycle turned political disagreement into profit
The center became not just marginalized, but politically dangerous
The recent rise in political violence isn’t an aberration, but the logical endpoint of trends building for decades.
The question isn’t whether we can return to some golden age of bipartisan cooperation, but whether we can rebuild the relationships and trust that make democratic governance possible.
Read the full piece: https://thehill.com/opinion/congress-blog/5545432-gingrich-congress-polarization-tactics/
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👆🏻Restore Faith in Congress Act
Bravo! I feel that we do not have a choice in the matter. For our country and Constitution to survive, we must find a way to overcome partisanship.
As a kid and young adult (the last of Gen X), I grew up without fear of government. My view of politics in the late 80s and 90s was a government that functioned, albeit not always as I wished it to, but it functioned nonetheless. I was proud to be an American. When I began to understand oppression and totalitarianism, I felt lucky to be a US citizen, and this led me to military service and ultimately the pointy tip of the spear in combat.
As a transgender woman, I now fear our government, especially the current administration. Im careful which states I travel through now. I fear for my personal safety at times and have been accosted by those who feel empowered to project dehumanization.
As a combat veteran, I am deeply saddened by the erosion of the rights and way of life afforded by our Constitution. I risked my life, killed people and nearly died. It infuriates me that the Constitution is being cast aside in favor of partisan politics and hate-filled rhetoric.
I fear for the future of our republic, and have strongly considered leaving the country. I find comfort, however, in our history of overcoming obstacles, and the resilience of our Constitution, which has repeatedly allowed for empowerment of the people.
“We shall overcome.”