Restoring the Consent of the Governed
How Americans Can Hold Congress More Accountable for Serving the National Interest
Nonfiction, Social & Cultural Studies, Political Science, Government
| Author: | Bill Bridgman | ISBN: | 9781634135115 |
| Publisher: | Publish Green | Publication: | December 15, 2009 |
| Imprint: | Language: | English |
| Author: | Bill Bridgman |
| ISBN: | 9781634135115 |
| Publisher: | Publish Green |
| Publication: | December 15, 2009 |
| Imprint: | |
| Language: | English |
If the Founding Fathers were with us today, they would be just as disappointed in Congress as we are. But they would be even more disappointed in us, the American people, since they gave us the ultimate responsibility for fixing our political system when, as now, it becomes necessary. Our challenge is to repair a Congress where currently 90% of incumbents can get themselves reelected despite the fact that Congress as a whole earns a national approval rating hovering near single digits. Restoring the Consent of the Governed begins with the fundamental principle that if we want the members of Congress to perform better collectively, Americans must be able to hold them more accountable for their collective performance. The next step is to develop a way to strengthen that accountability to the American people. Bill Bridgman combines a deep understanding of our present congressional dysfunction with non-partisan common sense in outlining a breakthrough solution to that problem. This brief, articulate book addresses a wide range of related questions including: Why, as a country, have we resigned ourselves to accepting such poor performance from Congress? What would our Founding Fathers now expect of us to re-establish their vision of a well-functioning political system? What, specifically, can we do to restore the consent of the governed with respect to Congress? How would a collective accountability mechanism tip the scales of influence away from cash rich special interests and fringe political factions—and toward the American electorate? And how should we go about the job of implementing a mechanism by which Americans can hold the members of Congress accountable for acting in better alignment with the national interest? For those who believe that the dysfunction in Congress obliges us to consider a bolder option than those currently bandied about—an option that can deliver the quantum improvement our present condition requires—Restoring the Consent of the Governed will be very rewarding reading.Â
If the Founding Fathers were with us today, they would be just as disappointed in Congress as we are. But they would be even more disappointed in us, the American people, since they gave us the ultimate responsibility for fixing our political system when, as now, it becomes necessary. Our challenge is to repair a Congress where currently 90% of incumbents can get themselves reelected despite the fact that Congress as a whole earns a national approval rating hovering near single digits. Restoring the Consent of the Governed begins with the fundamental principle that if we want the members of Congress to perform better collectively, Americans must be able to hold them more accountable for their collective performance. The next step is to develop a way to strengthen that accountability to the American people. Bill Bridgman combines a deep understanding of our present congressional dysfunction with non-partisan common sense in outlining a breakthrough solution to that problem. This brief, articulate book addresses a wide range of related questions including: Why, as a country, have we resigned ourselves to accepting such poor performance from Congress? What would our Founding Fathers now expect of us to re-establish their vision of a well-functioning political system? What, specifically, can we do to restore the consent of the governed with respect to Congress? How would a collective accountability mechanism tip the scales of influence away from cash rich special interests and fringe political factions—and toward the American electorate? And how should we go about the job of implementing a mechanism by which Americans can hold the members of Congress accountable for acting in better alignment with the national interest? For those who believe that the dysfunction in Congress obliges us to consider a bolder option than those currently bandied about—an option that can deliver the quantum improvement our present condition requires—Restoring the Consent of the Governed will be very rewarding reading.Â
