Building Consensus in Congress  

Most people are prone to believe that they have the right answer to a problem. They may even believe that their solution is the only one and that all other opinions are incorrect, or that there is even a moral imperative about achieving one’s vision for the good of society. This stance is one of arrogance and immoderation.

People who think this way are less likely to listen to other people’s points of view. Their lack of humility and moderation means that they believe there is no need to compromise with others. They believe that compromise will only result in poor outcomes, surrendering a principle, or losing a political battle. They might be tempted to believe that they must hold the line and resist rather than negotiate to find areas of common ground.

When this happens, politics breaks down. Civil society starts to fracture into selfish and short-sighted infighting. A culture starts to fragment as people are set against each other and see everyone who has a different opinion as an enemy.

Representative government is supposed to focus on deliberation and consensus building, not f ighting and demonization. The basis for politics in a self-governing body is listening, discussing, and persuading. Therefore, representatives must work together in the pursuit of a common purpose with a spirit of humility and moderation in their own views.

Deliberation in Congress can be difficult work. The House of Representatives has 435 members, and the Senate has 100 members from all 50 states. The representatives and senators represent a great variety of interests and divergent viewpoints in a highly pluralistic society. Americans differ widely in their political views, jobs, social class, religious views, local culture, geography, and ethnicity.

James Madison believed that representative government in an extended republic over a wide geographic area would provide the basis for self-government. Representative government would “refine and enlarge” public views. Dividing the Congress into local districts would allow for representation of the diversity of the country. The variety of different interests represented across the country would compel representatives to moderate their views and to deliberate with one another to pursue the common good.

If they want to pass bills into law, representatives in Congress must forge a consensus of varied viewpoints by building coalitions. They can achieve a consensus through different means. They have to discuss, debate, and persuade fellow members to support a bill. This is done formally according to the rules established by each legislative chamber, but it is also done informally in the halls of Congress, on the phone, or over lunch. They discuss bills and listen to testimony from many different sources in subcommittees and committees that specialize in certain areas, such as the environment, education, or foreign policy.

As these deliberations occur, members of Congress begin to understand each other’s viewpoints and reasons for holding them. Speaking with others might persuade one to change one’s viewpoint or refine it. Discussions also help to build trust, especially among those from another party or political ideology. Members learn that the person across the aisle is not an enemy but a person whose views are worthy of respect and dialogue. This creates an environment in which moderation and compromise are possible.

The creation of consensus and coalitions is important for the daily work of lawmaking, but it is especially critical when it comes to controversial issues or matters of public concern. Lawmakers working to solve problems for their constituents and the common good of all, broadly, rather than just for a party or ideology, encourage a sense of trust. This makes politics less polarized and less fractured.

Congressional politics is hard and messy, but it is supposed to be. It is supposed to facilitate this kind of dialogue. It is supposed to slow the governing process down to come to a better conclusion together for the best path forward in making laws. Forging consensus and building a working compromise that mostly satisfies everyone is difficult and can often fail before it becomes law.

However, many Americans are dissatisfied by the deliberative nature of Congress and offer low approval ratings for that first branch of representative government. They complain about gridlock in Congress and its inability to conduct the nation’s business. Many people are wary that special interests might have a much greater voice than the sovereign people influencing the decisions of legislators. In short, the American people have generally lost their trust and faith in Congress.

Perhaps these viewpoints should not surprise anyone. Congress is highly polarized and often appears unable to forge consensus. Individual members are often interested in grandstanding for the media to promote themselves rather than pursuing the public good. Members often want their side to win rather than engage in any kind of compromise or work with the other side to find common ground.

American representative self-government is embodied at the national level in Congress. That body has members who represent the will of the people in their districts and states, but they also can help bind the country together with just laws that serve the common good. This builds trust, cooperation, and moderation in the halls of Congress and on Main Street. A healthy Congress helps represent Americans and binds them together as a people.