This paper proposes some reforms in the operations and structure of the United States Congress and discusses the reasons why reforms are needed in this powerful institution.
The paper outlines the reasons why Congress has become an oversized, inefficient institution, full of self-serving politicians who are out of touch with the country’s most pressing problems. It discusses the length of the terms of service, the size of the constituencies and the manner in which campaigns are funded. The paper proposes the development of a system which would effectively monitor the activities of Congressmen in order to minimize the abuse of power. It also proposes changes in fiscal behavior, committee setup and campaign funding in order to prevent specific interest groups from interfering in Congressional matters.
It is also extremely critical to bear in mind that the public anger and frustration will only increase with the passage of time if noting is done to change the way Congress conducts itself. Apart from various internal structural problems, the Congress should actively allow impartial bodies to investigate various allegations against it. This way it will be able to clear some of the blame that public has placed on its shoulders.