Lost in the Political Woods, episode 18 description

A brief look into why Congress is acting like children

Despite what television and other media tell us, Congress frequently engages in acts of bipartisanship In private, outside the presence of television cameras

Congress used to be At least somewhat Revered For being a relationship-building institution

The relationship between President Ronald Reagan and house speaker tip O'Neill is often held up as an example of the last time congress routinely functioned as intended

There are disagreements over policy We're usually smoothed over while drinking together

The breakdown of this camaraderie is often cited As a reason for widespread Congressional dysfunction that has persisted For somewhere between 20 and 30 years

The most recent example of this general dysfunction is a verbal confrontation between Marjorie Taylor Green and Lauren Bobert That included the use of curse words

Verbal and physical altercations involving members of Congress of both parties Aren't so rare anymore As the threat of impeachment of the president in power hangs over Just about any congressional severe discussion

This and other issues contribute to the perception that members of Congress of either party don't really care about ordinary people.

The influence of dark money in modern politics Is also briefly discussed

What is our path forward from this current schism?

https://app.slack.com/client/T04BXLNPX26/C04BH4PMERM#:~:text=11%3A40%20AM-,https%3A//www.pewresearch.org/short%2Dreads/2022/03/10/the%2Dpolarization%2Din%2Dtodays%2Dcongress%2Dhas%2Droots%2Dthat%2Dgo%2Dback%2Ddecades/,-Pew%20Research%20Center

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/congress-couldnt-have-been-this-bad-or-could-it-1-36911219/

https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-broken-branch-how-congress-is-failing-america-and-how-to-get-it-back-on-track/

Lost in the Political Woods, episode 17 description

Why stock trading by members of Congress should

Bills on this issue are constantly due.

Members of Congress make important decisions

These decisions shouldn't be influenced by their stock portfolios

Eg defense and insurance companies

It's nothing less than insider trading

In Congress it's something you can get away with little consequences as well

If Martha Stewart can go to jail for insider trading, so can members of Congress

See you next week!

Sources:

https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/3494

https://rollcall.com/2023/03/08/lawmakers-renew-push-for-stock-trading-ban-at-house-administration-hearing/

https://hollywoodlife.com/feature/martha-stewart-jail-4808313/

Lost in the political Woods Episode 16 Description

A brief description of the debt ceiling battle

A few words on the need to contact local congressional representatives

Republicans and Democrats in Congress are actually bipartisan in private, though usually not on camera. Mostly in the Congressional Lunchroom or in the moments before press conferences

For all the talk, the reality is that the federal budget has not been balanced since the Clinton administration

Is there any hope of a balanced budget in the near future?

Pork barrel spending is also discussed(A particular member of Congress Getting a dingleberry for his or her district Attached to a must-pass bill)

Who has traditionally kept better control Over the US economy Republicans or Democrats?

Sources:

https://www.axios.com/2023/06/13/house-republicans-conference-gaetz-mccarthy

https://thehill.com/homenews/3256085-overwhelming-majority-disapproves-of-job-congress-is-doing-gallup/

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2023/06/11/opinion/how-america-gets-to-a-new-center/