It’s not them, it’s US.
It’s not them, it’s US.
It's time to ask what you can do for your country.
Harris may have won Tuesday’s debate, but America lost. She may have projected joy and optimism, but her words are empty without a plan of action to increase opportunity. We are forced once again to vote for the lesser of two evils. No matter who wins in November, the two parties will be represented, but the people will not.
I am sure I sound like a broken record at this point, talking about representation and Yuval Levin’s new book American Covenant. But I can’t stress enough how important they both are. Representation is key to the success of Republican government. It makes us a government of, by, and for the people. The people hold the power of governing by selecting representatives. When people vote, they transfer their power to those representatives. We the people, become us the people and them the representatives. If the Representatives fail to uphold their responsibilities, it becomes the people’s responsibility to elect better representatives. In other words, if the government is dysfunctional or corrupt, it’s not them that are to blame; it’s all of US.
The introduction of American Covenant is full of hope and optimism while simultaneously challenging Americans to take politics seriously and disagree more constructively. A significant step in unifying our nation again is to elect better representatives who are focused and ready to have a productive debate on congressional reform.
As JFK said, “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” Harris and Trump may not have a plan to repair the political division, but Levin does. What you can do for your country is read American Covenant and then get involved in your local congressional race. It’s time for US to hold ourselves accountable.
Take control of the conversation.
You have decided to act for your country. You’ve read the book. Now what? Google your local party (red or blue, your choice) and get connected. Check their website for events and start showing up. When you get involved in a congressional race, you can speak with the candidate. Make sure you are prepared. Politicians are great at using emotion to distract people. Don’t let them. Stay focused. The conversation should be about congressional reform and representation. Here are five questions to get started.
1. What is your vision of Republican Government? Madisonian or Wilsonian?
In Levin’s book, he explores two prominent visions of government and, in doing so, provides voters with a new question to ask politicians. A Madisonian politician has a decentralized and more limited view of the federal government, and a Wilsonian politician has a centralized and expansive view of the Federal Government. A Madisonian approach encourages collaboration and debate, balancing the majority and minority parties, and a Wilsonian approach encourages majority rule.
When deciding who to vote for, it’s essential to understand the candidate’s vision for the government. Understanding where the candidates stand on political theory is just as important as understanding where they stand on policy.
Once you know where they stand, ask them about reform.
2. Do you support Congressional reform?
Seventy-six percent of Americans disapprove of Congress. Congress is responsible for safeguarding our sovereignty, writing laws, managing the purse, and executive oversight. However, our border is overrun, citizens are over-regulated, the country is drowning in debt, and the executive branch has far too much power.
Levin writes, “There is now widespread agreement that Congress is broken.” Little will get done until Congress becomes a functional body again, and that will take reform. The backbone of congressional reform for us should be increasing the people’s representation.
3. Would you support the Madisonian idea of increasing the size of the House of Representatives?
Levin calls it “constitutional maintenance,” which is putting it nicely. It’s a basic responsibility of the Constitution that has been ignored for far too long. If a representative wants the job, they should agree to all the responsibilities or explain why it shouldn’t be a responsibility.
Expanding the House is the most important reform. Representation is key. It will improve the average American's life by increasing Congress's effectiveness and stabilizing our partisan power swings.
4. What’s the number?
Candidates should travel their district and think about how many people they believe they could reasonably represent. In 1911, the ratio was 1:210k, and now it’s about 1:745k. Levin and a group of political scientists proposed increasing the size of the House by 150 members, which would make the number 585 and the ratio about 1:564k.
Once they have a number, then they need a plan.
5. How will you get it done?
Candidates should be able to discuss their plan details comfortably and have a page on their website devoted to how and Why 435? Why 585? Why 692? Why 870? This will allow you time to research and think about the details of their plan. If questions arise, you can follow up via email.
Thank you for reading. Be sure to subscribe to keep updated on posts about how citizens can lift up and elect better representatives. The next questions will continue the conversation of Congressional reform and representation, but the focus will shift from “constitutional maintenance” to election and campaign finance reform.
If you are passionate about Congressional reform and, in particular, uncapping the House of Representatives, then check out No Cap Fund and consider donating.