ICYMI: Rep. Ron Kind in Republic 3.0 - "Enough Dramacracy"
The Bipartisan Policy Center’s Don Wolfensberger recently wrote that one of “the main obstacles” to results-driven legislating is “an excess of dramacracy – acting out rather than acting on problems.” I couldn’t agree more. Today, we live in more dramacracy than democracy, with not enough leaders willing to do the serious, substantive work to fix problems. That needs to change.
When Americans look back on the 113th Congress, it will not be considered our democracy’s finest hour. They’ll look back on the partisan gamesmanship with the disgust it deserves. According to a recent analysis by the Pew Research Center, this Congress passed fewer substantial laws in its first session than any other Congress in the last 20 years. The American people deserve a lot more than they’ve been getting from their representatives. It’s time to turn the page on the poisonous partisanship of the past few years and look for a better way forward – a way that builds consensus from the middle out.
I’ve always believed that our elected representatives do their best work when they sit down with members of the opposite party to find areas where they can cooperate. I’ve seen that common ground can often be reached when we work together. It’s a shame that such conversations have become more and more difficult in recent years. We’ve seen too many representatives come to Washington with an attitude of “it’s my way or no way at all.”
Groups like the New Democrat Coalition encourage members to reach across the aisle and look for ways to better the country. We are always seeking to find groups that are willing to work together to address the challenges our nation faces. There are Republicans who are pragmatic and want to make our government work. I was pleased to work alongside Rep. Charlie Dent (R-PA) and others during the government shutdown last fall to try to find a way out of the mess. We built on that progress with a two-year budget deal, omnibus appropriations and the debt ceiling. But that progress isn’t enough.
As President Bill Clinton would say, it’s time for a growth strategy that’s neither trickle down nor tax-and-spend, but invest and grow. Here are six priorities to get us on the right track:
1) We need to make the pro-opportunity investments in research and development, STEM learning, digital literacy and technology that will create new American jobs. The New York Times recently reported that one of the leading investors in cutting-edge technology development – the federal government – has already faced massive cuts to that research, down over $30 billion in the last five years. That’s why New Democrats are fighting to renew the America COMPETES Act, a bill that makes key investments in research and development, with full funding for basic research and a real commitment to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education.
2) We need to fix a tax code that’s not working for America’s families or businesses. With an antiquated tax code that is more than 4,000 pages long and hasn’t seen a tune-up in over 25 years, it’s long past time for comprehensive tax reform. Small businesses that don’t have an army of lawyers and accountants to navigate the code are being punished by a mountain of confusing paperwork. Let’s fix the code so it is simple, fair and competitive.
3) We must reform our broken immigration system to create American jobs, spur innovation and unlock the American economy’s growth potential. The Bipartisan Policy Center estimates that immigration reform and the new, young workers it would allow to come out of the shadows would reduce deficits by $1.2 trillion and grow the economy by an additional 4.8% over the next 20 years. It’s time to pass real, comprehensive immigration reform.
4) We have to ensure that the goods and services purchased around the world are “Made in the USA.” 291,000 Wisconsin jobs are supported by trade with Asia-Pacific countries. High-standard, 21st century trade agreements that level the playing field for our workers and businesses will help to expand opportunity to our middle-class families and those looking to climb into the middle class.
5) We must deal with the biggest driver of our deficits – the exorbitant costs of health care. The Affordable Care Act made impressive strides towards lowering costs, but we still spend 50 percent to 100 percent more on health care than many other countries while often time seeing worse results. By moving to a system that prioritizes value over volume, we can control costs and get the slowdown in costs we need to provide high-quality, affordable care for all.
6) Finally, it’s time for a 21st Century infrastructure. According to theProgressive Policy Institute, for every $1 we spend on transportation infrastructure, the increase in economic growth that results is between $1.50 and $2. Yet in America, our roads, rails and bridges are crumbling. TheAmerican Society of Civil Engineers has given our infrastructure a dismal D+ rating, with $3.6 trillion in investment needed to fix it by 2020. We can, and must, do better.
I suggest these ideas because they enjoy support from both sides of the aisle and provide a basis to move forward. In fact, with some of these priorities, all that remains is for us to schedule an up-or-down vote to get them done. If we work together, we can earn back some of the trust of the American people.
All that’s left is for us to act, not act out – to put this episode of dramacracy behind us.
Rep. Ron Kind represents Wisconsin’s Third Congressional District and is Chairman of the New Democrat Coalition. Follow: @RepRonKind and @HouseNewDems
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