Dr. Norman Ornstein, political commentator and best selling author, came to SLU recently and articulated his stance on the issues facing Congress today. According to Ornstein, the spirit of compromise has been lost between the parties in Congress. The ideological divide has made it almost impossible to reach across party lines for support. The ensuing gridlock has halted the legislative process and caused the congressional approval rate to drop to 7%.
Ornstein cited Newt Gingrich’s ruthless policy of chipping away at the legitimacy of Congress and the Democrats, and as the root of the issue. Gingrich’s techniques, according to Ornstein allowed Republicans to gain office, but Gingrich was unable to contain the escalating polarization within congress. Polarization and tribalism between the two parties represent the largest impediment to productivity within Congress today.
Ornstein pointed out that Congress has also been impacted by the rapid change in media and journalism practices. The immergence of viral social media and increased television coverage has changed the nature of the political campaign. This has given rise to a phenomenon called the “Permanent Campaign.” The Permanent Campaign means politicians must now constantly concern themselves with appealing to the media instead of being able to concentrate on legislation.
These arguments that Dr. Ornstein presented are in his recently published book, “It’s Even Worse Than It Looks.” Dr. Ornstein came to SLU as part of the Contemporary Issues Lecture Series hosted by Dr. Kling and Government Department on September 30.