Why isn't Congress in congress with itself?

Congress[i] is the most powerful branch of the Government. In theory.
And it’s not even close.

Back up a bit.

When the Founders were Founding, they[ii] wrote
the Federalist Papers, wherein they explain how they Frankensteined a new
Government from the parts they found lying around in the graveyards of human
government history.

They thought,

Here on Earth,

There are monarchies,
There are republics,
And there are democracies.

All three are good.

All three are bad.

All three are types of States.
What’s the best?
Hmmmmmmmmm…
Let’s blend them.

The Executive’s (MONARCH) substantial[iii] power
can be wielded with the ease of the stroke of a pen[iv],
and no one person is more powerful than the President in the law.

And politically - the most powerful. Hands
down. Bully pulpit.

But VERY IMPORTANTLY - the President can’t
change the Constitution. 100% bound by it.

The Judiciary calls balls and strikes[v],
to quote a turn of phrase.
Which can be HUGE at times.
They are the stopgap.
When somebody[vi]
steps out of line, since the days of John Marshall, the Judiciary has answered
the question: is this law or was this action or was this policy “Constitutional.”
But VERY IMPORTANTLY -
The Supreme Court can’t change the
Constitution.
100% bound by it.

But when Congress (Senate = REPUBLIC;
House = DEMOCRACY) works in congress with itself, it can pretty much do
whatever it wants.

Figuring out what “it wants” means is the
problem. A political problem.

Congress writes laws.

Congress can override the President’s veto.

Congress declares war.

Congress impeaches and convicts.

Congress ALONE amends the Constitution.
Meaning Congress COULD erase the first amendment, the second amendment, the
third amendment, the fourth amendment, etc., the articles, the clauses, the
3/5ths, the pauses.

Blowing up Constitutional infrastructure
doesn’t happen.

It’s politically impossible. I think.

Today?

Congress is broken. In gridlock. It’s frozen.

By politics, not law.

How do we get the gears moving again?

Clean up the debris.

Dislodge the jam.

Blow up the political parties.

How?

Don’t look to the judiciary. Not what
they are there for.

Elect an independent President.

Not a Republican.

Not a Democrat.

Not us.

Not them.

Not you.
Not me.

It should be greased by all of us, working together, like grown-ups.

Let’s get rid of that thorny nest of knots
and twigs and entrenched warfare we call the two-party system, which in
reality, is COMPLETELY arbitrary and just, kind of, happened. And it’s bad.

Good luck dividing America into only two categories.

And you wonder why people say there are no good candidates – “it’s between bad
and worse.”

--------------------------------------

An independent President can, once elected, [vii]stand
up, tap the mic, look at Congress and say:

“Get off your butts.

And legislate.

Now.
I will sign any reasonable legislation you put on my desk.”

What would happen?

They'd have to broker deals. They'd have to listen. They'd have to compromise. They'd be so pissed at each other.

New alliances. New enemies. New drama. New breakthroughs. (New pork? I hope not.)

Down the line, would American society and
politics naturally split in the middle and form a new two-party system, like a
fiddled-with paper clip slowly remembering its natural state?

Probably.

But man. The years that passed by while
we diffused to that point could be a pretty fun and productive and cathartic
and remedial period in American history.

Cynical, tired, angry, disillusioned
Americans are saying “blow it all up.”

THAT IS BAD.
WE CAN’T LET THAT HAPPEN.

Use less TNT.

Only blow the parties up.

Jolt the gears free.

So we can get to work on America
together. As a country. As a citizenry. As the stewards of a gift bestowed on us by
some really smart and imperfect people who wagered their heads on the idea that oppression of people by the State (except slaves, of course) is a crime against humanity and even God himself.

(I know.

The slave thing is inconvenient.

And it really messes with my flow there.

But it has to be said.

Because if I don’t say it, I’m lying.

And I’m not making slavery a footnote. Not
again. And NOT TODAY.

We did fix it, at least in the sense that the Constitution now prohibits slavery. So that's good. Big shout out to Mr. Lincoln.

We have not "fixed" the legacy of slavery. At all.

Slavery is not a footnote. Parenthetical here.

It sucks.

For America.

Deal with it.)

To Congress:

If you don't like this idea, be better. Be different. Meet with each other. Work some stuff out.

Or risk your parties going the way of the Dodo bird.

And get out public service.

……..

Well??

We’re waiting!!

[i] Referring jointly to the House and the Senate.

[ii] Hamilton, Madison and Jay as Publius.

[iii] And ever-so-growing.

[iv] Or autopen.

[v] Unless they decide to legislate. Which they do sometimes.

[vi] *conspicuously clears throat*

[vii] And even before taking office.