Brian Darling: Congress Should Make a New Year’s Resolution to Respect the Wishes of the American People

Happy New Year!  Here’s to a better 2023.

I agree with Townhall’s Derek Hunter that 2022 Sucked. Due to a progressive spending spree that did not combat inflation, 2022 was a devastating year for taxpayers. The American people would love to see politicians make some New Year’s Resolutions to dial back the dysfunction we see everyday coming from the House and Senate. It would be wonderful if Congress could do a little less in 2023.

There are four easy resolutions for both the House of Representatives and the Senate. They would be to reduce inflation, balance their budgets, run Congress competently, and let the American people go. Other than the Biden Administration signing a bill bearing the name “Inflation”, the issue was mostly ignored. “Inflation Reduction Act,” A bill that did not reduce inflation was passed. Congress did not consider any budget balance measure. They also found new ways of spending borrowed money and added $1.4 trillion to their debt. The Congress leaders held off until the very last minute of this Congress to pass an enormous omnibus spending bill. This bill gave American citizens and members little time to comprehend the effects of the spending. 

Conservatives need to stop focusing on the Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s (R-CA) quest to become Speaker of the House as that big of a deal. No matter who you elect, McCarty or Rep. Steve Scalise will not change the House rules. Changes in the rules are more important than the glittering object of rebellion against Kevin McCarthy.

The House must change the rules to allow more debate, amendment and compromise if they want to pass a resolution that will restore the trust between the American people, Congress and the American people. If McCarthy promised to reform the rules, I believe his problems will disappear. The members are making the fight over McCarthy a proxy vote on rules reform, yet the longer McCarthy resists rules changes – the fight will become more about McCarthy.

It would be a good idea to establish a rule that all bills must be amended, which is not writable by the House Rules Committee. Many have called for a rule that would allow one member of the House to vote recall. This is the only way to restore the power of rank and file members. It is not necessary. Conservatives could take a better line of sight and say that they would like to elect their own chairperson of committees. This will give them the right to propose amendments to the House. The Speaker’s daily activities will be less relevant if power is restored to individual members. 

This House rule change could be something that the Senate might consider. Chuck Schumer, Senate Majority Leader (D-NY), should promise to end the use of the parliamentary tactic “filling the amendment tree” That serves to stop amendments being made by rank-and file members. This tactic is being used by both the leaders and the followers of each party. It should be retired. This tactic is an abuser of the rules, and it excludes most members from the process. I believe that Sen. Kyrsten Silena (I-AZ), would have been allowed to take part more fully in the legislative process. Because of the use of tactics by the leadership to ignore the input of many members, the Senate has become so partisan. Democrats’ idea to abolish the legislative filibuster in the Senate would be worse. The filibuster allows members to leverage extended discussion and to offer amendments. 

The most important reform Congress needs is to create a mechanism to balance the budget. The Washington Examiner Reported December 28, 2022 “lawmakers on Capitol Hill are gearing up for a political showdown over raising the country’s $31.4 trillion borrowing limit this coming spring or summer after punting the issue to a new Congress.” The showdown will give liberty-minded Senators one chance to filibuster any legislation that increases the debt limit but does not include structural reforms to spending programs. Let the Democrats make a fool of the American people, claiming that Republicans want the end to Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid. These programs will soon end without any significant reforms. There won’t be enough money to finance these mandated expenditures if the federal governments goes bankrupt. Sane Senators must pledge to the new Congress on Day One to stop a debt limit without reforms. Cut, Cap, and Balance Beginning in 2011. Balancing the budget should be conservative New Year’s Resolution number 1.

It amazes me that Senate and House leaders ignore the fact they are extremely unpopular, which has resulted in people losing respect for Congress. It is time to be optimistic that the leaders of 2023 will fix the rules for the House and Senate, dispersing power to rank-and file members while using the debt limit as a means to impose fiscal discipline on the federal government.

Brian Darling was formerly Counsel to Senator Rand Paul (R–KY).

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