Watching the debate last week on television, I was struck by how, most of the time, a large number of the seats in both house chambers are vacant. Maybe they too, are watching on TV from their offices? But isn’t this their “workplace” and shouldn’t they be in attendance when the bodies are in session?
I think the dysfunction of both houses is workplace related. There is a center aisle that divides the chambers, and the “workers” cross it at their great political peril. While they are out for two weeks, let’s sneak a team of carpenters in there and rearrange the seats. Eliminate the aisle and seat representatives from front to back in the order the states came into the union. This would mean that all of a state’s representatives would be seated next to each other, where they could easily discuss at length the best way to help their constituents. What a novel idea.
And maybe that would ease the conflict somewhat and prevent the present gridlock.
I’ll gladly charge up my cordless screwdriver and go help. Anybody with me?
John Probst
Newberry