Abstract
Congress is in limbo. It is no longer the bipartisan, collaborative, participatory institution it was during previous eras, and neither is it the top-down, “czar”-driven institution that it was when political parties were at the height of their power. The public’s frustration with Congress during the Cannon years created the opening for the Revolt of 1910 that gave power over to the committees. Subsequently, the public’s frustration with that system led to the reforms of the 1970s that both decentralized power to subcommittees and centralized power in party leaders. Where we go from here will depend on how well we understand and implement the lessons of history, which makes the examination of Congress’s evolution indispensable.