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Reflecting on the 118th Congress: A Year of Inaction and Controversy
The aftermath of the 2022 midterm elections shaped a Congress that many anticipated would be fraught with challenges. While voters granted the Democratic Party a modest expansion in the Senate, they simultaneously ushered in a slim majority for far-right Republicans in the House. This duality raised concerns about legislative effectiveness, creating expectations that significant progress was improbable.
The key debate centered not on whether the 118th Congress would struggle, but on how severe those struggles would be.
As we look back now, it is evident that the Congress fell significantly short of expectations, leading some to label it a profound failure on a historic scale.
A year ago, journalist Dana Milbank from The Washington Post noted this disillusionment in a piece titled “Worst. Congress. Ever.” By the end of 2023, Milbank concluded that lawmakers had concluded “the most ineffective session of Congress in nearly a century — and quite possibly in all of American history.”
Regrettably, lawmakers cannot proudly assert that the second year of session demonstrated improvement. Legislative output reached a generational low, with performance markedly inferior to that of modern, divided Congresses.
The situation became so dire that HuffPost described the 118th Congress as the “dumbest” ever, echoing a striking analysis from Sarah Binder at the Brookings Institution, who is often regarded as a key authority on congressional behavior.
Historically speaking, Binder characterized this Congress as “one of the craziest ever.” While the insufficient passage of legislative measures alone qualifies it for discussions of failure, the context of its actions further underscores its chaotic legacy.
Some notable occurrences from this Congress included:
- A historic impeachment of a sitting Cabinet secretary without valid grounds.
- The expulsion of George Santos, a rare move that highlighted issues of integrity and accountability in Congress.
- An unprecedented number of censures against House members—the highest count since the late 19th century.
While some might argue that the situation could have been worse, crediting the avoidance of a government shutdown and debt default due to bipartisan efforts, such narratives do little to soften the harsh reality of dysfunction. The actions of Congress, or lack thereof, can hardly be deemed praiseworthy. Comparisons to parental oversight come to mind: simply preventing disaster does not merit accolades.
By all measures, the 118th Congress stands as a cautionary tale—a representation of chaos fueled by extreme partisan tactics and an unwillingness to seek common ground. This tumultuous session found productivity nearly non-existent, a point even acknowledged by some Republican members.
As this Congress comes to a close, it is safe to say that it will be remembered for its ineffectiveness and disorder. Farewell to the 118th Congress; it has certainly left an impression.
This article was originally published on MSNBC.com.
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