What is Congress Supposed To Do?

Mack, Steve, and Anne get into what one branch of the government isn’t doing right now.

REFERENCES

Congress is defined in Article I of the Constitution:

Constitution Annotated. “Article I.” https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/article-1/

They didn’t want a king:

Pereira, Ivan. “Nation’s Founders Pushed Against ‘Elected King’ When Framing Presidential Powers.” July 2, 2024. ABC News. https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/nations-founders-pushed-elected-king-framing-presidential-powers/story?id=111621798

You know how Aristotle called for “balanced government”:

Smith, Steven. “9. The Mixed Regime and the Rule of Law: Aristotle’s Politics, VII” [YouTube video]. Yale Courses. https://youtu.be/mKLkb4LDi5M?si=NLTY5uPD9omUdXGZ

The Senate, originally, chosen by the state legislatures:

United States Senate. “Landmark Legislation: The Seventeenth Amendment to the Constitution.” https://www.senate.gov/about/origins-foundations/senate-and-constitution/seventeenth-amendment.htm

The Seventeenth Amendment:

Constitution Annotated. “Seventeenth Amendment.” https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-17/

Part of the Progressive Era:

Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “The Progressive Era Key Facts.” September 28, 2020. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/summary/The-Progressive-Era-Key-Facts

“No appropriations shall be made but by law”:

Constitution Annotated. “ArtI.S9.C7.1 Overview of Appropriations Clause.” https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artI-S9-C7-1/ALDE_00001095/

There’s Project 2025, too:

Wendling, Mike. “Project 2025: The Right-Wing Wish List for Trump’s Second Term.” February 13, 2025. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c977njnvq2do

During Nixon’s administration, Nixon tried what is called “impoundment”:

Kogan, Richard, “FAQs on Impoundment: Presidential Actions Are Constrained by Long-Standing Constitutional Restrictions.” November 21, 2024. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. https://www.cbpp.org/research/federal-budget/faqs-on-impoundment-presidential-actions-are-constrained-by-long-standing

The Supreme Court ruled that unconstitutional:

Justia. “Train v. City of New York, 420 U.S. 35 (1975).” https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/420/35/

It could be a veto override:

United States House of Representatives. “Presidential Vetoes.” Updated January 23, 2025. https://history.house.gov/Institution/Presidential-Vetoes/Presidential-Vetoes/

USAID:

Faguy, Ana. “USAID Officially Closes, Attracting Condemnation From Obama and Bush.” July 2, 2025. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c307zq8ppj6o

That was part of the DOGE-ness:

Clarke, Jennifer. “What is DOGE and Why Has Musk Left?” May 20, 2025. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c23vkd57471o

Project 2025 had it:

Mathiasen, Karen. “Project 2025 and Development Policy: I Read It So You Don’t Have To.” July 20, 2024. https://www.cgdev.org/blog/project-2025-and-development-policy-i-read-it-so-you-dont-have

Some people have not liked USAID for years:

Kakissis, Joanna; Bartlett, Kate; Peralta, Eyder; and Hadid, Diaa. “How the Gutting of USAID is Reverberating Around the World: Worry, Despair, Praise.” February 11, 2025. NPR. https://www.npr.org/sections/goats-and-soda/2025/02/11/g-s1-47661/trump-musk-usaid-ukraine-south-africa-mexico-colombia-india-afghanistan-hiv

Aid has stopped going to these places:

Mednick, Sam; McMakin, Wilson; and Pronczuk, Monika. “USAID Cuts are Already Hitting Countries Around the World: Here are 20 Projects That Have Closed.” AP News. https://apnews.com/article/usaid-cuts-hunger-sickness-288b1d3f80d85ad749a6d758a778a5b2

Food has spoiled:

Hartner, Fred. “‘The Impact has Been Devastating’: How USAID Freez Sent Shockwaves Through Ethiopia." February 21, 2025. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/ng-interactive/2025/feb/21/the-impact-has-been-devastating-how-usaid-freeze-sent-shockwaves-through-ethiopia

Supplies have been destroyed:

Kent, Lauren. “US to Burn $9.7 Million Worth of USAID-Purchased Contraceptives Rather Than Deliver Them to Women Overseas.” July 29, 2025. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/29/europe/usaid-contraceptives-burn-belgium-france-intl

Furloughed the people:

Tanis, Fatma. “USAID Terminates Nearly All Its Remaining Employees.” March 28, 2025. NPR. https://www.npr.org/sections/goats-and-soda/2025/03/28/g-s1-56968/usaid-terminates-nearly-all-its-remaining-employees

People were going to the courts to say, “Hey, this is illegal.”:

Wagner, Erich. “Judge Certifies Class in Lawsuit on Behalf of Ex-USAID Workers, Contractors." August 19, 2025. Government Executive. https://www.govexec.com/workforce/2025/08/judge-certifies-class-lawsuit-behalf-ex-usaid-workers-contractors/407551/

Being wined and dined by monarchy:

Reals, Tucker; Ott, Haley; and Watson, Kathryn. “Trump Attends Banquet Dinner With King Charles During Second State Visit to U.K.” Updated September 17, 2025. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/trump-uk-state-visit-epstein-protests-king-charles-windsor-castle/

There is an allocation to the White House for travel and other expenses:

U.S. Government Accountability Office. “White House Spending.” September 14, 2023. https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-23-106450

From the General Service Administration:

https://www.gsa.gov/

Oversight:

Gongress.gov “Congressional Oversight and Investigations.” https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF10015

Separation of powers:

Constitution Annotated. “Intro.7.2 Separation of Powers Under the Constitution.” https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/intro.7-2/ALDE_00000031/

You can be held in contempt of Congress:

Legal Information Institute. “Contempt of Congress.” Reviewed July 2022. Cornell Law School. https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/contempt_of_congress

They’d have to send their Sargent at Arms:

United States House of Representatives. “Sergeant at Arms.” https://www.house.gov/the-house-explained/officers-and-organizations/sergeant-at-arms

(Who currently does not appear to be 60- nor 70-years-old):

United States Senate. “Sergeant at Arms Jennifer A. Hemingway.” https://www.senate.gov/about/officers-staff/sergeant-at-arms/hemingway-jennifer.htm

The power of the purse:

United States House of Representatives. “Power of the Purse.” https://history.house.gov/Institution/Origins-Development/Power-of-the-Purse/

Say the FBI Director was testifying in front of Congress:

Debusmann, Jr., Bernd. “Kash Patel’s Combative Senate Hearing: Key Takeaways.” September 16, 2025. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9dxq8dn4xdo

They pass a budget, which they haven’t ever done in 20 years:

Desilver, Drew. “Congress Has Long Struggled to Pass Spending Bills on Time.” October 1, 2025. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/10/01/congress-has-long-struggled-to-pass-spending-bills-on-time/

When we say “shut down the government,” like, how literal is that:

Committee for A Responsible Federal Budget. “Government Shutdowns Q&A: Everything You Should Know.” September 16, 2025. https://www.crfb.org/papers/government-shutdowns-qa-everything-you-should-know

Since the 90s, all of the federal employees who were not getting paychecks, got back pay:

Partnership for Public Service. “How the Federal Workforce is Impacted During a Government Shutdown." https://ourpublicservice.org/fed-figures/the-federal-workforce-during-a-government-shutdown/

It’s not just Federal programs (one example):

League of Minnesota Cities. “Federal Government Shutdown: What It Means for Cities.” October 1, 2025. https://www.lmc.org/news-publications/news/all/federal-government-shutdown-what-it-means-for-cities/

The defining moment of McCarthyism:

American Experience. “‘Have You No Decency?’: McCarthy” [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/svUyYzzv6VI?si=k5O3t6ZQQ-CUkZDI

Dean and Watergate:

Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum. “Howard Baker and John Dean ‘What Did the President Know and When did He Know It’” [Video]. https://www.nixonlibrary.gov/media/video/howard-baker-and-john-dean-what-did-president-know-and-when-did-he-know-it

Some of that came into play with Vietnam:

Spector, Ronald H. “The Fall of South Vietnam.” Updated September 18, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Vietnam-War/The-fall-of-South-Vietnam

The third way they can do something is impeachment:

USA.gov. “How Federal Impeachment Works.” Updated April 14, 2025. https://www.usa.gov/impeachment

There are also regular hearings that are set:

Congress.gov “Types of Committee Hearings.” https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/98-317

A problematic policy like, say, destroying vaccines:

Noguchi, Yuki. “Senators From Both Parties Grilled RFK, Jr. on Vaccines and More.” September 4, 2025. https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/09/04/nx-s1-5528966/rfk-kennedy-hearing-covid-vaccines-cdc

These people went to school together:

Schaeffer, Katherine. “Nearly All Members of the 118th Congress Have a Bachelor’s Degree–and Most Have a Graduate Degree, Too.” February 2, 2023. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/02/02/nearly-all-members-of-the-118th-congress-have-a-bachelors-degree-and-most-have-a-graduate-degree-too/

Take the example of Nixon’s resignation:

Elving, Ron. “Half a Century Ago, Nixon Became the Only President to Resign.” August 9, 2024. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2024/08/09/nx-s1-5068704/nixon-resign

You probably wouldn’t find a better horse trader:

Perry, Barbara A. “Joe Biden: Life Before the Presidency.” Miller Center. https://millercenter.org/president/biden/life-before-the-presidency

Noob:

Nelson, Michael. “Barack Obama: Life Before the Presidency.” Miller Center. https://millercenter.org/president/obama/life-before-the-presidency

Think about Johnson and the Civil Rights Act:

Gittinger, Ted and Fisher, Allen. “LBJ Champions the Civil Rights Act of 1964.” Reviewed February 6, 2023. National Archives. https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2004/summer/civil-rights-act

 Senator Hubert Humphry:

Miller Center. “Hubert H. Humphrey.” https://millercenter.org/president/lbjohnson/essays/humphrey-1963-vicepresident

Al Gore, Sr.:

Creekmore, Betsey B. “Albert Arnold Gore, Sr.” September 25, 2018. Volopedia. https://volopedia.lib.utk.edu/entries/albert-arnold-gore-sr/

Estes Kefauver:

United States Senate. “Estes Kefauver: A Featured Biography.” https://www.senate.gov/senators/FeaturedBios/Featured_Bio_KefauverEstes.htm

Johnson had been majority leader in Senate:

United States Senate. “Senate Leaders.” https://www.senate.gov/about/parties-leadership/johnson-b-lyndon.htm

At the same time, the House Speaker was Sam Rayburn:

Johnson, Lyndon B. and Champagne, Anthony M. “Sam Rayburn.” January 2, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Sam-Rayburn

“To get along, go along.”:

RayBurnMrSpeaker.com. “RayBurnisms.” https://www.rayburnmrspeaker.com/rayburnisms

Logrolling:

Political Dictionary. “Logrolling.” https://politicaldictionary.com/words/logrolling/

Rolling logs:

https://youtube.com/shorts/J6Gt1BfzNRA?si=Ms8iPE-sObR_WtJ4

The movie Charlie Wilson’s War:

https://youtu.be/G1mnSjjeC2o?si=et5vV0KngLrdB8Ls

Tom DeLay:

Parrott-Sheffer, Chelsey. “Tom DeLay.” August 3, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Tom-DeLay

Gingrich:

Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “Newt Gingrich.” Updated September 5, 3035. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Newt-Gingrich

Partisan leadership got much more control of funding for Congressman:

Kornberg, Maya and Deng, Sophia. “How Money Shapes Pathways to Power in Congress.” September 10, 2024. Brennan Center for Justice. https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/how-money-shapes-pathways-power-congress

When they bring freshman in to orient them together (which they are trying to restore):

Papp, Justin. “Incoming Members of Congress Descend on Capitol Hill for Orientation.” November 12, 2024. Roll Call. https://rollcall.com/2024/11/12/congress-house-new-member-orientation-2024/

You wouldn’t bring your family to D.C.:

Wire, Sarah D. “This is What It’s Like to be a Cross-Country Flight Away From Your Constituents–and Your Family.” April 30, 2018. Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-ca-congress-california-fly-home-20180430-story.html

In part, because of the demands of fundraising:

Minkin, Amelia. “The 118th Congress’ Fundraising Treadmill.” February 4, 2025. Issue One. https://issueone.org/articles/the-118th-congress-fundraising-treadmill/

The budget situation has obviously changed since we recorded. Here is updated information at the time of posting:

Hubbard, Kaia and Yilek, Caitlin. “Government Shutdown Live Updates as Funding Impasse Stretches Into Second Day.” October 2, 2025. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/government-shutdown-latest-second-day-trump-johnson/

Like renaming bases:

Guldin, Joanna. “Trump is Renaming 7 Army Installations: Here are the Stories Behind the Names Being Scrubbed.” June 17, 2025. Military.com. https://www.military.com/history/trump-renaming-7-army-installations-here-are-stories-behind-names-being-scrubbed.html

This is also a lot of Project 2025 people:

Wardwell, Faith. “The Key Project 2025 Authors Now Staffing the Trump Administration.” March 12, 2025. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/key-project-2025-authors-now-staffing-trump-administration-rcna195107

For instance, renaming the Defense Department, the War Department:

Debusmann, Jr., Bernd. “Trump Rebrands Department of Defense as Department of War.” September 5, 2025. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgr9r4qr0ppo

Or done it themselves:

Matza, Max. “Proud Boys and Oath Keepers Among Over 1,500 Capitol Right Defendants Pardoned by Trump.” January 20, 2025. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y7l47xrpko

Things that are actually making them upset (one example):

Thorp V, Frank; Kapur, Sahil; and Leach, Brennan. “Some Republicans Object to Trump’s Move to Cancel Spending, Warning of a Shutdown.” September 3, 2025. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/republicans-object-trumps-rescission-cancel-spending-warning-shutdown-rcna228758

The Epstein files:

Ferris, Sarah; Grayer, Annie; Fox, Lauren; and Raju, Manu. “The Epstein Files are Roiling the House GOP, and There’s No End in Sight.” July 24, 2025. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/24/politics/house-republicans-epstein-trump

They’re scared of getting shot:

Wong, Scott; Zanona, Melanie; and Stewart, Kyle. “‘People are Scared to Death’: Members of Congress Fear for Their Safety After Charlie Kirk Assassination.” September 11, 2025. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/congress-scared-charlie-kirk-assassination-canceling-events-rcna230632

Violence is increasing in our culture:

Jipson, Art and Becker, Paul J. “Right-Wing Extremist Violence is More Frequent and More Deadly Than Left-Wing Violence: What the Data Shows.” September 17, 2025. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/right-wing-extremist-violence-is-more-frequent-and-more-deadly-than-left-wing-violence-what-the-data-shows-265367

They don’t want to get voted out:

Reynolds, Molly E. “Even the Perceive Threat of a Primary Alters Behavior in Congress.” October 30, 2018. Brookings. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/even-the-perceived-threat-of-a-primary-alters-behavior-in-congress/

Trump’s approval rating has been the lowest it’s ever been:

McHardy, Martha. “Donald Trump’s Approval Rating Hits Record Low for Second Term.” Updated October 2, 2025. Newsweek. https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trumps-approval-rating-hits-record-low-for-second-term-10815700

People, like farmers, are being impacted financially:

Starr, Stephen. “Farmers in U.S. Midwest Squeezed by Trump Tariffs and Climate Crisis.” August 16, 2025. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/16/farmers-trump-tariffs-climate-change

According to what they voted on, which is the economy:

Boak, Josh and Thomson-Deveaux, Amelia. “Voters Who Focused on the Economy Broke Hard for Trump.” November 8, 2024. AP News. https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/spotlights/2024/ap-votecast-voters-who-focused-on-the-economy-broke-hard-for-trump/

Mack may be overestimating how many Americans can withstand the strain of higher prices:

Cerullo, Megan. “Most Americans Don’t Earn Enough to Afford Basic Costs of Living, Analysis Finds.” Updated May 16, 2025. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cost-of-living-income-quality-of-life/

Including Trump said we may have to go through hard times:

Allen, Jonathan. “Trump Rejects Concerns About Prices and Economic Uncertainty as He Defends His Agenda.” May 4, 2025. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/trump-rejects-concerns-prices-economic-uncertainty-defends-agenda-rcna203512

Even in the poverty stricken places of the United States:

National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities. “Poverty: Map.” https://hdpulse.nimhd.nih.gov/data-portal/social/map?age=001&age_options=ageall_1&demo=00007&demo_options=poverty_3&race=00&race_options=race_7&sex=0&sex_options=sexboth_1&socialtopic=080&socialtopic_options=social_6&statefips=00&statefips_options=area_states

Culture war stuff:

European Center for Populism Studies. “Culture War.” https://www.populismstudies.org/Vocabulary/culture-war/

The immigration stuff:

Oliphant, J. Baxter; Kiley, Jocelyn; Van Green, Ted; Gracia, Shanay; and Copeland, Joseph. “Views of the Trump Administrations Immigration Policies.” June 17, 2025. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2025/06/17/views-of-the-trump-administrations-immigration-policies/

“It’s really the fault of the Democratic party”:

Slack, Donovan. “Trump Wields Axe Over ‘Democrat Agencies’ as Shutdown Blame Game Rages.” October 3, 2025. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckg201rnw2zo

Everybody’s going to jealously guard their institution’s power:

Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “Checks and Balances.” Updated August 22, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/checks-and-balances

Then you have J.D. Vance:

Wedling, Mike. “J.D. Vance: The ‘hillbilly’ MAGA Loyalist Who Became Vice President.” March 4, 2025. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn07dv4mrg2o

Hits on Fox News, in the past:

Panetta, Grace. “Hope Hicks is Returning to the White House—Here Are 21 People Who Have Gone Through the Revolving Door Between Fox and the Trump Administration.” February 13, 2020. Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/19-people-who-have-worked-at-fox-news-trump-administration-2019-5

Hits on Fox News, more recently:

Golkenflik, David. “Trump Taps 19 Fox Pundits, Personalities, and Producers for Second Term.” January 20, 2025. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2025/01/20/nx-s1-5268791/fox-news-trump-inauguration

To what degree is gerrymandering a two-way street:

Blake, Aaron. “Four Possible Outcomes of a Gerrymandering Battle Royale.” August 8, 2025. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/08/politics/gerrymandering-texas-house-outcomes

What the Republicans were able to do in ’94:

Kennedy, Lesley. “The 1994 Midterms: When Newt Gingrich Helped Republicans Win Big.” Updated March 2, 2025. History.com. https://www.history.com/articles/midterm-elections-1994-republican-revolution-gingrich-contract-with-america

Suppressing the vote is a bad thing:

League of Women Voters. “Fighting Voter Suppression.” https://www.lwv.org/voting-rights/fighting-voter-suppression

The difference in the majority in the house, you can count on one hand:

U.S. House of Representatives Press Gallery. “Party Breakdown.” https://pressgallery.house.gov/member-data/party-breakdown

It’s been this way now for a while:

Schaeffer, Katherine. “Slim Majorities Have Become More Common in the U.S. House and Senate.” December 17, 2024. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/12/17/slim-majorities-have-become-more-common-in-the-us-house-and-senate/

Things we drank:

Martinis, Serbian brandies, Holy Moles

Yes, Steve, there are 12 fruits:

VegEase. “How Many Fruits Are There in the World?” https://vegease.in/blog/how-many-fruits-are-there-in-the-world/?srsltid=AfmBOop5WF6lXjysK8FgUU4KkaKOyWZyGYLYItNHo90-F9mQwhfrlb36

Oh, an apéritif:

Graham, Colleen. “What Is an Apéritif?” September 6, 2022. The Spruce Eats. https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-is-an-aperitif-759924

A golden mescal as opposed to a silvery:

Rogers, Felisa. “Blanco, Plato, Silver, Joven.” October 11, 2024. Mezcalistas. https://www.mezcalistas.com/what-is-blanco-or-joven-mezcal/

The overthrow of the dictator Ceauşescu:

Editors of the Encyclopedia Britannica. “Nicolae Ceauşescu.” Updated September 12, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Nicolae-Ceausescu

A flag from that day where they cut out the middle part:

General Knowledge “Romania’s Flag Explained: Colors and Historical Meaning” [Video]. YouTube. September 2, 2018. https://youtu.be/LnM6dSaVXXU?si=r55bVGroLESyi6f5

When the Berlin wall fell:

Pleitgen, Fred. “See the Berlin Wall Fall 30 Years Ago” [Video]. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2019/11/07/berlin-30th-anniversary-since-wall-came-down-lc-lon-orig.cnn

After their Afghan war:

Editors of the Encyclopedia Britannica. “Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan.” Updated August 29, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Soviet-invasion-of-Afghanistan

Which Germany:

Roos, Dave. “How Germany Was Divided After World War II.” Updated May 28, 2025. History.com. https://www.history.com/articles/germany-divided-world-war-ii

Things were relaxed in Hungary first:

Office of the Historian. “Fall of Communism in Eastern Europe, 1989.” https://history.state.gov/milestones/1989-1992/fall-of-communism

Gorbachev:

Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “Mikhail Gorbachev.” September 20, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mikhail-Gorbachev

Puppet states:

Vocabulary.com. “Puppet State.” https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/puppet%20state

Glasnost:

Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “Glasnost.” April 30, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/glasnost

Perestroika:

Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “Perestoika.” July 18, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/perestroika-Soviet-government-policy

How they divided things:

The Map as History. “The Construction of the Berlin Wall.” https://www.the-map-as-history.com/Cold-War-western-eastern-bloc/the-construction-of-the-berlin-wall

Yes, the wall went up in 1961:

Stiftung Berliner Mauer. “The Berlin Wall.” https://www.stiftung-berliner-mauer.de/en/topics/berlin-wall

The reunification of Germany:

Ashby Turner, Henry and Leyser, K. J. “The Reunification of Germany.” October 3, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Germany/The-reunification-of-Germany

The George H. W. Bush Presidential Library at A&M:

https://www.bush41.org/

The approval rating of congress as a whole is lower than any president:

Gallup. “Congress and the Public.” https://news.gallup.com/poll/1600/congress-public.aspx

But the incumbency rate is often over 90%:

Open Secrets. “Reelection Rates Over the Years.” https://www.opensecrets.org/elections-overview/reelection-rates

Anne was paraphrasing George Carlin, and if you didn’t know that, watch this video:

Carlin, Stuff. “George Carlin Talks About ‘Stuff’” [Video]. May 1, 2007. YouTube. https://youtu.be/MvgN5gCuLac?si=pLXyW2nAE1_YrrtQ

Inflation Reduction Act:

Congress.gov. “H.R.5376 – Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.” https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/5376/text

If you have aged a lot too, here's how much longer we have to go with Trump:

https://www.tickcounter.com/countdown/6119379/end-of-trumps-presidency

Infrastructure Improvement Act:

Congress.gov. “H.R.3684 – Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.” https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3684

Affordable Care Act:

Congress.gov. “H.R.3590 – Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.” https://www.congress.gov/bill/111th-congress/house-bill/3590

At one point, they passed net neutrality:

Congress.gov. “H.R.8573 – Net Neutrality and Broadband Justice Act of 2022.” https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/8573

Before they fucked it up:

Bowman, Emma. “Net Neutrality is Struck, Ending a Long Battle to Regulate ISPs Like Public Utilities.” January 3, 2025. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2025/01/03/nx-s1-5247840/net-neutrality-fcc-struck

The Civil Rights Act:

National Archives. “Civil Rights Act (1964).” https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/civil-rights-act

Twenty-First Amendment:

Constitution Annotated. “Twenty-First Amendment.” https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-21/

American’s With Disabilities Act:

https://www.ada.gov/

Or IDEA:

U.S. Department of Education. “Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).” https://www.ed.gov/laws-and-policy/individuals-disabilities/idea

Like, curb cuts:

99% Invisible. “Episode 308: Curb Cuts” [Podcast]. https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/curb-cuts/

Clean Air Act:

Congress.gov. “Clean Air Act: A Summary of the Act and Its Major Requirements.” https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/RL30853

There was less divisiveness than there is now when we have online socializing:

Syrjämäki, Aleski H.; Ilves, Mirja; Olsson, Thomas; Kiskola, Joel; Isokoski, Poika; Rantasila, Anna; Bente, Gary; and Surakka, Veikko. (2024). “Online Disinhibition Mediates the Relationship Between Emotion Regulation Difficulties and Uncivil Communication.” Nature.com. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-81086-7

TLDR:

Above the Noise. “Does the Internet Make You Meaner?” [Video]. July 31, 2019. YouTube. https://youtu.be/0fx8hN5JyZM?si=iakialnQ0w88n_HG

When there was a shooter at the Congressional baseball game:

History.com Editors. “Gunman Shoots Four People, Including GOP Congressman, at Baseball Practice.” Updated May 27, 2025. History.com. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/june-14/james-hodgkinson-shooting-republicans-baseball-game

And 42 is the ultimate answer to life, the universe, and everything. But you already knew that.