Over the Holiday Recess, I was not at all surprised at the number of my constituents who expressed fear and frustration over the babyish behavior of members of Congress throughout the past year. After almost two decades in the People’s House, I have come to realize that performative outrage and ad hominem hostility toward our policy-making rivals will only shrink Americans’ image of the Congress, rather than expand support for our own policy priorities.
At every bombastic verbal brawl, with every act of congressional snickery, more of the nation freeze-frames how pitiful our polarized politics has become, growing increasingly disillusioned with our democratic institutions and their ability to respond to the needs of the American public.
A poisonous political firmament has encircled the nation’s legislative bodies so tightly that we cannot even perform the most perfunctory functions of government, such as passing a full-year budget, which has led to the least productive Congress in modern history.
With constant chaos, unending concocted crises, and a daily deluge of absurdity permeating from Capitol Hill, it’s no wonder that many in my congressional district are beyond frustrated with their government.
Nevertheless, in spite of how far we have traveled in this diabolical direction, I do believe there is always an opportunity to turn toward a more wholesome path. Allow me to reveal why I believe Congress can get it together if members of this (formerly) august body so choose.
It all starts with my relationship with a man named Bond — Kit Bond.
During my time as a Kansas City councilmember, I had the privilege of meeting Republican then-Gov. Christopher “Kit” Bond. Over time, we became friends organically, with our friendship continuing to this very day.
However, after Kit was elected to the Senate, and I was elected to the Kansas City Mayor’s Office, our relationship proved not only valuable to us personally, but a benefit to the Missourians we both represented professionally.
Together, made easier by our genuine friendship and the mutual trust that comes with such a relationship, we made the conscious decision to seek common ground wherever possible, believing any short-term political blowback would be erased by long-term benefits to Missouri families.
I’m proud to say our partnership helped lay the groundwork for some of Kansas City’s most iconic landscapes today, such as the National World War I Museum and Memorial, the 18th & Vine District, the Charles E. Whittaker Federal Courthouse, and any number of smaller projects that came into existence through our joint efforts.
When I was first elected to the House in 2004, my friend, Sen. Bond, held a D.C. welcoming reception in my honor. In January of 2011, I proudly spoke at the retirement dinner in Bond’s honor. Not only did it give me a chance to show my respect to one of Missouri’s finest officials, but it gave me the opportunity to get back at him for always talking about the length of my sermons.
Finally, Sen. Bond, a proud conservative, made the decision to allow my college-aged, liberal daughter to serve as a summer intern in his D.C. office. How did this happen? We chose to center our relationship on similarities rather than singularities.
During my two decades in Congress, I’ve been blessed to have many friends from across the political spectrum, including former Sens. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) and Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), who were valuable partners during appropriations seasons and beyond, and Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-Mo.), who is currently working with me to modernize federal rural housing programs.
Tragically, as the explosion of gerrymandering has rewarded partisan extremism at the expense of political pragmatism, such relationships in the United States Congress have become fewer and fewer, damaging our democracy and our ability to govern such a large, diverse nation.
Despite this, I know firsthand there is still a majority of elected officials in Congress who have genuine friendships across the aisle and a desire for bipartisanship, if such policies should be allowed in the House of Representatives.
I know this because just two years ago, the 117th Congress passed a litany of bipartisan legislation to modernize our critical infrastructure through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, revitalize American manufacturing with the CHIPS and Science Act, and uphold the promises made to our heroic veterans through the Honoring Our PACT Act.
We also passed legislation to ensure the government stays out of Americans’ personal decisions about whom they choose to marry, and we enacted the first major gun safety proposal in decades— both with bipartisan support.
Believe it or not, bipartisanship is not only possible, it is still preferred by many!
However, it is incumbent on representatives of the people to openly demonstrate a willingness to choose reconciliation over imputation; communication over proclamation; and unification over defamation.
As the People’s House returns to a new session this week, we have an opportunity to show our commitment to compromise and unity by passing a bipartisan budget in accordance with the previously negotiated Fiscal Responsibility Act, with additional funding for our democratic allies abroad and our hardworking officers at the Southern border.
If we fail to take this seemingly small but extraordinarily important course correction, it will send yet another signal to the public and our allies around the world that America is a weakened state, with Congress more focused on politics than its own people.
My warning is this: If we are unwilling to alter the direction we are moving, sooner or later, our journey’s conclusion will be the end of the line.
Emanuel Cleaver represents the 5th District of Missouri.