Inconveniencing Congress

The big news out of the nation’s capitol today is that the Senate reached an agreement that will lead to the end of the government shutdown. This post would have been more timely last week when there was still no end in sight. However, Congress is so polarized, and so clueless, that while the current shutdown is the longest in history, it won’t be the last. Can anything be done to send Congress a message that future lengthy shutdowns are unacceptable?

It is unconscionable that among the hardest hit by the shutdown are Americans who depend on SNAP benefits (food stamps) to feed themselves and their families. There’s no mechanism in place to fully fund this program during a shutdown, and states and local food banks are scrambling to make up the difference. Our most vulnerable citizens – children, some elderly, and people who can’t provide for themselves – go hungry while congressional leaders from both sides of the aisle try to justify to the media why the other party is at fault.

I have been trying to think of a plan that would inconvenience our congressional reps when shutdowns last more than a few days. I mean really inconvenience them, not just threatening to withhold their paychecks. Some congressional members are independently wealthy and it is unlikely that very many of the rest of them live paycheck to paycheck. Besides, there is already a law in place to pay their salaries even when the government isn’t funded. Nice work if you can get it.

So how about if we require congressional members to surrender their passports, enhanced driver’s licenses, and all other form of secure identification until a shutdown is over? If you don’t have a secure ID, you cannot take a commercial airline flight in the United States. It doesn’t matter how big a VIP you are. In effect, Congress would be grounded. They would be issued temporary non-enhanced driver’s licenses to allow for driving, check cashing, and other situations where an ID is needed.

This wouldn’t inconvenience every congressional member. Some might fly by charter. Others represent districts in nearby states and could drive home. But it would hamstring most of them. The message should be clear: stay in Washington and work out a compromise instead of flying home to your district when there is critical work to be done.

Of course, this is a dream and would never happen. But I think it would succeed if it did. Certainly, future government shutdowns would be shorter. And congressional members would be reminded who they work for – the American people.