U.S. Congress
Solving The Representative Problem
The recent film "Milk" depicted Gay activist Harvey Milk's difficult attempt to get elected into public office, despite the fact that he represented a large group of homosexuals in California. Although Milk eventually became an elected official, and a rather popular one at that, Congress does not reflect those like Milk. Instead of being a representative sample that any statistician could be proud of, the United States' congress does not reflect the makeup of the American people. Some would say that this is positive because congressional representatives need more skills and education than average citizens in order to lead affectively. Others disagree, arguing that this is a problem because congress, which makes America's laws, does not reflect the needs, desires, and interest of the American people. It is the latter view that is the most convincing.
Because Congress does not represent the make up of the American people, it does not know what issues are most important to those people, and cannot accurately represent special interest groups, such as minorities. Many congressmen and women are significantly wealthier than the average American. Because they do not known the strain of financial hardship, they do not know how to best make laws that will help those who are suffering economically combat that suffering. While they may claim that they are in-tune with other Americans, they and their close friends may not have experienced the issues that plague most of the American people.
While this is a problem, it may seem like a difficult one to solve. But because representatives are elected by the people, it can actually be an easy problem to solve. The solution starts with erasing assumptions. People may assume that they have to vote for the smartest, most experienced, or most educated candidate. An information campaign is needed to educate people that it is not always better to go with the same type of candidate; citizens should vote for the person that they feel represents them best. Next, candidates who really represent the public must run for office. Grants and monies from private institutions are needed in order to make this possible. Thus, the fact that the makeup of congress does not represent the makeup of the American people is a problem that can be solved by shifting attitudes.
