U.S. Legislative Process for Many People Around

¶ … U.S. Legislative Process For many people around world, the United States Congress stands as the most admirable example of democracy at work. In this political arena, solons supposedly share ideas, discuss their constituencies' needs and engage each other in debate. Through this process, the legislative body is supposed to produce just and fair laws that further the country's democratic ideals. In reality, however, political insiders know that the legislative process is not quite so idyllic. Solons have to consider more than the interests of the people that they represent.

Congressional representatives have to consider the interests of their various political parties. The solons are also subject to pressure from various lobbyists, interest groups, business representatives and campaign donors. In some cases, there are representatives who succumb to temptation and put their own financial interests ahead of their obligation to their citizens. The result is a legislative process that is not as admirable as a casual observer might think.

It is a process that is characterized foremost not by the ideals of democracy, but by making concessions among the various competing interests. The gun industry and organizations such as the National Rifle Association (NRA), for example, has managed to black meaningful gun control legislation for decades. Cigarette manufacturers continue to freely market their products, despite concerns raised in Congressional health committees. Legislation aimed at raising federal environmental standards to conform to the Kyoto Treaty has been vetoed by the President.

In short, the force of the better, democratic ideas do not always win in the business of lawmaking. Rather, the system is about negotiations, about securing deals, promises and favors. These favors are traded for the next round of negotiations and the next legislative debates. It has been said that you admire what you do not know, and the legislative process is no exception. Outsiders often view the hallowed halls of Congress as democracy at work.

Many beginning public servants enter this arena with high hopes of serving their constituents and their country by participating in the democratic process. Many also quickly discover how naive this idea often is. In Capitol Hill, any admiration for the political system is often short-lived. The more familiar one gets with the negotiation- and interest-based aspect of lawmaking, the less noble the legislative system seems. Instead of a lofty profession, the legislature turns out to have much in common with the wheeling and dealing that characterize the business world.

Because proximity to Capitol Hill contributes to a greater understanding of the political process, those who admire the legislative procedure in Congress are often outsiders, people who do not practice "public service".