Congress must be stronger
Regarding “American dystopia: U.S. under Trump,” (A19, June 10): Monica Rhor has adeptly made the case that we have reached a state of having a “strong arm dictatorship” president. While I agree that President Donald Trump’s behavior is deplorable and further separating Americans, I would submit that we will have similar issues, perhaps less reprehensible to some, under a presumptive Democratic administration. The “why,” simply stated, is that our Congress has become incapable of being one of the effective and balancing branches of our government. What has happened in the last 40 years is that our congressional representatives have become part of a motivational system which is focused on partisanship and maintaining political party support, to be reelected. As such, the president, no matter who that person is, will continue to be forced to take action utilizing executive orders as a “dictator.”
To prevent this condition from continuing, we need an effective Congress. Our congressional representatives need to accept that bipartisanship is a requirement of membership. I believe term limits would be a big step in the right direction; too many of our current congressional leaders have been “too wounded” by the other party to ever embrace bipartisanship. I would also advocate creating committee chairmanships that are equally mixed between parties and committee membership be equally balanced. Congress needs to begin to learn the hard work of how to effectively work across the aisle again. If Congress can create effective bipartisan solutions, the president will not be allowed to or forced to act as a dictator. Michael Shook, Houston was not weakened. Our vote is our voice. Don’t silence it! Dexter R. Handy, Houston
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— The Editorial Board