1hundredsixty8

The unique structure of our republican form of government, with its bicameral legislature and three, checked and balanced branches, tendered carefully to posterity by the Founders after great debates, has matured into a sclerosal conglomeration of institutions unable to perform the basic function of actually governing. Whether it is our dysfunctional Congress, the cumbersome Federal bureaucracy, or the increasingly politicized Federal courts, government no longer stands up to the challenge of managing the affairs of an advanced, technological nation. Instead, it seems increasingly powerless to deal with the multitude of economic, sociological, and political forces that tug at the fabric of society.

The problems of modern government have been and will continue to be, of course, the subject of serious studies by political scientists and other academics, the grist for the mill of media pundits, and fodder for innumerable blogs (including this one). Obviously, it would be presumptuous to undertake a serious study of these issues in this space, but it is informative to list some of the more prominent characteristics of our feckless system.

It is apparent, for one, that a committed minority can exert outsized influence over the workings of the government. The Senate is a prime example: A minority of its members routinely prevent legislation from progressing via the filibuster. It takes 60 votes on almost any issue to move a bill. Within its 100 members, a determined minority of 41 effectively decides what may become law. Filibuster reform has been a trending topic of discussion the last several years in light of the fact that Senate Republicans have employed it a startling number of times.

As we drill down, we see that, while the Founders devised our legislative branch so that the House of Representatives would represent the "people", with its members being elected on the basis of population, the Senate gives all states equal representation regardless of population. This fact essentially grants a disproportionate amount of power to the states with smaller populations. As Dylan Matthews wrote a few months back, "If senators representing 17.82 percent of the population [of the country] agree, they can get a majority in the 2013 U.S. Senate."

Despite the intentions of Jefferson, Madison et al, the House of Representatives has itself become a repository of minority rule. In the 2012 elections, 1.4 million more people nationally voted for Democratic Congressmen than voted for Republicans. However, due to redistricting, the GOP has a majority of the 435 seats and control of the legislative agenda. Thus, even the chamber of Congress the Founders designed to reflect the popular will has been subverted by a resolute cadre.

Beyond the actual institutions of government, the role of money in influencing elections and policy- again, a topic of much discussion in recent years, especially following the Citizens United court decision- is yet another area where the ascendancy of effective minorities is apparent. We can all cite numerous examples, from the lobbying of organizations such as the NRA or the US Chamber of Commerce to the great sums of money raised and spent by Super PACs.

If you believe that we are at a crucial point in the nation's history, a point where decisions will be made that influence the way the Republic will endure in the future, then I would think that you would organize a purposeful minority, raise a large amount of money, and apply force to the pressure points of government.

Hey, it works for those other guys.