Episode Details

This episode of China Talk explores the past, present, and future of Congress with AEI's Philip Wallach. We get into:

• Origins of representative government trace back to medieval England, when the king consulted regional advisors – leading to development of Parliament
• Founders inspired by this model when establishing Congress, wanting representation for diverse parts of young U.S.
• But competing visions emerged for how Congress should work:
• Madison's view: embrace factional conflict and compromise
• Wilson's view: stronger centralized leadership
• These tensions played out through different eras of Congress:
• Early years: backlash against Hamilton’s Treasury power leads to first political party
• New Deal/WWII: Congress oversees executive branch while enabling key programs
• Civil rights era: Senate leaders allow extended filibuster, focus national attention, build enduring coalition
• 1970s reforms decentralize Congress but decrease cooperation between members over time
• Under 1994 Gingrich revolution, partisan centralization becomes norm – embraced by both parties
• Potential futures discussed, including a fever dream of Philip's where an immigration crisis actually prompts real lawmaking.

Outtro music: Nixon's 1972 campaign song

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