Congressmen Ami Bera, David Cicilline, Rodney Davis and Adam Kinzinger talk problem solving.
Remembering Sen. Arlen Specter
Submitted by Jack McCullough on October 15, 2012
REMEMBERING SEN. ARLEN SPECTER: This weekend, Sen. Arlen Specter passed away after a long fight with cancer. Specter served five terms in the Senate and was a respected member of Congress. "Specter dedicated his life to public service and the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. His impact on our state and public policy will not be forgotten," said Sen. Pat Toomey, who took Specter's seat in the Senate. Rep. Nancy Pelosi said Specter was "always willing to reach across the aisle and work across party lines to get the job done, regardless of political gamesmanship or gain." Abby Livingston for Roll Call: President Obama, Key Washington Figures Mourn Specter
GRIDLOCK WILL ONLY GET WORSE: Harvard advanced leadership fellow Steven Strauss believes that gridlock in Washington will get worse before it gets better. Some of his reasons include confirmation bias and weak feedback loops, changing economics of the media industry, filter bubbles, ideologically safe congressional seats, advocacy industry expansion and a lack of a shared context:Steven Strauss for The Huffington Post: Six Reasons American Political Polarization Will Only Get Worse
VOTERS WANT REAL LEADERSHIP: No Labels Co-Founder Dave Walker has toured the country educating Americans on the country's fiscal troubles. What he found was voters want real solutions. "During 34 events, in 16 states and D.C., thousands of American voters said they are prepared to support serious reforms to avoid a debt crisis. Voters, young and old, want more specific solutions from the candidates and less political pandering. They are hungry for truth and leadership and will accept no less," he writes: David Walker for The Huffington Post: Debate This: A Real-Time Look at How Voters Feel About the Economy
PROBLEM-SOLVING CANDIDATE: Former Sen. Bob Kerrey frequently opens by saying, “I don’t believe you can solve any problem unless you begin by saying there’s a problem," and he believes that he can help break gridlock in Washington if given the chance. He recently added, “somebody has to go back there and change Congress. Somebody has to stand the middle ground. We’re going to have to look at the truth. We’re going to have to change." His message resonates with voters too as his race has become closer than expected: David Rogers for POLITICO: Bob Kerrey's last stand to fix Washington
SAY NO TO PLEDGES: Republicans and Democrats are both taking pledges that are pushing them to the extremes of the political spectrum. "Pledges are an inherent inhibitor to problem-solving. Effective compromises that were roads to solutions, such as Simpson-Bowles, are now roads not taken because of these pledges. Yet this problem is fixable," writes No Labels supporter Matt Gang. To help combat pledges, proposal number eight in our Make Congress Work! action plan calls for elected officials to stop taking pledges as such commitments limit their ability to find across-the-aisle solutions: Matt Gang for Political Gang: What's So Wrong with Pledges
MISSOUREE or MISSOURUH? WHO CARES? Candidates running in Missouri are coming under fire for how they pronounce the state's name. This has become a major issue and has even led to candidates running attack ads against their opponents solely about pronunciation. Don't we have more important issues to talk about? Sarah Wheaton for The New York Times: Missouree? Missouruh? To Be Politic, Say Both
FROM THE FIELD: No Labels Co-Founder Ron Shaich and Mark Penn were in Portland, Oregon Friday talking about how business leaders can help break gridlock in Washington.
THE DAILY BREAK: Felix Baumgartner safely landed in Roswell, New Mexico after leaping out of a capsule about 24 miles in the air. He broke the sound barrier as he traveled at Mach 1.24 speed - or about 833.9 miles an hour: Robert Lee Hotz for The Wall Street Journal: Sky Diver Makes Highest Jump Ever
ACTION OF THE DAY: Re-pin one of No Labels' images on Pinterest. If you don't have an account,click here to create one.
STAT OF THE DAY: U.S. retail sales rose by 1.1 percent in September, a sign that consumers may be a little more optimistic about the recovery: The Wall Street Journal: U.S. Retail Sales Rise 1.1% in September
Written & edited by Kelsey McLaughlin, Collin Berglund, Lauren Gilbert and Jack McCullough
Tips, questions or ideas? Email the Problem-Solver's Daily team at psdaily@nolabels.org or tweet at us (@nolabelsorg).
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12 Ways to Make Congress Work!
- 1. No Budget, No Pay
If Congress can't pass a budget and all annual spending bills on time, members of Congress should not get paid.
- 2. Up or Down Vote on Presidential Appointments
All presidential nominations should be confirmed or rejected within 90 days of the nomination.
- 3. Fix the Filibuster
Require real (not virtual) filibusters and end filibusters on motions to proceed.
- 4. Empower the Sensible Majority
Allow a bipartisan majority of members to override a leader or committee chair’s refusal to bring a bill to the floor.
- 5. Make Members Come to Work
Make Congress work on coordinated schedules with three five-day work weeks a month in DC and one week in their home district.
- 6. Question Time for the President
Provide a monthly forum for members of Congress to ask the president questions to force leaders to debate one another and defend their ideas.
- 7. Fiscal Report to Congress
A nonpartisan leader should deliver an annual, televised fiscal update in-person to a joint session of Congress to ensure everyone is working off the same facts.
- 8. No Pledge but the Oath of Office
Members should make no pledge but the pledge of allegiance and their formal oath of office.
- 9. Monthly Bipartisan Gatherings
The House and Senate should institute monthly, off-the-record and bipartisan gatherings to get members talking across party lines.
- 10. Bipartisan Seating
At all joint meetings or sessions of Congress, each member should be seated next to at least one member of the other party.
- 11. Bipartisan Leadership Committee
Congressional party leaders should form a bipartisan congressional leadership committee to discuss legislative agendas and substantive solutions.
- 12. No Negative Campaigns Against Incumbents
Incumbents from one party should not conduct negative campaigns against sitting members of the opposing party.
- 1. No Budget, No Pay
If Congress can't pass a budget and all annual spending bills on time, members of Congress should not get paid.
- 2. Up or Down Vote on Presidential Appointments
All presidential nominations should be confirmed or rejected within 90 days of the nomination.
- 3. Fix the Filibuster
Require real (not virtual) filibusters and end filibusters on motions to proceed.
- 4. Empower the Sensible Majority
Allow a bipartisan majority of members to override a leader or committee chair’s refusal to bring a bill to the floor.
- 5. Make Members Come to Work
Make Congress work on coordinated schedules with three five-day work weeks a month in DC and one week in their home district.
- 6. Question Time for the President
Provide a monthly forum for members of Congress to ask the president questions to force leaders to debate one another and defend their ideas.
- 7. Fiscal Report to Congress
A nonpartisan leader should deliver an annual, televised fiscal update in-person to a joint session of Congress to ensure everyone is working off the same facts.
- 8. No Pledge but the Oath of Office
Members should make no pledge but the pledge of allegiance and their formal oath of office.
- 9. Monthly Bipartisan Gatherings
The House and Senate should institute monthly, off-the-record and bipartisan gatherings to get members talking across party lines.
- 10. Bipartisan Seating
At all joint meetings or sessions of Congress, each member should be seated next to at least one member of the other party.
- 11. Bipartisan Leadership Committee
Congressional party leaders should form a bipartisan congressional leadership committee to discuss legislative agendas and substantive solutions.
- 12. No Negative Campaigns Against Incumbents
Incumbents from one party should not conduct negative campaigns against sitting members of the opposing party.
- 1. No Budget, No Pay
If Congress can't pass a budget and all annual spending bills on time, members of Congress should not get paid.
- 2. Up or Down Vote on Presidential Appointments
All presidential nominations should be confirmed or rejected within 90 days of the nomination.
- 3. Fix the Filibuster
Require real (not virtual) filibusters and end filibusters on motions to proceed.
- 4. Empower the Sensible Majority
Allow a bipartisan majority of members to override a leader or committee chair’s refusal to bring a bill to the floor.
- 5. Make Members Come to Work
Make Congress work on coordinated schedules with three five-day work weeks a month in DC and one week in their home district.
- 6. Question Time for the President
Provide a monthly forum for members of Congress to ask the president questions to force leaders to debate one another and defend their ideas.
- 7. Fiscal Report to Congress
A nonpartisan leader should deliver an annual, televised fiscal update in-person to a joint session of Congress to ensure everyone is working off the same facts.
- 8. No Pledge but the Oath of Office
Members should make no pledge but the pledge of allegiance and their formal oath of office.
- 9. Monthly Bipartisan Gatherings
The House and Senate should institute monthly, off-the-record and bipartisan gatherings to get members talking across party lines.
- 10. Bipartisan Seating
At all joint meetings or sessions of Congress, each member should be seated next to at least one member of the other party.
- 11. Bipartisan Leadership Committee
Congressional party leaders should form a bipartisan congressional leadership committee to discuss legislative agendas and substantive solutions.
- 12. No Negative Campaigns Against Incumbents
Incumbents from one party should not conduct negative campaigns against sitting members of the opposing party.
11 Ways to Make the Presidency Work!
- 1. Regular News Conferences for the President
- 2. Fast-Track Legislative Authority for The President
- 3. Make The Parties Pay for Presidential Fundraising
- 4. A Line Item Veto With A Twist
- 5. Reduce the Number of Appointees Subject to Senate Confirmation
- 6. Identify a "Slate That Can't Wait" of Critical Nominees For Expedited Confirmation
- 7. Up or Down Vote on Presidential Appointments
- 8. Question Time for The President
- 9. Expanded Presidential Power to Reorganize
- 10. Different Opinions, But the Same Facts
- 11. Regular Meetings Between the President And Congressional Leadership
- 1. Regular News Conferences for the President
- 2. Fast-Track Legislative Authority for The President
- 3. Make The Parties Pay for Presidential Fundraising
- 4. A Line Item Veto With A Twist
- 5. Reduce the Number of Appointees Subject to Senate Confirmation
- 6. Identify a "Slate That Can't Wait" of Critical Nominees For Expedited Confirmation
- 7. Up or Down Vote on Presidential Appointment
- 8. Question Time for The President
- 9. Expanded Presidential Power to Reorganize
- 10. Different Opinions, But the Same Facts
- 11. Regular Meetings Between the President And Congressional Leadership
- 1. Regular News Conferences for the President
- 2. Fast-Track Legislative Authority for The President
- 3. Make The Parties Pay for Presidential Fundraising
- 4. A Line Item Veto With A Twist
- 5. Reduce the Number of Appointees Subject to Senate Confirmation
- 6. Identify a "Slate That Can't Wait" of Critical Nominees For Expedited Confirmation
- 7. Up or Down Vote on Presidential Appointment
- 8. Question Time for The President
- 9. Expanded Presidential Power to Reorganize
- 10. Different Opinions, But the Same Facts
- 11. Regular Meetings Between the President And Congressional Leadership
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In today's Problem-Solver's Daily, members of the House has an agreement in principle for immigration reform, scandals are hurting everyone and one cabinet nomination was confirmed.
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