The toughest job in our nation’s capital is Senate majority leader, exceeded only on occasion by Senate minority leader. By design, the Senate is a very difficult place to manage, with its unusual rules and the competing philosophical interests in both party caucuses.
In the House of Representatives, the speaker rules because he or she has the Rules Committee, which determines when, how long and what amendments, if any, are in order during floor debate. The president has the entire administration to carry out his orders.
So what is a leader in the Senate to do? First, do what must be done, and then do what is broadly supported by both parties. That alone would produce a pretty good agenda.
Begin with the appropriations bills, and give them priority floor time. After all, the government has to be funded by individual appropriations bills or by some form of an omnibus bill at the end of the fiscal year. Seldom have all the appropriations bills been passed by Oct. 1. This was accomplished in 1996 but only because the leadership of both parties decided to get it done. Completing those bills would consume most of September and then some.
Next would be the tax bills, perhaps included as part of an energy bill or done at the end of the year. They must be done because of provisions that expire this year, along with the perceived necessity to act on the estate tax issue.
There are also other bills that can be moved without great difficulty in such areas as student loan reform, a Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization extension and a highway bill extension. Each of these can be completed in a bipartisan fashion and accomplish significant goals — but only if Congress doesn’t push too far.
The more difficult situation, of course, is when you try to move big, controversial issues. The majority leader can try to use the rules in an attempt to ram legislation through the Senate (essentially acting like a one-man Rules Committee). But if he does that, you can be sure the minority leader will take full advantage of the rules to slow down or block such an effort. And for really big issues, history teaches us that partisan overreach, no matter how well intentioned, can derail important legislation altogether. So what to do about issues like health care reform, financial services regulatory reform and energy legislation? My advice: Don’t try the big gulp, where you attempt to change a whole system in one fell swoop. There are many examples of those who have tried this and failed.
For example, in 2005, fresh off reelection and with 55 Republican senators, President George W. Bush attempted to enact comprehensive Social Security reform. Touching the “third rail,” let alone grabbing it with both hands, took real courage. However, his insistence on including partial privatization of the plan ensured that even the most fundamental, basic elements of the plan never were brought to the Senate floor for a vote. Had he worked to build consensus rather than pursue a “my way or the highway” approach, we might have brought a bill to the floor. Instead, he (and the American people) had to settle for nothing.
The lesson is simple: Find consensus in identifying the true problems in each area, and fix only those! Failure to do so can derail important legislation and have ramifications extending beyond one bill to many others.
In applying that lesson to today’s environment, let’s start with the basics: Health care in America is not all bad. In fact, much of it is very good. Yet real problems exist. There are people who are not covered who should be. There are cost and bureaucracy problems, and there is a need for medical malpractice reform to help bring costs down. There is a bipartisan consensus to do most of these things — and to pay for them by making the tough choices demanded by leadership. Do this, declare victory and see if that is enough. If not, come back to it later.
A comprehensive energy policy for our country is clearly needed. Let’s do it all. Incentives for conservation; encouraged use of hybrid and electric automobiles to reduce carbon emissions; alternative fuels and renewables; clean coal technology, including retrofitting existing coal plants with carbon capture technology; commitment to nuclear power renaissance, together with adding additional output at existing nuclear power plants; and, yes, more natural gas and oil (more American oil and less imported oil). You could get broad support for a bill like this without big tax increases or rate increases; you could get a huge fight otherwise.
Do the basics. The American people would be impressed and pleased.
Former Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) served as both majority and minority leader. He is a founding partner at the Breaux Lott Leadership Group in Washington. | 