It’s no secret that people have a high disdain for Congress. Real Clear Politics reports that based on the average of polls it tracks, the current approval rating of Congress is about 12-percent. That’s not the lowest it’s been in the last few years, but it’s still scraping pretty close to the bottom.
Why is that? Pundits and analysts offer a lot of explanations gleaned from polls, focus groups, and anecdotal comments: It’s too big. They’re overpaid. They’re too political. They don’t seem to work very much. All of those would probably resonate with a lot of people. But there’s one reason that seems to crop up over and over again – they can’t get anything done.
Interestingly, while the frustration with state government doesn’t seem as high, it’s not particularly strong either. Only about 40-percent of those questioned in LSU’s 2017 Louisiana Survey express any confidence that state government can effectively address major issues – down from more than 60-percent about a decade ago.
Sentiments like these coupled with generally declining voter turnouts don’t seem to bode well for a democracy whose cornerstone is the very people the institutions of government are there to serve.
Is there anything we can do about it? We’ll explore that important question at CABL’s upcoming 2017 Annual Meeting & Luncheon. “Making Government Work in Today’s Political Climate” will be the focus of a unique dialogue featuring three of Louisiana’s former members of Congress.
Senator John Breaux and Congressmen Billy Tauzin and Rodney Alexander are all political veterans who served in various areas of government at a time that, at least in retrospect, seemed somewhat less dysfunctional. All three were known for their ability to reach across the aisle and, without abandoning their political views or philosophies, work to reach compromise and move major issues forward.
CABL Annual Meeting & Luncheon
“Making Government Work in Today’s Political Climate”
Thursday, December 7, 2017
L’Auberge Casino and Hotel Baton Rouge
9:00 AM – Registration
9:30 AM – Membership Meeting
10:00 AM – Morning Panel Discussion
12:15 PM – Luncheon
Look for your invitation in the mail soon. Sponsorships available (Click Here).
For More information: 225-344-2225 ** sheree@cabl.org