Virtual Congress

I think it is about time for our Congress to adopt a Virtual Office, a Virtual Senate, and a Virtual House of Representatives.

In the pre-Progressive era of the United States, Senators were appointed to the U.S. Congress by their respective state legislatures. This was done to ensure that the needs of the States were better represented at the Federal level. The Framers did not want direct election for the Senators. They were to reflect the current leadership at the State level, sort of like a proxy for the Governor of that State. They would be someone who would slow down the hot-heads in the House of Representatives and tamp down on Populist movements.

There is a reason why the House of Representatives elects its members in two-year terms. They were intended to reflect the current culture of the people. How is this possible today when there are representatives who have served in the House and Senate since before I was even born! Does some hippie that was stoned off his butt in 1968 reflect the current culture of my country or State? I think the easy answer to that is, "NO".

Our Framers were brilliant. I am impressed over and over again as I read more, mature more and become better able to understand all of this in a broader context.

Those who served in government in the first century of this country were grateful to get out of the Federal City. They could feel the warping influence of that city and were relieved when they could get back with their constituents. Letter after letter from John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and George Washington indicated that they felt that Federal service was both a duty and an obligation. They also felt that once one had served a term or two, it was time to go back to your life and your career. Government service was never, ever, intended to be a full time job.

It was felt that the corrupting atmosphere of the Capitol and the parasites that fed there, would eventually pierce any moral shielding if they remained there too long. The whole absolute power corrupting absolutely thing; which incidentally fits nicely with the Framer's intent that the Federal Government obtained its powers from the States (and the People). Federal power was granted from the bottom up, not the top down (10th Amendment). The Framers had the concept of the old Roman citizen farmer that served when needed and then returned their energies back to a productive use. Even the Romans (and Greeks) knew that government was a necessary evil, a fire that could not be held onto too long lest it consume the holder.

With all that said, lets explore the idea of a Virtual Congress. Let us take advantage of this high-tech society that we have created over the last 60 years. As usual, it was the free-market that lead the way in the innovation of the 'Virtual Office'. Businesses that needed to maximize their capital did not wish to pay huge sums of money (resources) in a building, either in rent, leasing, or purchasing. That money could better be spent strengthening their position in the market. Through the 1970's and into the 00's, the Internet (obviously, I'm also talking about pre-Internet times) and the associated technologies (fax machines and cell phones) allowed business leaders and managers to decouple from the brick and mortar portion of their enterprises. In the 80's and 90's, people could work from home more and more; it became a real choice for people with non-traditional employment needs.

Today, there are extremely sophisticated suites that permit very large virtual meetings to take place. Internet-based web solutions allow dozens, even hundreds of people, to be plugged into a Virtual congress (small 'c' intentional). You can look into a person's eyes from 10,000 miles away. You can study body language and even have a side-monitor going that will permit facial recognition software elaborate on a person's likely emotional state, if needed. Virtual staffs and sub-contracted administrative personnel can assist the representatives for pennies on the dollar due to economies of scale and specialized training related to both their positions and the technology suite being utilized (think "renting the talent").

Why must our representatives travel to a single location any longer? I believe that it would cost far less to purchase and maintain premium 535 movie theater-sized virtual chambers, with a fraction of the staff and over-head (that is another blog) then what we pay to concentrate it all in D.C.

There are many, many game changers involved in this. For starters, think about how special interests gain access to our representatives. There are truly massive operations in D.C., entire buildings if not blocks given over to special interest groups. Their only purpose is to gain access and the attention of your representative. Those are centralized operations. Now imaging that they have to recreate 55+ (yes, I'm including some territories, protectorates, and D.C. itself) offices, staff, and point-men to go after individuals that are both spread all over the nation, but surrounded by the very interests that elected them to that post in the first place.

Keeping the representative at home allows them to be better connected to their constituents and allows them to remain grounded in their values (no more hiding in D.C. to escape town hall meetings). I believe that this one point alone is sufficient enough for the investment in the technology. The Capitol building can remain for formal occasions; such as when a new session starts or ends, the election of a new President and such. The Supreme Court can remain where it as as can the President and the executive administration.

Once upon a time, Federal service was a duty and an obligation. Today it has become a powerful means to whatever ends you desire.

I feel that we should go back to the Framer's intent for how a Senator is selected and I feel that the Congress should be set up in both their home States and their districts via these Virtual Theaters. Think about it. I'm sure that everyone out there can come up with many more positives to this than I have thought out. I'm sure it is not perfect, but then again, nothing really is.

-Zavost