Don’t tell me that everything isn’t falling apart. It’s bad enough that the government is going to shut down at midnight. What is even worse is that there is no obvious way to see how this shutdown is going to end. And, I would guess, every bit of confidence much of the rest of the world gained in the reliability of the United States after Donald Trump left power is going to be lost over the next few weeks.

It doesn’t have to be this way. And, perhaps if we could elect a one-party, rational government, things could change. What would such a rational all-powerful party support to insure that the government of the United States could function in sickness and in health? Try these things as starters:

1. I would abolish the 60 vote rule in the Senate for approving most pieces of legislation. I understand that there might be some concern that a 51-49 vote might not give sufficient protection to a Senate minority, so I would go to a 55 vote rule, and see how that works. All votes to end debate and bring a bill to the floor would be 51-49.
2. As to Senate filibusters, I would suggest that a filibuster only last as long as live Senators are on the floor (24/7) arguing their cause.
3. I would certainly abolish the rule that one Senator (such as the man from Alabama) could keep legislation from moving forward.
4. I would establish a minimal quorum (maybe 25 members) must be present for Senate business to continue – no more Senators speaking to TV cameras in an empty room, just for their own political media campaigns. Similar restrictions would be implemented by the House.
5. I would eliminate the requirement of Senate approval for most presidential appointments – keeping them for cabinet members, appellate judges and justices, and general officers in the military.
6. I would end the requirement that spending bills have to originate in the House.
7. Legislators could no longer pose amendments to bills which are extraneous to the main bill (the parliamentarian decides) – no abortion restrictions tied to a military appropriations bill, for example.
8. The Speaker of the House would no longer be a purely political appointment. No one could become speaker without a bipartisan vote, with at least 25% of the vote having to come from minority parties.
9. I would implement both term and age limits. No one could run for either the House or the Senate who is 80 or older. Senators would be limited to four terms (24 years) and House members to ten terms (20 years).
10. I would move the country to a three year budgeting and appropriations schedule, rather than on an annual cycle (with provisions for amendments at any time, of course).
11. The government would never shut down. At the end of a budget/appropriations period, until new appropriations were passed, the previous level of spending would automatically continue – an automatic equivalent of a Continuing Resolution, with no vote necessary.
12. No debt ceiling caps.
13. I would eliminate lifetime appointment of judges and Supreme Court justices. Terms for all would be 15 years, and all would have to retire (or take a form of senior status) at 80.
14. I would drastically restrict campaign spending, the length of political campaigns, and the ability to sitting members of either body to campaign while “on the job”.
15. I would implement rules against members of the Senate or the House badmouthing other members. It is one thing to argue against someone’s position; quite another to accuse them of treason or being anti-American.

Okay, that’s enough for today. I am sure I am missing something (in fact, many somethings). And I know that, while some of this could be implemented administratively, some of the items would need legislation, or even constitutional amendment. So be it. I think it all important.

Why? Because everything actually is falling apart and keeping things going under today’s rules and practices is equally impossible. That’s why.