Whidbey is no stranger to activist organizations. Those who have followed the frustratingly slow process of change have wondered why — or if — it must be that way. Later this month, a political science professor from Seattle University will bring the answer via his lecture, “Why is it so hard to get things done in Congress?”
Sept. 29 at 3 p.m. in the Coupeville Library, Dr. Patrick Schoettmer will give a free lecture followed by a discussion. The event is sponsored by the Whidbey Island chapter of Citizens Climate Lobby, a nonprofit organization.
Schoettmer’s teachings focus on American politics, specifically the mechanics of elections, the legislative and executive branches and state issues. A PhD graduate of University of Notre Dame, he has published research in journals such as Religion & Politics, Politics, Groups, & Identities as well as in pedagogical journals such as the Journal for Political Science Education.
According to Schoettmer, Congress’s pace is slow by design.
Congress is meant to force compromise, he said. The founders of the Constitution feared “popular passions going wild” and ill-conceived, ill-considered ideas passing into law. They wanted a system that moves slowly and has a lot of detail, points to make sure that anything the federal government does is well considered.
This is different from the Westminster system seen in Canada and the United Kingdom, he noted, where one party has greater control and can push through what it wants.
“(In the Westminster system,) laws tend not to have a lot of real complexity because they change back pretty frequently when parties switch power,” he said.
The pace can be frustrating, but it’s well intentioned, he said. That’s not to say it’s without flaw. In a good faith, collaborative approach it works, but bad faith actors can cause hindrances even when there’s a clear majority push, which has happened on the federal level many times in recent years.
Schoettmer will discuss climate laws and what can be done to ease the process. It should be an interesting discussion, he said.
“I’m pretty happy about the opportunity to come and hang out,” he said.
