Congress: Four representatives acquitted themselves well
The impression of our elected congressional representatives is largely influenced by reports of political posturing and ineffectiveness, so it was a real pleasure to be able to witness the exact opposite of those traits during a recent forum that I attended in Seattle.
The World Council on International Trade hosted a conference on the Trans-Pacific Partnership that included a panel featuring U.S. Reps. Denny Heck, Derek Kilmer, Rick Larsen and Adam Smith. These four congressmen were informed, educated and articulate. They were able to explain not just their positions, but the issues that influence their decision making and what changes, or additional information, could influence them to change their positions.
If these politicians were representative of the remaining 431 congressional representatives, there wouldn’t be dysfunction in Washington, D.C.
The good news is that our state has at least four very smart people representing us in the House of Representatives. Hopefully, they will eventually be able to influence some of their less smart associates.