From Sunwater Institute:

James Wallner joins the Reforming Congress Interview Series to discuss his time in the Senate, the rules & processes in the Senate, and the impact a feedback loop could have on the institution.

Timestamps:
0:00 – Start
0:12 – Background
1:40 – Areas of Research
3:03 – Senate-based research
5:09 – Rules and procedures in the Senate
10:23 – Where do the unwritten/written rules play apart in the Senate?
13:18 – What is the role of the Senate Parliamentarian?
16:02 – What rules work in the Senate? Rules that need reform?
20:24 – Ways to think about the Senate’s role
22:54 – How could the rules in the Senate evolve?
27:10 – Person and Party are above the Senate
31:10 – What is the filibuster?
40:41 – What is your perspective on the filibuster?
45:21 – Feedback loop between voters and Senators
51:28 – How membership behaviors affect Congress?
53:16 – Leadership in the Senate and their roles
1:03:03 – How to encourage individualism in Congress
1:08:11 – What do you think congressional representation should mean?
1:12:17 – How would your ideal Congress allocate its time?
1:16:19 – How should debate, deliberation, or dialogue occur or be structured in Congress?
1:23:32– What fundamental institutional improvement should Congress make within the next 50 years?
1:24:06 – What book or article most shaped your thinking with respect to congressional reform?
1:26:08 – Long term plans

Featured Publications