1st Quarterly 2026 Newsletter

Newsletter Editor
3 days ago
7 min read

Published on: January 1st, 2026

Letter from our Founder

It may surprise many that the American people still agree on a core set of values 1, whether they inhabit the middle or gravitate to one side or the other of our political spectrum. This phenomenon manifests itself most noticeably in a common sentiment which a majority of Americans categorically agree on: that our government is broken and it has been broken for quite some time now.

In an American-style republic, the balance between the good of the whole and the rights of the individual must always remain in primacy. Unfortunately, in the minutiae of conducting business, a government tends to forget this. This primary tenet and responsibility of government is followed closely by the second, which is embodied by the duty of care: Action taken is always in prudence. It may well serve the people to codify in our foundational documentation these most basic principles.

1776 was founded out of a deep frustration with our current system of government and how dysfunctional it has become; it is clear that most Americans share this frustration. To understand how we went astray, we must first examine our current predicament. Doing so requires a close look at the workings of our government and its component parts: the Legislative, Judicial, and Executive branches, as well as state and local governments. This segment will focus on the deepest trends in the legislative branch, and each section of government will feature in future issues.

Remember - do not take anyone’s words at face value. Do your own research. If you find any factual errors in our work, please help us correct them. We are all in this together, and cooperation is the only path forward if we are to preserve our liberty.

Congress Has Lost the Confidence of the People - and It’s Earned It

Public frustration with Congress is not new, but it has become dangerously entrenched. For decades, Americans have expressed deep dissatisfaction with the legislative branch, and today that frustration borders on outright contempt. Approval of Congress hovers around 15 percent 2, while nearly 80 percent of Americans disapprove of the job it is doing. That is not merely a bad poll— it is a sustained vote of no confidence in the institution meant to represent the people.

This disapproval is not rooted in cynicism or apathy. It is grounded in a consistent set of failures that citizens across ideological lines recognize all too well.

First and foremost is gridlock driven by extreme partisanship. Legislative stalemates have become routine, not exceptional. Even widely supported measures collapse under the weight of party loyalty and ideological rigidity. What was once a healthy debate has hardened into a refusal to govern.

That dysfunction is reflected in Congress’s chronically low approval ratings, which have persisted regardless of which party holds power. This alone should be cause for institutional soul-searching. Instead, it has been met with indifference.

Compounding the problem is the outsized influence of lobbying and special interests. Too often, well-funded donors and industry groups appear to have more access and influence than ordinary citizens. When legislation mirrors the priorities of high-dollar contributors rather than public needs, trust inevitably erodes.

Congress also suffers from inefficiency in decision-making. Delayed budgets, last-minute continuing resolutions, and legislative brinkmanship have become the norm. Bureaucratic complexity and partisan obstruction turn even basic governance into a crisis, undermining stability and long-term planning.

Another corrosive factor is gerrymandering, which distorts representation by allowing politicians to choose their voters instead of the other way around. Safe districts reward ideological extremism and punish compromise, further fueling polarization and gridlock.

Equally troubling is a lack of transparency. Too many decisions are made behind closed doors, buried in massive bills that few lawmakers—and even fewer citizens—have time to read. When the public cannot see how decisions are made, accountability disappears.

As a result, Congress routinely fails to address key national issues such as healthcare, education, and infrastructure with the seriousness and urgency they demand. These problems are not unsolvable; they are neglected in favor of short-term political gain.

That short-termism is itself a major flaw. Members of Congress increasingly prioritize the next election cycle, media sound bites, and donor appeasement over long-term solutions. The incentive structure rewards immediate political survival, not responsible governance.

Yet perhaps the most damaging issue is more subtle—and more dangerous. Congress has increasingly allowed temporary majorities to change the rules of the institution for partisan advantage, most notably through the use of the so-called “nuclear option.” By weakening long-standing procedural norms to achieve short-term wins, lawmakers have undermined the stability and legitimacy of the legislative process itself.

When rules can be rewritten whenever power shifts, cooperation becomes irrational and retaliation inevitable. The result is escalating dysfunction and a Congress that no longer operates as a durable, deliberative body—but as a battlefield where each side governs as if it may never again hold power.

This is not merely a failure of leadership or personality. It is a failure of structure and incentives. Congress has drifted away from its constitutional role as a governing institution and toward a system that rewards conflict, fundraising, and procedural gamesmanship.

Restoring public trust will require more than rhetoric or electoral turnover. It will require meaningful institutional reform—reforms that curb partisan manipulation of rules, reduce the influence of money, increase transparency, and realign incentives toward governance rather than obstruction.

Until then, the American people will continue to deliver the same verdict they have for years: Congress is not working for them. And the longer that verdict is ignored, the greater the damage to our democratic legitimacy.

Volunteer Connection

Why Our Government Needs Repair: A Nonpartisan Perspective

by Trent Lacoko

At the Continental Convention of 1787, Benjamin Franklin argued that Congress should receive no pay at all because he feared we would get representatives engaged in “selfish pursuits.” Franklin’s argument did not prevail because the Framers wisely did not want only the wealthy to be able to afford to hold federal offices. Nonetheless, Franklin’s comments caused the Framers to focus on the problem of making sure that people did not go into public office to make a lot of money. Sadly, this is not the case because these salaries are provided by law, which means that Congress sets its own pay. Members of Congress now earn almost three times more than the average worker in the United States.

Congress also gets an extremely generous pension for life of up to 80% of their salary, which vests in just five years. Although Congress is now required to obtain health insurance through the District of Columbia ACA Exchange, they are entitled to get the best coverage offered and are reimbursed approximately 75% of the premiums. In addition to salaries, benefits, and allowed outside income, all members of Congress are given generous expense accounts to cover personal expenses incurred while performing their duties. Heirs of deceased members receive a gratuity equal to the member’s annual salary, regardless of their financial status. Shockingly, Congress gets additional perks over and above the aforementioned ones… free flights and airport parking; a free on-site gym; weakened insider trading restrictions; up to 239 days off per year, and many more. All of this is paid for, of course, with taxpayer money.

“This nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom – and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” This well-known and oft-quoted line was part of Abraham Lincoln’s famous Gettysburg Address, delivered on November 19, 1863. Over time, we have drifted far off course from this standard.

Contrary to what the Framers intended, instead of term limits, we now have career politicians who support each other’s pet projects and then create Omnibus bills, which is a single piece of legislation that consolidates numerous distinct, and often unrelated, measures into one comprehensive package. This, of course, blurs transparency.

From a nonpartisan perspective, one that sets aside party politics and focuses on the systems and principles underlying governance, there are several reasons why calls for reform have grown louder across the political spectrum. There are many structural challenges, inefficiencies, and obstacles that have prompted concerns about the health and effectiveness of American democracy.

One major challenge is legislative gridlock. The inability of Congress to consistently pass meaningful legislation, even on widely recognized issues, has resulted in stagnation. Polarization, where elected representatives are more loyal to party positions than to compromise, exacerbates this problem. As a result, urgent issues such as infrastructure, immigration, and healthcare can remain unresolved for years.

Some foundational structures of government have not kept up with modern realities. For example, the Electoral College and the filibuster were originally designed for a different era and now often hinder effective decision-making and representation. Additionally, cumbersome bureaucratic processes can slow down government responsiveness to crises and citizen needs.

Public trust in government has declined markedly over recent decades. This erosion stems from perceived inefficiency, lack of transparency, and the frequent appearance of partisanship over public interest. When citizens lose faith in their institutions, civic engagement and democratic participation suffer, weakening the fabric of democracy itself.

Concerns about fair representation have grown, with issues such as gerrymandering, voter suppression, and campaign finance influencing who gets elected and whose voices are heard. These challenges can make government less responsive to the needs of all citizens, especially marginalized groups, and undermine the principle of accountability.

Rapid technological advancement and changing societal norms present new governance challenges. The government often lags behind in regulating emerging technologies, cybersecurity threats, and digital privacy. Adapting to these changes requires more agile and forward-thinking governance than current structures allow. Finally, as of October 3, 2025, our total gross national debt was approximately $37.85 trillion. That is $37,850,000,000,000!! This figure represents the total amount of money the federal government has borrowed to cover its spending. That is $110,685 for every man, woman, and child in the United States. We cannot survive Congressional overspending anywhere close to this degree, and Congress should not have the power to make decisions regarding the raising of the debt ceiling.

Addressing these issues is essential for ensuring that the government remains effective, responsive, and truly representative of its citizens. Repairing these foundations is not about favoring one ideology over another, but about strengthening democracy for everyone.

References:

Jeffrey M. Jones and Ellyn Maese. (November 19, 2025). Americans Show Consensus on Many Democracy-Related Matters. Available From: https://news.gallup.com/poll/696494/americans-show-consensus-democracy-related-matters.aspx [Accessed December 20, 2025]
Gallup. (Oct 2025) Congress and the Public. Available From: https://news.gallup.com/poll/1600/congress-public.aspx [Accessed December 20, 2025

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