Article Review

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A Review of the Article, “Congress couldn’t have been this bad, or could it?”
The article, “Congress couldn’t have been this bad, or could it?” discusses the changes that have occurred to the U.S Congress in the Capitol Hill since 1842. The author explains the evil acts that were practiced by the Congressmen to retain their leadership positions. They exhibited trickery during elections, tampered with the public officers and also attacked their opponents to weaken their ambitions. They would even threaten their opponents claiming that they would cut their throats. Moreover, the author discusses the challenges that were experienced by the Congressmen during that time. The Congressmen did not have offices and would work at assigned desks in the Senate or House chamber. They did not have security from other hostile political colleagues. Additionally, they did not have the personal staff to help in the drafting of legislation. There were increased violent cases whenever a new territory demanded statehood. This is because it exposed the balance of congressional supremacy between the numerous rival counties. Also, the author says that there were disagreements regarding the primary source of income in the United States. Furthermore, the author analyzes the life of the modern congressmen. They have personal assistants, nice boardinghouses, and offices. However, there still exist wrangles in the House and Senate chambers because of different parties who have diverse ideas.

In my opinion, the title of the article is appropriate. The author compares the life of the congressmen during the 18th century to the life of the modern congressmen. Disagreements have always existed since the 18th century to date. Moreover, the author provides a comprehensive discussion to explain the current state of both chambers of parliament in the United States. The author discusses the changes that have been occurring over the years and their impact on the leadership of America. The article is also organized into paragraphs each having a different idea. I would recommend the article to other people because it is easy to understand it.
Work Cited
Chiles, James R. “Congress couldn’t have been this bad, or could it?.” Smithsonian 26.8 (1995): 70-77.