Congress is so dysfunctional that it’s time to work directly to the people, according to former Sen. Jim DeMint.
DeMint was so disenchanted with his dysfunctional workplace that he left to head up the Heritage Foundation, where instead of appealing to lawmakers as Think Tanks traditionally have, he hopes to lead a Congressional revival by appealing directly to the people.
In a Washington Post op-ed last week DeMint explained that America needs new ideas, but Congress isn’t the place for them. “Congress has become the place where good ideas go to die,” he wrote.
On Thursday’s Morning Joe, DeMint went on to explain that Heritage won’t even take their ideas to lawmakers, and instead hopes to lead a grassroots revival.
If we take our message more to the American people, and prove the things we’re talking about actually work, that’s what puts pressure on Washington. I’ve seen the same thing in electing people to Washington. The establishment in Washington said a conservative couldn’t win in Pennsylvania. But If you take your message to the people, people like Pat Toomey can win elections. I’m convinced that if we take the right ideas, the right message to the American people, they’ll pressure Washington to do more to pull things together that actually work for our country. As Reagan said, If you can’t make them see the light, make them feel the heat.
Jane Timm