2017-2023 Congresses Proved Democracy Can Actually Work

A primer on the history, trends and function of the legislative branch, along with midterm election patterns

To have a true understanding of how democracy works, American citizens need a close-up view of Congress. In pop culture, the images tend to be extreme. “West Wing” portrayed public servants as noble and heroic, whereas “House of Cards” depicted overly ambitious people who were positively evil.

Most citizens tend to support or even love their member of …