by Philadelphia City Commissioner Stephanie Singer

There is no denying the gridlock in Washington. Important problems languish unsolved while the Federal government shuts down, risking serious damage to our economy. Whose fault is it? Fingers point at the Tea Party, Obama, Boehner, the Federal Reserve and even the Constitution of the United States of America.

But all politics is local, even Washington gridlock. As in many states, Pennsylvania’s crazy quilt of congressional districts favor extremists over moderates. A congress full of extremists fosters gridlock in Washington. And these districts are drawn by the local legislature in Harrisburg.

To understand why local Pennsylvania officials would help create gridlock in Washington, put yourself in their shoes. You are a person like any other. You put your pants on one leg at a time. You saw how your life, and the lives of people like you, could be made better. You volunteered your time, accomplished some things and became a neighborhood leader. You took a risk and ran for office. You worked hard, caught a lucky break or two, and got elected. Now you can do good works and get paid too. You have your dream job!

What’s more, you’ve entered a new world. You are inside the “system”. To do good, you need to build alliances. Probably someone you admire has reached out to help you. Probably that same person will be the one who asks you to go along with the misshapen congressional districts or some other scheme that helps legislators but harms democracy. “Just go along with it,” that person might say, “you don’t want the party leaders to be angry with you.” Or, “don’t be naive.” And saying “no” is hard — unless (like the Jimmy Stewart character in the movie  Mr Smith Goes to Washington) you have incredibly strong moral fiber and another way to pay your rent.

While some Pennsylvania officials might be irretrievably corrupt, most are basically decent people who are trying to wrestle some good out of a complicated, opaque institution. They create disenfranchising congressional districts to please colleagues and party bosses who can influence their careers and the accomplishment of their laudable goals.

What could Pennsylvanians do to get better congressional districts? In some states, such as California, voters can bypass the legislature with a referendum. In Pennsylvania citizens have to work through the state legislature, applying the leverage of the ballot box, holding elected officials accountable.

Your Own Solution to Gridlock

If you are upset about Washington gridlock, let your representatives in Harrisburg — your state representative and state senator — know. Numbers of voters matter in a democracy, so join forces with others who are upset and who vote. If you ask questions, demand answers and follow up, you’ll either get satisfaction from your elected official or you’ll acquire good ammunition to help elect a better elected official next time. Either way, the voters win.