Today’s Senate is dysfunctional by any measure. The “world’s greatest deliberative body” spends most of its time voting on routine presidential nominations to the executive and judicial branches. When the Senate does consider legislation, most senators feel they have little substantive input. Bills are crafted behind closed doors under the purview of party leaders. The majority leader — often in consultation with the minority leader — brings those bills directly to the Senate floor, bypassing committee consideration. Floor debate is truncated and tightly controlled, and amendments are usually prohibited…. (Read more)