Here, for your edification and delight, is my solution to how committees should be formed in Washington D.C.  Not ALL committees, but committees to tackle really thorny problems  (like tax reform) and fill very delicate positions (like Lois Lerner’s).

Ready?  Got your rose petals ready to throw in my path?  I know.  I know.  You ran out the last time I was this brilliant, but if you’re going to mingle with greatness, you’ve got to bring your A-game, you know?

HOW this committee is formed is the crucial part… Please note – The method to my madness is not WHO is picked but HOW they are picked.  You can’t build a good house on a bad foundation, at least one that won’t fall down.  How can you possibly arrive at a good outcome if the people at the foundation are rotten?  Right? 

These positions/committees need to be filled by a committee 16 of which is populated by Representatives & Senators who are chosen the following way:

1. A GOP Rep & Sen chosen by the Dem Rep & Sen with the LEAST seniority
2. A GOP Rep & Sen chosen by the Dem Rep & Sen with the MOST seniority
3. A GOP Rep & Sen chosen by the GOP Rep & Sen with the LEAST seniority
4. A GOP Rep & Sen chosen by the GOP Rep & Sen with the MOST seniority
5. A Dem Rep & Sen chosen by the GOP Rep & Sen with the LEAST seniority
6. A Dem Rep & Sen chosen by the GOP Rep & Sen with the MOST seniority
7. A Dem Rep & Sen chosen by the Dem Rep & Sen with the LEAST seniority
8. A Dem Rep & Sen chosen by the Dem Rep & Sen with the MOST seniority

You may NOT choose yourself/among those on the committee. These nominations will be ANONYMOUS. You get a x-amount of rounds of nominations and x-amount of time & x-amount of votes on nominees to make a decision. If the committee does NOT meet its deadlines, the 4 most senior members of each party w/the least votes will be tossed out on their assess automatically, leaving 8 members, 4 GOP, 4 Dem.  Why? Because they’re the most likely to be corrupt and f*cking everything up. This will be a POWERFUL incentive for them to behave themselves.  If that doesn’t work then a new committee will be formed using just 1.) & 5.) only.  The freshman will very likely make an excellent choice all by themselves and it will teach the senior members that in the future, when these committees are formed, they’d better stop being so f*cking corrupt.

1.) & 5.) Are OPPOSITE party FRESHMAN choices, thus removing entrenchment and, quite possibly, offering the possibility of genuine, out-of-the-box thinking.

2.) & 6.) Are OPPOSITE party SENIORITY choices, with the hazard of corruption, BUT, knowing how deals get done and who needs what to make things happen.  They will likely choose someone from the opposing party they have had SUCCESS with making a deal.

3.) & 7.) Are SAME party FRESHMAN choices, which will be reflective of the mood of the moment of the country, thus piercing the bubble these people live in.  They might be more “hard” left or right, but they are freshman, so hopefully able to hold fast to something like the idea of “public service” to their constituents.

4.) & 8.) Are SAME party SENIORITY choices so will be the most likely to be corrupt but also the most likely to form a coalition to get something done.  Because they know they will be tossed out on their asses first, they might behave themselves.  I know.  I’m being naive.  But a girl’s gotta hope…

This method offers a reasonable chance that someone reasonable will be chosen, it seems to me. The most entrenched/corrupt are tempered by the new & fresh, and the ones who are chosen by the opposing party are likely to be moderate so the whole thing inures, theoretically, to a reasonable, not RADICAL outcome.