Today, the Levin Center released a statement on the 250th celebration of the Declaration of Independence co-signed by the Chair of the Levin Center Faculty Advisory Committee, the Chair of the Levin Center External Advisory Board, and co-signed by advisory board members. Read the full statement below or click on the button for a pdf version.
For 250 Years Congress has been the Core of America’s Democratic Promise
As we approach July 4th in this 250th anniversary year of the Declaration of Independence, we are reminded that the American experiment began not with the presidency, but with a demand for representation.
It was representatives, gathered in a Continental Congress, who declared independence, united the colonies, and set the foundation for a new system of government. At its core was a simple but enduring promise: that the people would have a voice in the decisions that shape their lives.
That promise remains the defining feature of American democracy. It is also one that requires constant effort to uphold.
The Constitution vests significant authority in Congress because it is the branch most directly accountable to the people. Its responsibilities are not symbolic. They are active and ongoing. Congress is charged with legislating, appropriating, and overseeing the execution of the laws. When it fulfills those duties with seriousness and independence, it serves as a vital check on the concentration of power and helps ensure that government remains, as President Lincoln declared at Gettysburg, “of, for, and by the people.”
At a time when many Americans feel disconnected from their government, the need for effective representation is especially clear. Public frustration and institutional paralysis can reinforce each other in ways that weaken confidence in democratic systems and create openings for the concentration of power that the founders sought to prevent.
The 250th anniversary invites reflection not only on where we began, but on what it takes to sustain a representative democracy. Oversight, transparency, and a commitment to facts are not procedural concerns. They are essential to ensuring that our laws are wise and carried out as intended and that public resources serve the public good.
Through its Congress 250 initiative, the Levin Center is working to highlight the history and continued importance of Congress as a representative body charged with giving every American
the chance to live the Declaration’s values of liberty and equality. From the founding era to today, Congress has played a central role, however imperfectly, in translating the public’s values
and needs into public policy. That role remains indispensable.
This July 4th, we celebrate the principle that representation matters, and we reaffirm the
responsibility of our elected officials to act on that principle. A strong, effective Congress is not only part of our constitutional design. It is necessary to preserve the democratic promise that
began 250 years ago.
Jim Townsend, Levin Center Director
Professor John Mogk – Chair of the Levin Center Faculty Advisory Committee
Hon. Paul Hillegonds – Chair of the Levin Center External Advisory Board
Members of the Levin Center Advisory Board:
- Peter N. Antone
- Hon. Barbara Comstock
- Hon. Tom Daschle
- Cynthia Ford
- Liz Hardy
- Jason Hill
- Hon. Dan Kildee
- Kate Levin Markel
- Anne Mervenne
- Jim Nicholson
- Hon. Dave Trott
- Peter Walters