The U.S. is behind Russia and several other nations in mobilizing for the impact of the Arctic's melting, the New York Times reported this weekend.
Critics say such articles incite panic over peripheral issues. I had a different reaction. There may or may not be a story about the Obama administration's handling of the consequences of Arctic melting. But I immediately thought of Congress, because this is exactly the kind of challenge it has left itself unable to cope with.
Once upon a time, Congress eagerly sought the scientific knowledge needed for such a daunting problem.
Also once upon a time, congressional committees and their senior members--especially in the House, where specialization has traditionally been encouraged--built up quite a bit of knowledge. This may still be the case for House Democrats, but House Republicans instituted term limits for committee chairmen back in 1995.
Finally, expertise at the congressional staff level has deteriorated over time. Congress has put more resources into public relations while continuing to emphasize district operations.
That leaves Congress dependent on lobbyists for expertise in too many areas and weakens its oversight abilities. This may mean the president gets his way more often, but mostly it just leaves the executive-branch bureaucracy to do whatever it wants.
No wonder the government is slow to react to new challenges.
It may be correct that the Times over-hyped a "Russia is coming" threat, but this doesn't mean nothing is at stake. Melting ice creates challenges for resources, transportation, diplomacy and more. I'd feel a lot better about U.S. policy in the Arctic if Congress was more visible in doing its part.
Editorial on 09/02/2015