Opinion
The Exit Interviews
Twelve departing lawmakers tell
us what Congress is really like.
Even the insiders are
fed up with Washington.
To understand why,
we put the same eight
questions to House
and Senate members in
both parties who are
on the way out, looking for
patterns and prescriptions
to get a handle on the
place. Corruption, money,
perks, frustrations,
solutions — hear what
they said about it all.
- 1
What’s one word you
would use to describe
Congress today? - 2
Is Congress corrupt?
- 3
What was your most frustrating experience?
- 4
What’s the best perk
of the job? - 5
Did you make a difference?
- 6
What should a
Congress member’s
salary be? - 7
What worries you the most about the future?
- 8
How do you fix Congress?
Featuring
Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.), Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-Ind.), Rep. Tony Cárdenas (D-Calif.), Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin (D-Md.), Sen. Thomas R. Carper (D-Del.), Rep. Anna G. Eshoo (D-Calif.), Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Mich.), Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-Wash.), Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.), Rep. Grace F. Napolitano (D-Calif.), Rep. John Sarbanes (D-Md.)
Producer
Amanda Su
Editor
Alexander Stockton
Cinematography
Elliot deBruyn
Additional Production
Lindsay Crouse
Design and Development
Ana Becker,
Frank Augugliaro
Associate Producer
Emily Holzknecht
Senior Producer
Jonah M. Kessel
Executive Producer
Adam B. Ellick