We vote nay. Dressing formally conveys respect for the sanctity of the institution and for the real-world impact of the policies it advances. Putting on a suit creates an occasion for lawmakers to reflect, just for a moment, on the special responsibilities with which the people have entrusted them and on a deliberative process that at least aspires to solemnity. Judges are perfectly “able to choose” what they wear while on the bench, but court wouldn’t be court unless they put on black robes.
Ultracasual though it is, Mr. Fetterman’s clothing probably doesn’t represent the bottom of the slippery slope upon which Mr. Schumer has set Senate style. No, we don’t think Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) is going to show up in a bikini, as she jokingly suggested. It is, however, all too imaginable that attention-seeking lawmakers will don T-shirts emblazoned with the names and mascots of their hometown sports franchises — or inflammatory partisan messages — hoping to go viral on social media and garner small-dollar donations.
One would have thought that, with public trust in government waning, the Senate might want to avoid looking even a tiny bit more like a high school cafeteria. Of course, dress codes evolve. In the business world, men’s suits might be in decline; the recent pandemic-related revolution in hybrid work has certainly made informality both trendy and permissible in many offices. As for Capitol Hill, the long-overdue rise of women to positions of power necessitated adjustment and flexibility in dress codes. Also, while Republicans have been the loudest critics of Mr. Schumer’s decision, some GOP senators have been spotted wearing gym clothes on the job.
Still, the Senate could have started with a more measured change or at least had a bit more debate before embarking on this radical shift. Or it could have left the old rules in place. Those imposed little hardship on Mr. Fetterman. After his term began in January, the Pennsylvanian routinely wore suits. Lately, though, he has been voting on legislation with one foot in the cloakroom — a prerogative long granted to senators — so that he wouldn’t need to get dressed up to perform that official duty.
At the risk of idealizing the place, the Capitol is, or should be, thought of as the temple of the world’s oldest continuous democracy. Within that, the Senate floor is its most sacred space. It was the setting for America’s most consequential debates on war and peace, freedom and slavery. Throughout history, those who participated in its proceedings dressed accordingly. Admittedly, the appropriate level of dignity is subjective; you know it when you see it. And when a senator comes to the floor in pickup softball gear, you don’t.
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