Lee Hamilton of Indiana served in the U.S. House of Representatives for nearly 35 years and came to believe the most frustrating aspect of congressional service was that members “never have time to put their feet up on their desks, look out the window, and think about the long-term challenges coming down the road.”

It may seem highly aspirational, even implausible, to expect Congress to consider the future in a sustained and systematic way. This is, after all, an institution that frequently has trouble passing stopgap spending bills and conducting routine legislative business.

However, it was not that long ago that some in Congress actually considered emerging trends, anticipated problems and developed future-focused policies. They even created institutions to think and act strategically.

Government needs to revive this practice. To that end, I propose that our lawmakers create a 21st Century Institute for the Future to foster an awareness of, and then plan for, the extraordinary challenges barreling toward us.

Congress has an inherent short-term time horizon. Frequent elections, impatient constituents and the unrelenting pressure of the news cycle do not provide rewards for gazing into crystal balls or enacting visionary policies whose benefits may only be evident years later.

But half a century ago, many lawmakers viewed their responsibilities differently. Perhaps they were inspired by America’s cultural fascination with the future as exemplified by the bestselling book “Future Shock”........

© Chicago Tribune