I think that one of the systemic problems with Congress (both chambers) is that the outgoing Congress gets to vote for the leadership of the new incoming Congress. The new people that we vote in don't get to participate in the vote for their own leadership.
Usually, we say that future Congresses are not bound by the votes of prior Congresses, apparently except for the votes on future leadership positions. For some reason, the parties hold their leadership votes during the lame duck session, and not after the new Congress convenes.
-PJ
That is not true. How does a political junkie get simple stuff like this wrong? The incoming members vote on the leadership for the new Congress. Good grief.