Congress Good For Something

Unfortunatly, the only thing we can do is vote against these congresscritters when we can . . and hope at some point things change.

I'm reminded of a Tom Clancey book where a plane hits capitol hill the House and Senate are decimated.  The president requests that the govenors appioint people like you and I, people that don't care about re-election to fill the slots and get things working again.

God forbid something like that happen . . but wouldn't it be nice to hit the reset button?

it sure would. 

I remember that one. Executive Orders.  There are no jack Ryans around, just a bunch of Ted Matthews.

And probably never happen.  Pelois and Reid did change things - for the worse.

They haven't "voted" for their pay raise in some time.  They passed legilslation a few years ago that makes the pay raise automatic unless someone actually proposes legislation to stop it.  Their reasoning was that it took time away from doing other business to debate on their annual pay raise.

I still maintain that their pay raise ought to be put on a ballot every election year where you rate your representatives by giving them a good or bad vote (maybe add a couple other levels if necessary).  If the bad out number the good then they get a pay cut of 5%, if the good out number the bad then they get a 3-5% raise, and if the good equal the bad then they get no raise.  Now there may need to a range for each of the three, but you get the general idea.

Funny how they keep this information on the DL. Must have been one of those late night, squeeze it it when nobody's looking deals. Well at least they can agree and pass one thing with little problem.

There are few things that the members of congress can all mostly agree on no matter what letter follows their name.  One of those things is that they always deserve a pay raise every single year, the other is that they should constantly redistrict their home states so that they can keep their jobs and keep the third parties out of the running.

If only that were possible.  I tried to do that this year, unfortunately too many of the candidates running for re-election were doing so unopposed.  I put in a lot of write-in votes on my ballot but it didn't do any good.  I just have to hope that next time around more people will hear my plea to vote out all the incumbents.

I guess they changed the law.  At one time, they could not get a pay raise unless they voted for it, and there was an intervening election before it took effect.  Cowards.

They should vote to adjourn - they do more good when not in session.

I find it ironic they are the standard bearers of the CEO pay mob.  They are the worst offenders. But they dont vote on the redistricting.  The state legislatures do (and as long as your party is in Washington, your district is safe).

I never vote for a candidate that is unopposed - even if I agree with them.

me either.  Why give them the satisfaction of a higher number? 

I just got off the phone with my very liberal senile grandmother.  I held my breath.  She tried to start something.  She started in on all the rich cats sitting in office while the poor people are getting kicked out of their homes. 

I interjected with "did you hear that Congress just voted themselves a raise?" 

She laughed and said they did it in the dark of night when nobody was watching.  She couldn't deny it.  I don't think she exactly got where I was heading with my question.  Either that or, more likely, she was ignoring my not so subtle hint that she's the one who voted in these fat cats. 

She ignored it.  The ends justify the means.

That is usually my policy, although this year I felt it was my duty to specifically vote against all incumbents so I did a lot of write-in votes.  Although I got the feeling that the write-in votes were ignored for the most part because as far as I'm aware they are still reporting that all unopposed candidates received 100% of the votes, which is simply impossible (assuming anyone counted my e-ballot).

Look I hate the fact they are getting a raise. Who here can have such a bad aprovail rating yet get a raise... the last time I checked if i did a bad job at my job i didnt get a raise .... so why should they? o thats right....

I have always felt that their raises should be a matter of vote by the citizenry. As lousy a job as they are doing I think their pay should be cut not raised. I'd love to see every single one of them voted out of office en masse.

yes siree......let's take a vote! 

well we may see a change in the near future when the elections come up.. i can see it if BO fails and the Congress and such dont get the act together we could see another swing again.... very soon...people are really starting to feel the pinch and its only gonna hurt more the longer this mess keeps going

I wonder about that as well.  I know that it serves no purpose in the grand scheme of things to count absentee and other non-standard votes if the election is not close.  But do they?  If the guy is going to win by a million, or 900,000, he still wins.  It is one of the reasons I have not voted absentee yet.  I want to keep the illusion my vote is being counted.

Yea, kind of like the condescending pukes they are "do as I say, not as I do".

WHile I dont see them getting voted out en masse, I think tying their raise to a vote is a great idea.  Time to tell the clowns to do their job or get out of town.

If all 435 were voted on by all people, they would be.  But everyone has their pets.  Look at Murtha, and Frank!  A cancer on the nation, yet they still win each year.

It could be 2 years, but more likely 4 if then.  But a change will occur.  But then we will have the same thing.  Repubs acting like democrats.

What I meant by e-voting was that I used the electronic voting booth at my precinct instead of the scantron-like paper ballot.  I saw the vote recorded on the paper tape that was scrolling next to the screen but I always wonder if that vote actually gets counted.