How to Solve Many Problems in Government

That would be so nice.  That would solve a large amount of our problems because seniority wouldn't mean much.  Limit it to 2 or 3 terms and I think we'd be in much better shape.  I also think it would be nice if actively sitting officials couldn't campaign for another office.  So we wouldn't have current members of congress campaigning for President when they are supposed to be on Capital Hill doing their jobs.

Can anyone tell me how many senators/representatives that have been in more than 10 years stayed consistently conservative or became conservative?

I was going to say reset button...I was close.

~Zoo

I am in agreement with ya.

110% Agreed

Apparently that's stuck or incorrectly labled.

Not sure I can agree with that. You see, when I reset my computer when ever Windows wants to act stupid on me, all it does is clear out whats messing it up at the moment but the problem didn't actually get resolved and will eventually come back to haunt me. The Govt is an even scarier reality if we could simply hit the reset button.

Term limits would be nice, but who is to say that the crooks won't get replaced by similar or worse crooks? The problem isn't the congress per se, it's the people in congress. It's like any system of government, there is room for corruption and incompetancy - no matter who is in it.

Personally, I was thinking of one of those big red EJECT buttons. Any time we don't like something any Senator or Representative hasdone...   ...you get the idea.

~Alderic

Here's the trick. The Congressmen and Senators (if they are included as well) would not have enough time to form special connections with certain companies or lobbyist so the concept of things being done, not for the people but for special interest kinda shrinks. It allows others who might actually wanna do a good job get a chance at doing something for their country.

Look at it this way, ever 4 or 8 years we get a new leader or a second term leader that can be replaced if he screws up unlike other countries where leaders reign supreme. That's kinda how a Congressman seems, even though some get voted out from time to time, some end up there long enough to for special connections that are not always for the benefit of the people.

It shrinks, but it is still there. How about pandering to the special interests of corporations? Or Unions? They can still be influenced merely by promised support, voter or money wise. The corruption is still there, the opportuinity is still there for it to happen.

Rational self-interest - it's an economic term that means that people will do what is in the best interests of themselves, and while a person in congress might do what the people want, they are more likely to choose the option that requires the least amount given, and most received. You think that most average Americans can give a congress person the same amount that they earn? Or the suppor they get from special interests? Nadda, my gut and brain tells me that a person in congress is going to play footsie with the big wigs. Call it the golden road so to speak.

Do not get me wrong; while it would be nice to see congress actually represent - you wil have to please excuse my cynical side. This comes off as nothing more than an idealist's wet dream. I should know; I'm a recovering idealist, and up-and-coming cynic.

~Alderic

Opportunity will always be there, but it would be much easier to spot. lobbyists would also be less inclined to "invest" in someone that would be gone in such a short time. Not all flies are captured in the flytrap, but everyone caught is a small victory.

A good example of being there too long is Feinstein helping out her husbands stock portfolio. Apparently this is not the first time. She has been there long enough to game the system. Her colleges seem unwilling to take matters under control. Term limits would remove their lack of judgment in similar matters. Plenty of examples on both sides.

Persons will really leadership abilities would need to be nominated for the positions, as "on the job training" time would be minimal. I'd also eliminate the pension they get. This is a job that should be done for country, not as a potential personal windfall for years to come. I'm sure many future job opportunities would present themselves to the person completing their terms.

True, and perhaps. I regret to say that I doubt that, but what can I say - prove me wrong.

~Alderic

Well it's all speculation anyway. Hungry dogs are not going to willingly restrict their own time at the gravy bowl. Anyone that brings up such legislation will surely be reprimanded by all (including his/her own). Something like this would have to be a massive grassroots and even then might not get any traction.

Your posts are very inteligent I am glad I found this'

I will make the traction you all keep the moter, running

I will make the traction you all keep the motor, running

oops

Mhmm, and unfortunately...I don't see that happening. (Blegh, I wish someone would prove me wrong on that, seriously.)

let's see there is already term limits for congress it is or called DO NOT VOTE THE GUY OR GAL BACK INTO OFFICE 

oh i forgot you all can not figure that out   and let me tell you congress believes that also so you keep voting them in and voting them in and voting them in 

MY GOSH HOW DUMB CAN YOU ALL BE  and you say i am amusing well if you do not like what congress is doing and you still vote them in NOW THAT IS COMICIAL

well now if you are a free thinker and is looking for answers then go to youtube.com and checkout jdcriveau  NOW THERE IS SOMETHING DIFFERENT  at leaast jd sees the problem and can fix it

jd

Since you have YET to actually contribute anything to this thread or any other threads, Adventure-Dude BOYCOTs your self promotion (mocks the third person promotions from troll).  You come across rather looney.

Why? If someone is great at their job, why force them to stop doing it even when everyone they represent wants them to do it? If people get worse the longer they're doing their job, then since they're elected, the voters can simply vote for someone else. There's no need for some arbitrary limit when the voters get to choose.

Ironically the more you spam in every thread for me to do that, the less likely I (and everyone else) are to actually bother 'checking out jdcrivea'. Especially when in most of your posts you're simply copying and pasting the exact same thing.

Despising spammers knows no politcal lines.

I agree with this, up to a point.  While we get what we deserve, for the most part, the incumbents have, in a variety of ways, definitely stacked the deck in their favor as the years have gone by, making it much more difficult to unseat a sitting member.  Not impossible, by any means (see Daschle, Tom), but more difficult.

It comes down to a philosophical point for me.  I believe 'we the people' should be much more active in governance.  We've become politically lazy in many respects, and left the field to a professional class of politicians who inevitably become progressively more concerned with their profession than with us.  Some form of term limits would minimize this drift toward elitist governors (generic term), though I readily admit it would be the lazy man's fix.

I don't believe that these people are representing the people that voted them in, but because Americans in general are lazy, and tend to be apathetic, and sheep-like, and will vote for anyone in their aligned party, these people have realized that they can exploit their power, and use it to serve themselves.  Hopefully my generation will change this, though, so far, the majority of my generation has only fallen to their knees in worship of the Obamagod, (he uses a BLACKBERRY, and is YOUNG, and has a MYSPACE, OMG!!!!! I SHALL FOREVER BELIEVE EVERYTHING OBAMAGOD SAYS), so I doubt anything beyond the normal two-party bs will happen.

Because of this exploitation, perhaps a term limit should be enacted, if only to save the American people from their own laziness, and apathy...

We have only ourselves to blame.

And in taking forever my post is simply a mirror to Daiwa, haha.