Thread: Defeating Partisanship

I had this thought recently, and wanted to get some feedback on what everyone thinks about it.



A lot of people have been calling for term limits on Congressmen. I find that I agree at this point. The reason being is that what are most of the people worried about doing most of the time, getting reelected.



So, I thought, what can we do to take away that incentive to only see how to get reelected? What I came up with was a term limit of one term across the board. You might raise the term time for House members so that it won't be so tedious to change out every time, but I thought it would be a good way to force them to do real work instead of trying to get reelected, because then there would be no reelection to think about.

[quote name='Gypsy' date='16 April 2010 - 05:52 PM' timestamp='1271458352' post='140348']

I think term limits is a good idea. I think after so many years even a brilliant congressman can become mired down in the politics and atmosphere of DC.

[/quote]





Is there such a thing as a brilliant Congressman today?

[quote name='bla bla' date='16 April 2010 - 08:13 PM' timestamp='1271466788' post='140373']

Better than a corrupt asshat fucking up the country for three decades.

[/quote]





Yah. The term, "See, this is why we can't have nice things" comes to mind. When a few ruin it for everyone, then we have to take drastic measures. I may be a little radical in calling for a single term limit, but that may be what it needs the most. That way, those elected into office won't be worried at all about getting reelected simply because they only get one term to start off with.

[quote name='Pragmatist' date='16 April 2010 - 09:51 PM' timestamp='1271472663' post='140389']

Yeah, and seeing as they only get one term, who worth a shit will bother running in the first place? We can all have a bunch of loser idiots running congress, wonderful!

[/quote]





I'd rather weed out all of the people who don't care about anything else but getting reelected.

[quote name='Morgan' date='16 April 2010 - 10:52 PM' timestamp='1271472727' post='140391']

I'd rather weed out all of the people who don't care about anything else but getting reelected.

[/quote]



Like it or not, politics is a profession. And our statesmen have to be good politicians to be effective. Sure, the Davy Crocketts of America can aspire to serve in Congress and that's cool. But you need some talent or experience.



I get kind of sore when my clients assume they have "tested out" of what I do (creative services and PR) because it actually takes some chops to do what I do. Same for any profession.



So I think term limits would turn our government into amateur hour. Yeah, there are some really good "political hobbyists" and "natural politicians" out there, but every one of those there are a dozen yahoos like Sarah Palin and Steve Forbes who simply aren't ready for prime time.



America is a huge political organism (representative democracy) and it's idealistic at best to think that citizen-servants can run it more effectively than the pros.

[quote name='Morgan' date='16 April 2010 - 10:52 PM' timestamp='1271472727' post='140391']

I'd rather weed out all of the people who don't care about anything else but getting reelected.

[/quote]



Vote.