splansing

It's probably been done before, but I can't remember it or I didn't see it.

I want term limits for Congress. These people are de facto aristocracy at this point.

They put their money where they know their legislation will positively impact business, for one thing. Talk about insider information.

Corruption seems to be the norm. It's just a question of how blatant and gratuitous it is.

And after years in office, they are completely compromised by their relationships with their fellow career politicians, and essentially are in a position to divide up the spoils among them.

Simple, pure representation appears to be nonexistent. I think this could dramatically, positively impact America over a few years. Sure, there would still be ways to network and scheme. But term limits would be a step in the right direction.

Join a party and vote in a primary.

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metheron

I have always supported term limits, however, I think our party system would be even worse with term limits. There is never any need to compromise once you hit your last term, unless.........you actually want to do something that would benefit the people. Fresh blood in Congress sounds good, I am not sure the trade off would be worth it.

splansing

You don't think term limits would make it harder for parties to pass little laws to get themselves more firmly entrenched...as has been mentioned on another thread?

Join a party and vote in a primary.

metheron

I am not sure of the other thread you are talking about. However......... I think it all comes down to the benefit of the party as a whole. I think politicians, in the case of term limits, will be trying to help companies that may employ them as consultants when their term is up. Hey , you get this legislation passed and I got a great job lined up for you. I think currently our party system is the good ol boy system within each party and they look out for one another more so than us. No, I don't think term limits would make that harder, I think it comes down to majority.

michaelr

Unfortunatly you make a good argument against term limits, however I will attempt to poke a few holes in it.

The you vote for my bill and I will give you a job thingy goes on now, sometimes with a job, sometimes with collage educations for your family for generations to come. As a politician stays in office for decades, they are able to use their clout in order to get more votes for their pals in the private sector. This would be harder to accomplish with term limits. After all one politician one vote makes it harder for me to bribe unless I tried to bribe half of congress.

lakeman

Term limits - Yahoo!

Until then just vote out incumbents.

That is not a just government, nor is property secure under it, where the property which a man has in his personal safety and personal liberty, is violated by arbitrary seizures of one class of citizens for the service of the rest.
-James Madison-

metheron

And because the longevity is gone their are no more powerful? I agree. There will be no more power people in DC. However, my argument is that it is not the people that is the problem, it is the party. Unless we are able to come up with a larger party system the problems we have now will always be there. They are just people. They will make mistakes. However, person is weaker than people. As long as you allow hundreds of them to stand as one you will have problems. Require a certain number of Reps, Dems, and Ind's, and we amy get a little further.

venus

Wouldn’t shorter terms create more competitive elections and thus reestablish a citizen legislature?



I say it’s time to put an end to the professional political class.

shintao

There is vast Majority reservor of nonvoters in America. Find out what they want and cater to their needs as their representative & you would win hands down.

1.Restore the 1st Amendment.
2.Restore the 2nd Amendment.
3.Recind all laws against abortion.
4.Put the working people before corporations.
5.Make living wage a reality.
6.Give America free Health Care.
7.Create employment

One tin soldier walked away........................

lakeman

Except when it isn't PC or it is intolerant of gays or anyone else.
As long as what you mean by the 2n ammendment is that a definition of separation of church and state that was never meant by our founding fathers is the law of the land.
Even the laws that make it illegal for a girls boyfriend to perform the procedure, or for the procedure to be done when the baby is half born, or just because the baby is female (like in China).
So instead of respecting the rights of everyone we will just respect the rights of those who have not incorporated.
A symbolic gesture since virtually no one responsible for providing a living for a family earns minimum wage. But nevertheless, a gesture that will force High school kids all over the nation out of work and hurt the economy in the process.
Which will hardly be free and will move us ten steps closer to being a socialism instead of what our constitution has established.
Which is code for corporate welfare when done by democrats. When it is done by reps it is called stimulating the economy. Either way it is bad.

That is not a just government, nor is property secure under it, where the property which a man has in his personal safety and personal liberty, is violated by arbitrary seizures of one class of citizens for the service of the rest.
-James Madison-