September 04, 2010
— Purple Avenger 78 freaking percent?!?!
In normal times, you couldn't get 78% of the public to agree that Canada is that country to the north of the USA.
Wow.
A Fox News poll released Friday found that 78 percent of voters favor establishing term limits for Congress. ThatÂ’s nearly five times as many as oppose limiting the number of terms members can serve (16 percent).Large majorities of Republicans (84 percent), Democrats (74 percent) and independents (74 percent) favor the idea...
Posted by: Purple Avenger at
08:51 PM
| Comments (182)
Post contains 92 words, total size 1 kb.
Posted by: Rum, Goddess of Doom at September 04, 2010 08:54 PM (gofDd)
And there's the pork.
Posted by: huerfano at September 04, 2010 08:56 PM (No0N3)
Most lifelong democrats I know believe the Pelosi congress is populated by imbeciles. Ogabe/Pelosi/Reid have really pissed in the Holy Water when it comes to traditional democrats.
Posted by: Purple Avenger at September 04, 2010 08:57 PM (zKkvj)
That's a plus, I guess. But are they going to take back their party from the fringe Left and the "progressives"?
Posted by: Rum, Goddess of Doom at September 04, 2010 08:58 PM (gofDd)
I'm not sure they want it back anymore. Its very hard to "rehabilitate" a brand that has been so completely discredited in the public's mind.
Posted by: Purple Avenger at September 04, 2010 09:00 PM (zKkvj)
Has it, though? I guess November will answer that. I imagine in another 30 years enough people will have forgotten. It seems to be a curse and a blessing that American memories are short.
Posted by: Rum, Goddess of Doom at September 04, 2010 09:02 PM (gofDd)
Posted by: Locarno at September 04, 2010 09:03 PM (QTAUr)
Posted by: kurtilator at September 04, 2010 09:03 PM (juh4Z)
Posted by: parisparamuss at September 04, 2010 09:08 PM (RKvTq)
They could always release the punitive regulatory and tax burdens shackling American industry and we could in theory earn/grow our way out of this, but I put the chances of that happening vanishingly close to zero.
Posted by: Purple Avenger at September 04, 2010 09:13 PM (zKkvj)
Posted by: CAC at September 04, 2010 09:19 PM (lV4Fs)
Posted by: Comrade Arthur at September 04, 2010 09:19 PM (eyHnk)
**Term limits used to be pretty popular with the republican establishment right up until 1994 or '96 or whatever year they got a majority, then all of a sudden it's like... errr, term whats?**
It was about the time that Dick Armey said that they fulfilled their Contract with America pledge, that they had only promised a vote on term limits, not that they had promised to actually pass term limits, that I stopped being a "Republican," and was henceforth merely a conservative.
Posted by: Bender at September 04, 2010 09:21 PM (moeLX)
Posted by: Rocks at September 04, 2010 09:22 PM (ivAmM)
Put both these stories together, and you have bag limits for legislators.
Posted by: cthulhu at September 04, 2010 09:26 PM (/0IOT)
Posted by: Cicero at September 04, 2010 09:29 PM (0pBLV)
Posted by: sartana at September 04, 2010 09:36 PM (ILqxM)
Posted by: Johnny H. at September 04, 2010 09:42 PM (862vz)
Posted by: Unclefacts, AoSHQ Pro Debate Team, Bacon Raconteur at September 04, 2010 09:48 PM (eCAn3)
There is way to "term limit" congress. Vote the parasites out! The voters get a chance to dump the House every 2 freakin' years!
The fact that scum like Pelosi, Rangel, Waters, Dingle, Frank, etc. keep getting re-elected shows their is no bottom to the well of human stupidity.
Posted by: Log Cabin at September 04, 2010 09:50 PM (JWeWl)
Posted by: Dr. Spank at September 04, 2010 09:51 PM (Y81Xa)
California is still screwed up with term limits. I am not convinced it is a good thing.
I want to see the polling numbers for people who want fair legislative districting. Imagine if the system wasn't rigged, then the good ones would keep their jobs and the bums would be swept out.
Posted by: California Red at September 04, 2010 09:51 PM (smPb6)
If it means a right to hunt politicians, I'm all for it!
Posted by: newton at September 04, 2010 09:52 PM (q5ZJk)
Posted by: Wookie's Inferior Desecrator at September 04, 2010 10:04 PM (mNG9h)
Posted by: Wookie's Inferior Desecrator at September 04, 2010 10:05 PM (mNG9h)
Posted by: Fresh Air at September 04, 2010 10:07 PM (mNG9h)
Posted by: Rocks at September 04, 2010 10:11 PM (ivAmM)
This is probably not good news for Rahall, Tanner, Edwards, Mollohan, Boucher, Spratt, Skelton, Holden, and Pomeroy who have all been in Congress for at least 17 years (not counting this year) and represent districts that are Cook R+6 or more conservative.
Posted by: StrangernFiction at September 04, 2010 10:12 PM (pOgEW)
BLOP! BBBBLOP!
I confess readily, that I am a guy who already liked to yell bbbblop.
BBBBLOP!
Take that!
Posted by: Wm T Sherman at September 04, 2010 10:14 PM (tm15w)
Posted by: rickl at September 04, 2010 10:17 PM (hZFhS)
I think that this right here is the answer. Some districts are connected by only a road in places, or even the ocean. It seems to me that if you just went by sane population grids, the term limits issue would pretty much solve itself. That way you'd still have blue and red areas, but not this job-for-life bullshit. I wonder what kind of reform would be necessary for this to happen--Constitutional amendment?
The Founders really did not design the system for lifelong politicians. Yes, many of them were lifelong public servants, but that had a totally different meaning. It meant long periods of time, years even, separated from family, with not a tremendous amount of pay, and they all had to keep their original lines of work going in addition to their political gigs. It really was a sacrifice. The idea was to come in from the field or the doctor's office, serve maybe 2-3 terms, and go back to the farm. John Adams still practiced law, George Washington farmed at Mount Vernon, and Jefferson was continually fucking around with Monticello. Of course somebody had to stick around long enough to be President, but that usually involved a reasonable upward trajectory through the levels of government and pretty much required at least proving oneself in one's profession first (*cough*TOONCES*cough*.)
Dynasty accusations aside, with his business background, W is somewhat closer to what the Founders had in mind-- be in some sort of non-political line of WORK, serve, go the FUCK home and give somebody else a chance.
Posted by: Filly at September 04, 2010 10:25 PM (CIFQQ)
Posted by: StrangernFiction at September 04, 2010 10:38 PM (pOgEW)
Posted by: Patton at September 04, 2010 10:40 PM (+HIl0)
Posted by: An Atlas at September 04, 2010 10:46 PM (oj52M)
Posted by: Chris in Va at September 04, 2010 10:56 PM (oj52M)
It does make sense, though. Even if your Congressman is Murtha and you hate him with a passion, electing someone else means losing all of his seniority, all of his committee rank, and all of his connections and ability to bring pork home to your district.
If everyone was forced to lose that built up influence maybe people would be more willing to give up what their own set of scum bags have accumulated.
Posted by: Synova at September 04, 2010 11:05 PM (P0X9Q)
Posted by: cthulhu at September 04, 2010 11:05 PM (/0IOT)
Posted by: Seriouis Cat at September 04, 2010 11:17 PM (bAySe)
Posted by: Seriouis Cat at September 04, 2010 11:21 PM (bAySe)
If term limits meant no more Boxer and Feinstein I'd dance a jig. They don't bring shit back to CA.
Posted by: Rum, Goddess of Doom at September 04, 2010 11:23 PM (gofDd)
Posted by: Rum, Goddess of Doom at September 04, 2010 11:30 PM (gofDd)
Posted by: curious at September 04, 2010 11:33 PM (p302b)
Posted by: Comrade Article 5, baybee! at September 04, 2010 11:38 PM (eyHnk)
Posted by: Jehu at September 04, 2010 11:40 PM (QS5OZ)
Posted by: The Ghost of Peter Jennings at September 04, 2010 11:40 PM (c0A3e)
Posted by: Seriouis Cat at September 04, 2010 11:45 PM (bAySe)
Posted by: Cock O'Van at September 05, 2010 01:22 AM (AZGON)
Posted by: George Orwell at September 05, 2010 01:23 AM (AZGON)
Posted by: Vic at September 05, 2010 01:39 AM (/jbAw)
This.
Gerrymandering is such a bastardized process that voter misrepresentation is its designed purpose.
This is along the lines of jury selection. It's an ideal structure in self-governance that gets destroyed by its handlers. In the Courts an abundance of "peers" are meticulously thrown out for questionable, if not dishonest, reasons. Those maintaining and participating have massaged the system into a dishonest game. Same with Congress and districting. Not the throwing out part but the crafty way they've designed in their bias and barriers to change.
Ideally I'd be against term limits; however, the system is so gamed that the ideal does not exist. It cannot exist because those in charge or those who enter the system to take charge refuse to reconstruct that which they aim to join. It's corrupt. I actually think it's irredeemably corrupt and the voters have made it so. Go figure.
Posted by: AnonymousDrivel at September 05, 2010 01:40 AM (swuwV)
Posted by: Vic at September 05, 2010 01:59 AM (/jbAw)
Posted by: George Orwell at September 05, 2010 02:03 AM (AZGON)
Congress has done everything they can do to make incumbency a standard and not the exception. That is what McCain Fiegngold was all about. It was an incumbency protection racket. They are now trying to pass another version of it after SCOTUS finally got around to crushing it.
This election is going to have the highest turnover in congress that has happened in many decades. But look what it took to get it. The idiots took over and turned up the flame on the pot to high boil and the frogs noticed it for a change.
Posted by: Vic at September 05, 2010 02:22 AM (/jbAw)
Posted by: FlaviusJulius at September 05, 2010 02:22 AM (9cflz)
Term limits are a last resort. If we are going to change the consitution I think the best way to get control of our government back is to reduce the time between elections form 2year to 1 year for Congress and 6 years to 3 for Senators. If the Congress had to face the voters every year there would be no embracing liberalism on the off year elections.
Term limits create lame duck Congresscritters who will have no reason to worry about the wrath of the voters and will instead pass every liberal wet dream bill they can and pad their pockets on their way out.
but if its the only choice then fine I'll support them.
Posted by: unseen at September 05, 2010 03:10 AM (mQauu)
Vested pensions should start small for first-termers, climb slowly over six terms (two for senators) and max out after 12 years' service.
Pensions should be forfeited for any official convicted of bribery, perjury, misprision, misuse of public funds, vote or registration fraud, accepting campaign donations from overseas companies or individuals.
Posted by: Little Miss Spellcheck at September 05, 2010 03:24 AM (xqhoO)
As long as there is slop in the trough, the pigs will find a way to feed.
It's like the so-called "credit card reform"-- it just made everything with every one of my cards worse, more restrictive, more annoying. Any other cobbled-together fix that congress or the people create to pile layers of regulation on deeper layers of regulation will just create more opportunities for malfeasance. It's basic economics--if there's money in something, someone will find a way to extract it.
All efforts should be directed toward shrinking the government. Do this, and all the other problems will fix themselves.
Posted by: The Pricker! at September 05, 2010 03:30 AM (0EfeF)
Term limits and a salary cap in baseball. Put them both in and you have fixed the country.
Posted by: Wyatt Earp at September 05, 2010 03:34 AM (zgZzy)
Posted by: Vic at September 05, 2010 03:43 AM (/jbAw)
He is using the TARP slush fund to this. You know, all that money the tax payers were supposed to make a profit on. That fund that has not been used remotely like what the bill authorized it to be used for.
IOW, they are violating the law routinely now and with impunity knowing that nobody will hold them accountable.
That should be day three of the House. Recall ALL unspent TARP funds.
Posted by: Vic at September 05, 2010 03:50 AM (/jbAw)
Never seen a comment by this guy before, and that's a shame. You're on the money.
Posted by: Herr Morgenholz at September 05, 2010 03:55 AM (0Fp9E)
Posted by: Jean at September 05, 2010 04:14 AM (CPefM)
That is why I included "term limits" for them as well. In addition, the number of staff positions needs to be reduced by 75%.
Posted by: Vic at September 05, 2010 04:17 AM (/jbAw)
"That's a plus, I guess. But are they going to take back their party from the fringe Left and the "progressives"?"
No, they are not.
I was a lifelong dem, a JFK conservative dem, these people are not dems, heck many times they don't even act like Americans. The demon-rat party can go down the toilet for all I care, after voting for a demon-rat for over 3 decades, the party is done, it is not worth saving, these people are now full on radicals, socialists, america-hating lunatics.
And no, this does not mean those that fled the demon-rat party are republican, most of us are constitutional conservative Independents, socially moderate/centerist, but very very conservative when it comes to the adherance of the US Constitution, fiscal, defense, indiv rights, etc.
I wish I could scan in the letters I get from the DNC, pleading and begging that if the repubs like Issa take over, there will be investigations like they did with Bill Clinton, I frankly did think the repubs went overboard with Clinton, and feel this time the repubs will be very good after going after all the legimate issues, ACORN, Black Panthers cases, etc, and heck there are so many!
Posted by: johnc_recent_EX-dem at September 05, 2010 04:22 AM (ACkhT)
If you have an untrustworthy electorate, and "fix it" with term limits, you will just get inexperienced bad public officials (meaning they will be both corrupt - and incompetent to fix the occasional real problem).
The real problem you perceive, when you say you want term limits, is a stupid electorate. Nothing will change until you fix that. First step is to recognize the real problem - not its symptom. And the real problem is one-man-one-vote, "enacted" by the Warren Court somewhere around the early '60s. Until then, you had the Constitutional form of government called a "Republic". (The US Constitution, even including the post-Civil War amendments, does not require one-man-one-vote; look at the US Senate - probably the most unrepresentative legislative body on the face of the planet.)
In fact, political voting should be like corporate voting: if you have more responsibility for the success of the enterprise, you get more say in how it's run. So, give everyone one vote for every dollar he pays in tax. Far as I know, that's the way every private enterprise in the world operates; not a single one has been dumb enough to socialize its corporate voting.
Requiring property ownership, and literacy, would be a minimal step forward - you know, like it used to be before the Warren Court came along. Ike was a good President, but he sure fucked up with that appointment.
Posted by: Roger at September 05, 2010 04:26 AM (tAwhy)
They vote on the bill having no idea what is actually in it. When questioned they lie. They get by with this because we have no press coverage of the shenanigans unless it is a Republican doing the stuff.
In fact, when a Republican tries to expose some of this graft and corruption it is either played off as "partisan politics" or when caught red-handed "everybody does it".
Posted by: Vic at September 05, 2010 04:26 AM (/jbAw)
I don't think they went far enough. He is not in jail where he belongs.
Posted by: Vic at September 05, 2010 04:27 AM (/jbAw)
Posted by: A Conservative Teacher at September 05, 2010 04:28 AM (nWa0h)
As I said, term limit the bureaucrats and staff as well. And there are very few "good" legislators".
Posted by: Vic at September 05, 2010 04:30 AM (/jbAw)
@16
Put both these stories together, and you have bag limits for legislators.
That reminds me of an old H. Beam Piper short story from the 1950's or '60's ("Lone Star Planet" ?): it was not necessarily murder to commit the willful killing of a politician. The killer merely had to establish that the politician was taking official action that would infringe on individual liberty.
Net result -- the pols pretty much universally supported very limited government.
Posted by: Retired Buckeye Cop at September 05, 2010 04:33 AM (S2+uh)
"I don't think they went far enough. He is not in jail where he belongs. "
I don't. I voted for him, both times. I also voted for Reagan both times.
If the repubs really are stupid enough to go after Obama on everything, no matter how tiny, especially with the MSM acting like Obama's campaign, people will be mad, hell just look at the coverage now.
I was in my doc's office, they had MSNBC on (**shuddering**), and some idiot comes on so unhappy that if the repubs take over, there will more investigatations and will cause the WH to lose focus, really? "lose focus", from what? playing golf??
And this is not saying the repubs should not go hard after Obama, hell there is so much to investigate, I'm just saying I don't want the repubs to go overboard or at the very least not make it personal. Issa seems to be a very calm speaker, so I trust him to go after Obama's illegallity of so much nonsense very hard, but without making it personal. So voters will be happy someone is invesstigating all this, at the same time there will be no sympathy from the public, people will want the truth to be expose and any illegal stuff to be dealt with in a professional manner.
And frankly, Bill Clinton, and I had many issues with him, was a Bubba-type likeable guy. Obama is not, Obama acts like an American-loathing jerk, people sense this, he is an elitist and that is how he comes off.
Posted by: johnc_recent_EX-dem at September 05, 2010 04:36 AM (ACkhT)
In addition to term limits...it should be law that Congress cannot exempt themselves from any law they pass...or where they are automatically exempt, make sure they correct that...
...one thing that just completely gets my blood pressure up is that Congress allows themselves to be exempt from insider trading laws. The SEC, by law, cannot regulate Congress....and Congress refuses to pass laws to make it illegal to trade on inside information.
That stat involves certain individual years...but the same study shows that the averaged overall is they outperform by 12%
Pofessional investors only outperform the average by about 6%..
Whenever one of these cocksuckers stands up and lectures about the evil Wall Streeters..I just want to kick their fucking teeth in
Posted by: beedubya at September 05, 2010 04:37 AM (AnTyA)
How about everybody gets off their ass and work to defeat whatever idiot that they want defeated. I know it is much tougher than "Let's pass a law" but that's what political engagement looks like. Not just on election day but on everyday in between election day. Also in a country the size of the US yes you will always get an Al Franken or Barney Frank but that's democracy.
Posted by: bobbymike at September 05, 2010 04:37 AM (WWQLs)
"And frankly, Bill Clinton, and I had many issues with him, was a Bubba-type likeable guy. Obama is not, Obama acts like an American-loathing jerk, people sense this, he is an elitist and that is how he comes off."
and there is no need to create a sympathetic "poor whittle Obama, the mean ol' repubs are after him" storyline
everything illegal that has been done needs to be investigated, but done in a professional, non-personal manner. From what I have seen of Issa, I trust him, like I said, he seems very calm and to the point, without making anything personal.
Posted by: johnc_recent_EX-dem at September 05, 2010 04:39 AM (ACkhT)
the only solution I could recommend, is that you serve 6 yrs (1 term as senator), or 3 terms for a congressperson
but then, you have to sit out the next 6 years, and then run again for 6 years after that. This way it really isn't term limits as much as it is spreading it out.
Of course then the problem is you might have a pelosi for 6 years, handover to a pelosi-clone for the next 6, and then pelosi comes back in 6 years.
I really cannot figure out a solution, b/c there are people who are good stewarts, good public servants, like Paul Ryan and Jim DeMint, who if their voters like them, I don't think their terms should be limited.
Posted by: johnc_recent_EX-dem at September 05, 2010 04:44 AM (ACkhT)
They could always release the punitive regulatory and tax burdens shackling American industry and we could in theory earn/grow our way out of this, but I put the chances of that happening vanishingly close to zero.
------
We're living out Atlas Shrugged, and I don't remember that part of the story.
Posted by: Ed Anger at September 05, 2010 04:52 AM (7+pP9)
The problem with term limits is they get the good ones, too. Baby, bathwater ... some assembly required.
Meanwhile, only 10 percent of registered voters show up for the primaries.
Primaries = term limits. There's your solution, right there.
Posted by: Michael Smith at September 05, 2010 04:55 AM (niGh7)
Bill Clinton was one of the biggest crooks to every hold office. The impeachment offenses were only a small fraction of the actual things he and Hillary were involved in. He put the hated Richard Nixon to shame for being a crook. Now he looks good because Obama is an even bigger crook.
You should read Ann Coulter's book about Clinton. She has a lot of his shit well documented.
Posted by: Vic at September 05, 2010 04:56 AM (/jbAw)
Posted by: TC at September 05, 2010 05:01 AM (4XzsU)
Posted by: Beto at September 05, 2010 05:15 AM (H+LJc)
Posted by: Lincolntf at September 05, 2010 05:17 AM (hV/FZ)
Why don't we make them defend their bills in a formal hearing, with people chosen randomly, or by having specific knowledge about the subject of the bill. Sort of like a thesis defense, or how town halls were intended to work, but with the people in control and with videotaping encouraged. They would quickly expose the bill's sponsors for the know-nothings they are.
I would use the Parliamentary model of questions for the PM, but that still leaves things in the hands of the political class, and they clearly can't be trusted.
Posted by: sensitive new age guy at September 05, 2010 05:20 AM (0K3p3)
Posted by: pep at September 05, 2010 05:21 AM (0K3p3)
Posted by: toby928 at September 05, 2010 09:21 AM
Does this mean the NAACP is throwing Barry under the bus?
Posted by: TC at September 05, 2010 05:26 AM (4XzsU)
snip~
The Las Vegas Review-JournalÂ’s copyright infringement lawsuit partner on Friday sued U.S. Senate candidate Sharron Angle over R-J material posted on her website, allegedly without authorization.
The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas by Righthaven LLC, seeks damages of $150,000 against Angle personally and forfeiture of her website domain name sharronangle.com.
Posted by: Tami at September 05, 2010 05:26 AM (VuLos)
What I would like to see is a counter-suit that would bankrupt these shysters.
Posted by: Vic at September 05, 2010 05:34 AM (/jbAw)
That reminds me of an old H. Beam Piper short story from the 1950's or '60's ("Lone Star Planet" ?): it was not necessarily murder to commit the willful killing of a politician. The killer merely had to establish that the politician was taking official action that would infringe on individual liberty.
Posted by: Retired Buckeye Cop at September 05, 2010 08:33 AM (S2+uh)I don't recall the original source of the quote - probably L. Niel Smith - but it went to the effect that on a particular world, killing a politician wasn't considered malum prohibitorum (a legal offense), and was only considered malum in se (an inherent offense) to the extent that what the politician got was in excess of what he deserved.
Different sort of term limits, mind you.
Posted by: Merovign, Strong on His Mountain at September 05, 2010 05:38 AM (bxiXv)
Posted by: Merovign, Strong on His Mountain at September 05, 2010 05:39 AM (bxiXv)
Also, on Gallup he dumped 3 points in one day yesterday to 43 overall. The thing that is surprising is that all of this is happening despite a rally in the stock market, lowering gas prices, better-than-expected employment numbers and the end to hostilities in Iraq.
Posted by: Bill Mitchell at September 05, 2010 05:44 AM (gmH92)
Posted by: dmurray at September 05, 2010 05:44 AM (GxI0E)
Posted by: naturalfake at September 05, 2010 05:46 AM (I49Jm)
Posted by: Vic at September 05, 2010 09:34 AM (/jbAw)
No shit! I don't understand how these cases aren't thrown out of court. If every news organization in the US did this there would be little or no internet blog/forum content....wait....uh...oh!
Posted by: Tami at September 05, 2010 05:47 AM (VuLos)
California has term limits, pretty much intended to relieve ourselves of Willie Brown. Look at California now.
It's not the people, it's the kind of people, eh?
Posted by: Mama AJ at September 05, 2010 05:49 AM (XdlcF)
Posted by: DngrMse at September 05, 2010 05:53 AM (MggAZ)
Posted by: Lincolntf at September 05, 2010 05:56 AM (hV/FZ)
Posted by: ericinva at September 05, 2010 05:57 AM (GaXpK)
Which way does the wind blow on weekends? Here, let me lick my finger.
Posted by: An independent at September 05, 2010 06:05 AM (554T5)
Posted by: phoenixgirl at September 05, 2010 06:06 AM (eOXTH)
Posted by: JackStraw at September 05, 2010 06:09 AM (VW9/y)
We have term limits now. They get one term and must run again. If we don't bother to get involved, it's our problem. Democracy is not a spectator sport. No law is going to do it for us. In an off year election you get 25% or less participation, there's your problem. I would rather vote every two years to keep a good rep. like Sensenbrenner in than lose him because other people are too damn lazy to be involved and expect a gimmick law to do their civic duty for them.
Democracy, use it or lose it.
Posted by: bigred at September 05, 2010 06:10 AM (cX9pO)
When they vote for deficit-making pork, put them on the hook for paying back the money.
When they vote for military action, put them in uniform on the front lines.
When they appoint someone who flouts the law -- as with Osama Obama picking Eric Shabazz Holder -- they should be liable for prosecution as an aider and abettor of criminal activity. Likewise, the must be restrained by all public laws, no exceptions.
Moreover, make a law that "public servants'" pay and perks may not be higher than 95% of equivalent jobs in the private sector. No Air Force jets for Pelosi-grade mid-level execs.
Install time clocks, and dock pay for any elected official who doesn't put in a full 40, 48-50 weeks a year.
Make pensions equal to those in private sector. Twenty years, and you get half-pay, 30 and you get 100%. No post-office handouts, e.g. free office, etc.
Finally, subject all politicians to semi-annual, objective performance reviews. If someone is lazy, all-talk-no-action and wasteful, they go. Automatically.
Those steps would be a start, and would accomplish far more than term limits can.
Posted by: MrScribbler at September 05, 2010 06:10 AM (Ulu3i)
Posted by: Y-not at September 05, 2010 06:13 AM (osFsP)
Posted by: eman at September 05, 2010 06:15 AM (BzJFj)
best option, shrink all govt at all levels and the influence of corrupt govt officials will shrink.
Posted by: johnc_recent_EX-dem at September 05, 2010 06:17 AM (ACkhT)
Posted by: Y-not at September 05, 2010 06:22 AM (osFsP)
VOTE THE BUMS OUT......... Except for my guy, because he is one of the good ones.
Rinse and repeat. Term limits won't change much in way things are done in DC.
Posted by: Truck Monkey at September 05, 2010 06:23 AM (yQWNf)
Even when you have a strong hand you don't show it to the rest of the players.
Posted by: Dave at September 05, 2010 06:37 AM (PxBjT)
Posted by: Oklahoman at September 05, 2010 06:38 AM (RDODM)
Posted by: Cincinnatus at September 05, 2010 06:41 AM (8AyDn)
Maybe make it 88% if you include those want those turkeys out, but don't think term limits is the way to accomplish it.
The other 12% are connected to the machine or ignorant.
Posted by: bill at September 05, 2010 06:44 AM (xWAQg)
Let the President fire them.
1 Justice per term.
1 Senator per session.
1 Representative per bill.
"We're gonna need more Reps"
That'd really get the every 4 years Democracy is giving the People what they want good and hard a workout.
Posted by: Dave at September 05, 2010 06:48 AM (PxBjT)
Posted by: PJ at September 05, 2010 06:53 AM (Fyjeu)
Install time clocks, and dock pay for any elected official who doesn't put in a full 40, 48-50 weeks a year.
Unlike the private sector, I prefer the congressman who does too little to the one who does too much. Once the Augean Stables are cleared out, being a good congressman would be a part time job.
Posted by: Cincinnatus at September 05, 2010 06:54 AM (8AyDn)
Posted by: TC at September 05, 2010 09:01 AM (4XzsU)
The pay/benefits package should be so average that it would really separate "the men from the boys" and give us the people who agree to "serving" rather than "enriching." As for the dormitory, all those new buildings Bam funded in the deathcare bill could easily fill the bill.
Even better, congress critters could/should live in their districts, amongst the peasants. Technology is able to cover everything they need to do from their home bases. Just think, no travel allowances needed, and if lobbyists were still legal, they'd have to go to all 57 states and not just the one-stop shopping they have in DC.
Posted by: RushBabe at September 05, 2010 06:55 AM (a3Z62)
No shit! I don't understand how these cases aren't thrown out of court. If every news organization in the US did this there would be little or no internet blog/forum content....wait....uh...oh!
Posted by: Tami at September 05, 2010 09:47 AM (VuLos)
It would appear Beck has beat them at their own game if this happens. He's hired his own independent reporters (although I think he still uses a lot of syndicates) for his new blog news site, The Blaze.
Posted by: RushBabe at September 05, 2010 07:01 AM (a3Z62)
Many in the Class of '94 pledged themselves to term limits. So in 2000 the best ones went home.
Guess who they left behind?
Posted by: Michael Smith at September 05, 2010 07:07 AM (niGh7)
Decades of right wing economic policies have undermined unions, the middle class, the social safety net, and the sense that we are all in this together, moving into a better future.
OH MY DEVOULTED GAIA!! The Reichwinger's have undermined our senses!!11ty!! (sob)
*link to Garypedia, not Kos or the other one.
Posted by: Cjarlez Derbin Yojanssenn at September 05, 2010 07:10 AM (EabUn)
Posted by: OregonMuse at September 05, 2010 07:12 AM (fLgzL)
stupid Daily Kooks don't even realise that people are fed up with Unions. There was a time in America when unions were absolutley necessary, but now they have become nothing but thugs.
Perhaps not the union members, but certainly the union leadership.
Posted by: johnc_recent_EX-dem at September 05, 2010 07:15 AM (ACkhT)
Unions I understand... maybe we can get a guest commenter from there to explain this "social safety net" that we are being cut out of. A trap?
Posted by: Cjarlez Derbin Yojanssenn at September 05, 2010 07:29 AM (EabUn)
Posted by: marfdrat at September 05, 2010 07:30 AM (YOj5T)
Either a penalty if you don't or a reward if you do (I need to think about this).
AND
a test required before you can vote.
Granted, neither of the above are practical or super wise but I'm feeling cranky today.
Posted by: EZB at September 05, 2010 07:40 AM (fa9yq)
Posted by: curious at September 05, 2010 07:41 AM (p302b)
Posted by: curious at September 05, 2010 07:44 AM (p302b)
And in that I am referring to primarily the coal companies which ran roughshod over everyone.
The places where the unions really got started in the train system and auto industry really didn't need a union because they were already paid more than most workers earned.
Posted by: Vic at September 05, 2010 07:46 AM (/jbAw)
Either a penalty if you don't or a reward if you do (I need to think about this).
AND
a test required before you can vote.
I think they should limit the vote to those who actually pay taxes and/or own property.
Also, if you work for the government, you don't get to vote in that government's elections. You should not have the opportunity to vote yourself rich out of the public treasury.
Posted by: OregonMuse at September 05, 2010 07:47 AM (fLgzL)
Posted by: curious at September 05, 2010 07:51 AM (p302b)
"What we needed was local government that was honest and could not be "bought" by the local buisnesses. "
Yes. That is true. But unfortunately its not local govt it is the federal govt that uses whichever party officials are in power to gain an advantage over their competitors.
Case in point: In one of the amendents in the Finance "Reform" bill , there was a paragraph put in by some congressperson [on behalf of UPS] that FedEx would have to unionize or face penalty. So, now instead of it being UPS vs FedEx. UPS has used its lobbyist to game the rules to give advantage to itself over its competitor, FedEx.
How the hell is this fair? Frankly, I don't care how sucessful someone becomes, with my small biz I will never become a millionaire let alone a billionair, if they earned that money fairly, good on them, and its theirs, I don't want that forture redistributed to me.
BUT... if that company games the system to give itself a permanant market advantage thru essentially buying politicians, so my biz now no longer has an even playing field, that I have a major problem with.
People in America don't have a problem with sucess, they have a problem with ungarnered unfair success.
With unions, I don't have a problem with unions, what I have a problem with is union bosses and mindless union workers. If my company unionized, I would immediately have to let some people go and have even a stricter hiring freeze.
The point of unions decades ago was for the betterment of employees, now the union's purpose seems to be advancement of the Union bosses and the Union organization.
Posted by: johnc_recent_EX-dem at September 05, 2010 07:58 AM (ACkhT)
Even in the private sector, I think it's good for people to move on, otherwise organizations stagnate. No one is irreplaceable. Good politicians should pass the torch and contribute in other sectors, or at least move from one branch of government to another.
As someone said above, if term limits are good enough for the POTUS, they're good enough for Congress.
Posted by: Y-not at September 05, 2010 08:01 AM (osFsP)
Posted by: Cjarlez Derbin Yojanssenn, wher ders union, ders social safety net at September 05, 2010 08:02 AM (EabUn)
hahhahahhaha
Ploofie was just on Fox...it's a sad state of affairs when he is arguing against republicans and quoting lindsey graham...isn't graham supposed to be a republican?
Posted by: curious at September 05, 2010 08:07 AM (p302b)
Posted by: LC LaWedgie at September 05, 2010 08:09 AM (EabUn)
just read somewhere that Lindsay Grahman is now reaching out to the SC Tea Party. I thought Grahman said in an interview not to long along the Tea Party movement was useless and "would die out"
hmmmmm, wonder why the change of heart?
Posted by: johnc_recent_EX-dem at September 05, 2010 08:15 AM (ACkhT)
Posted by: LC LaWedgie at September 05, 2010 08:16 AM (EabUn)
Well, I hope to god they laugh spit in his face.
Posted by: Y-not at September 05, 2010 08:21 AM (osFsP)
Term limits create lame duck Congresscritters who will have no reason to worry about the wrath of the voters...
I believe that congressmen would be much less likely to vote the party line if they were term limited out. The party leadership wouldn't be able to twist their arm as much, threaten to withhold DNC reelection funds, and promise future committee appointments. If you get rid of that elite ruling class mentality that we have now in Washington maybe congressmen will start to think more about the good of their country than their own personal gain in power politics.
Posted by: pitythefool at September 05, 2010 08:24 AM (i3SYV)
I hope they grab his arm, twist it behind his back, throw him to the ground and put a knee in his junk.
(Too harsh for a Sunday?)
Posted by: Tami at September 05, 2010 08:31 AM (VuLos)
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Posted by: Schreiber at September 05, 2010 08:36 AM (VkVeU)
Posted by: Hedgehog at September 05, 2010 08:39 AM (oQIfB)
Right now you have fuckers in their 80s stealing from two younger generations and they could give a rats ass since they'll be dead and gone before the "unintended consequences" wreak havoc on society.
Nope, I want these assholes around when the SHTF, so we can make THEIR LIVES MISERABLE for their selfish moments while supposedly representing the will of the people.
Posted by: TexBob at September 05, 2010 08:47 AM (7cXE7)
DO NOT SEND ANY MONEY TO THE *SPIT* JERRY LEWIS TELETHON! HE'S A NAZI LOVING REICH WINGER WHO SENDS ALL YOUR DONATIONS TO THE *SPIT* TEA PARTIES AND THE ILLUMINATI!
HE'S JUST ONE MORE GOEBBLES ATTEMPTING WORLD DOMINATION FOR THE ROTHSCHILDS AND THE ZIONISTS!
Posted by: KayInMaine at September 05, 2010 09:28 AM (n87iX)
Late entry, but I'm against term limits too. We have 'em here in California, and they don't work for shit.
Never mind that term limits mean loss of expertise (I know, most politicos don't know their ass from a hole in the ground, but a few do).
The problem is that when politicians (*cough*Reds*cough*) know that they're going to be gone, and when, they're lame ducks in their last term from the get-go. So they spend that term feathering their own nest with bullshit legislation that favors the industry/ union/ pressure group/ region from which they're hoping to get a post-legislative job. There are precisely zero checks on what they do in that session, because they're gone at the end and they know it.
Much better to have them spend the term worrying about re-election, keeping them at least theoretically accountable, and then POW! finding out on Election Night that they're history.
Vote assholes out, don't term limit them out.
Posted by: Jay Guevara at September 05, 2010 09:34 AM (rWwv2)
I think this would easily top 78%.
Posted by: fapo at September 05, 2010 09:37 AM (TcaE8)
13 Let's be sporting. If/When they file for re-election roll a 6 sided die. If a 2-6 comes, no problem. If they roll a one, execute 'em on the spot.
Good idea, although maybe it should be the other way 'round.
Alternatively, I'm thinking steel cage matches on PPV. Revenue, baby! Two men enter, one man leaves!
Posted by: Jay Guevara at September 05, 2010 09:39 AM (rWwv2)
Posted by: rockhead at September 05, 2010 09:45 AM (RykTt)
And do you really think, that citizens are in control of government....MUHAHAHA!
Get a clue bitchez!
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Posted by: Rum, Goddess of Doom at September 04, 2010 08:54 PM (gofDd)