Congress needs to be purged

[Synthaholic]

we need fewer politicians and lawyers in congress and more doctors, teachers, engineers, and scientists taking public office. Why is it that when you look at congress as a group only one walk of life is represented? We need more average citizens in legislation. Throw those self serving politicians out.

well, i don't blame you for wishing this, but two problems.

First, i'd guess that attorneys are far more likely to have the requisite ego to want to hold public office in the first place. The, uh, profession of professional politician requires a narcissism most people will never know.

second, our system, one which requires politicians to constantly fund-raise and to constantly make decisions based on how key/top donors will react, probably ends up corrupting pretty much anyone tho some extent.

i don't know how we get there from here. We obviously don't have the will to change the system, so we're stuck with just bending over and taking it.

.

+1

 

[eagle7_31]

We need fewer politicians and lawyers in congress and more doctors, teachers, engineers, and scientists taking public office. Why is it that when you look at Congress as a group only one walk of life is represented? We need more average citizens in legislation. Throw those self serving politicians out.

Your heart is in the right place, but until the K street lobbyists and their PAC's are less influential not much is going to happen. Some call for campaign finance reform, but that is just the tip. Lobbying reform should be the first priority.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

We also need fewer career politicians in Congress. We also need term limits in Congress.

We have term limits. They're called elections. 40 year members of Congress is a failure of the electorate.

 

[OKTexas]

We also need fewer career politicians in Congress. We also need term limits in Congress.

Indeed, but it's Congress that has to vote and pass legislation and they are not going to do it.

The latest poll on Congressional approval was just 8%. Who TF are these people? Easy answer, the 5% at the top of the economic ladder WHO PAY THEM for their bidding.

They fly into Dulles and Reagan airports in their corporate jets, take their private limo to the Hill with valises full of cash and give it to their congressman. Or else they donate to their congressman's non-profit (Newt Gingrich has about 8 of them). It's that simple.

Honor among thieves keeps them quiet, and if there is an honest congressman who doesn't take cash for services rendered, he or she quietly just doesn't run for office anymore. Like that happens very often.

Congress is getting paid for the gridlock we are seeing. They are getting paid to do nothing while the big banks, insurance companies and oil companies carry on and drive their profits up and your average worker into the dust.

Can't do term limits with legislation, it would require a constitutional amendment just as it did to limit the president. The States can do it without congress but I don't see that happening either because most State politicians aspire to be elected to federal office and they won't want to limit their own potential for riches.

 

[OKTexas]

We need public financing of elections. Politicians aren't listening to the average person because we aren't paying the freight. They listen to those who make the big contributions. How can we expect anything but the government we have, when office seekers have to go hat-in-hand to special interests?

We can limit financing to the area they represent, that's all it would take.

 

[OKTexas]

How many of us who want term limits actually try to something about it? Like voting in a primary when a sitting politician is challenged? The people term limited Eric Cantor, didn't they?

Vermont has two Senators and one Congressman. I call them the Three Stooges and try to term limit them each time they run.

We keep seeing these polls where America thinks little of Congress. The sad part is, they think poorly of your representative, theirs are just fine and dandy. So those polls are meaningless.

I never vote for an incumbent even if I like them.

 

[Katzndogz]

Congress needs to be purged of every last democrat.

 

[OKTexas]

Can I ask what exactly is it that folks want from their politicians they are not getting now?

As much as I hate taxes the US taxes are fairly low in comparison to other developed countries, at least that is my impression.

Most countries would love to have our gasoline prices and our freedom to move and travel almost everywhere.

Is it unemployment, those on disability and those dropping out of the work force that is the biggest problem? If so then how does attacking corporations going to help? What exactly is it that the government is to do? What have the more successful states done to attract business and thus jobs? They have made it more conducive to business to do business in their state, not harder or more expensive.

I realize this will go unanswered but name the number ONE thing you think is a problem in the country and whether or not the influence that "big" business has on our government is making that problem worse, thanks.

You can start by not sucking up 25% of the economy off the top, the feds should never consume more than 15%.

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

We also need fewer career politicians in Congress. We also need term limits in Congress.

We already have term limits, they're called elections.

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

We need public financing of elections. Politicians aren't listening to the average person because we aren't paying the freight. They listen to those who make the big contributions. How can we expect anything but the government we have, when office seekers have to go hat-in-hand to special interests?

You bet.

And add a Balanced Budget Amendment and term limits, and we will have taken away the power from those who abuse it the most.

Ah, to dream.

.

A balanced budget amendment is partisan nonsense; that citizens are too ignorant and lazy to get involved in government isn't justification for for such an inane 'amendment.'

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

We need fewer politicians and lawyers in congress and more doctors, teachers, engineers, and scientists taking public office. Why is it that when you look at Congress as a group only one walk of life is represented? We need more average citizens in legislation. Throw those self serving politicians out.

Your heart is in the right place, but until the K street lobbyists and their PAC's are less influential not much is going to happen. Some call for campaign finance reform, but that is just the tip. Lobbying reform should be the first priority.

And that 'reform' would begin by repealing the First Amendment.

 

[Mac1958]

We need fewer politicians and lawyers in congress and more doctors, teachers, engineers, and scientists taking public office. Why is it that when you look at Congress as a group only one walk of life is represented? We need more average citizens in legislation. Throw those self serving politicians out.

Your heart is in the right place, but until the K street lobbyists and their PAC's are less influential not much is going to happen. Some call for campaign finance reform, but that is just the tip. Lobbying reform should be the first priority.

And that 'reform' would begin by repealing the First Amendment.

Wow, wow, wow.

Well, there it is.

Take a good look, everyone.

No need for me to add anything.

.

 

[Redfish]

We need fewer politicians and lawyers in congress and more doctors, teachers, engineers, and scientists taking public office. Why is it that when you look at Congress as a group only one walk of life is represented? We need more average citizens in legislation. Throw those self serving politicians out.

Before that can happen, we will need campaign finance reform so more can afford to run.

Yes, and we also need term limits. two 6 year terms for the senate and 4 two year terms in the house. Then you go home and resume your life as a normal person.

being in congress was not intended to be a career.

 

[Redfish]

We need fewer politicians and lawyers in congress and more doctors, teachers, engineers, and scientists taking public office. Why is it that when you look at Congress as a group only one walk of life is represented? We need more average citizens in legislation. Throw those self serving politicians out.

Your heart is in the right place, but until the K street lobbyists and their PAC's are less influential not much is going to happen. Some call for campaign finance reform, but that is just the tip. Lobbying reform should be the first priority.

And that 'reform' would begin by repealing the First Amendment.

Finally, the true motives of the left are admitted. Repeal free speech, amazing

 

[Wildman]

I realize this will go unanswered but name the number ONE thing you think is a problem in the country...

FREEDOM !!

i had more freedom the first 30 years of my life than these past 40+

do i need to explain to the libertard simpletons on this forum ?

 

[Redfish]

I realize this will go unanswered but name the number ONE thing you think is a problem in the country...

FREEDOM !!

i had more freedom the first 30 years of my life than these past 40+

do i need to explain to the libertard simpletons on this forum ?

sadly, even if you explained it, they would not understand.

 

[Mac1958]

Your heart is in the right place, but until the K street lobbyists and their PAC's are less influential not much is going to happen. Some call for campaign finance reform, but that is just the tip. Lobbying reform should be the first priority.

And that 'reform' would begin by repealing the First Amendment.

Finally, the true motives of the left are admitted. Repeal free speech, amazing

Yup. They're getting more bold and a bit more honest, give them that.

Let's see how any lefties jump in to disagree, huh?

.

 

[candycorn]

We have term limits. They are called elections.

Limiting the amount spent in elections will only serve to further favor those with high name recognition; usually the incumbent.

The only force that will change the course of the nation in any measurable way is an engaged electorate who pays attention when politics is not dominating the news.

Quick; do you know what bills are on the floor of the House or Senate...what is being debated? Neither do I? It's piped into your house through C-SPAN but nobody watches it.

While it is true that the workings of Congress have become so convoluted and complex that only the acutely aware could tell you what is going on....as you may recall, when the ACA was being considered the big votes were not the up or down on the bill itself...they were the procedural nonsense. What is more important is that few are willing to take the time to even bother to find out.

It's easy and alarmingly American to hope and pray for some sort of easy fix. It's also sad that so many think there are easy fixes. It will take a sea change in American life to get a more responsive government that better represents the people's wishes. It will be uncomfortable and tedious. So it won't happen.

 

[candycorn]

Your heart is in the right place, but until the K street lobbyists and their PAC's are less influential not much is going to happen. Some call for campaign finance reform, but that is just the tip. Lobbying reform should be the first priority.

And that 'reform' would begin by repealing the First Amendment.

Finally, the true motives of the left are admitted. Repeal free speech, amazing

No fuckstick; you simply can't read.

Lobbying is free speech. If you want to reform lobbying by restricting it; you're restricting free speech shit-brains.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

And that 'reform' would begin by repealing the First Amendment.

Finally, the true motives of the left are admitted. Repeal free speech, amazing

Yup. They're getting more bold and a bit more honest, give them that.

Let's see how any lefties jump in to disagree, huh?

.

That's not what he said. He meant that lobbying reform would in effect be a repeal of the First Amendment. Lobbying is protected free speech.