[SixForSure]

Is anybody else fed up with Congressional inaction/deadlock? I think most of the problems in Congress come from homesteading. We need to start over. Lock the entire Congress in a room, tell them that they may have anything they want for their next meal, but they all must have the same thing. After they all starve to death because they cant agree on anything we can start over.

Seriously, I think we could resolve a lot of our problems if for the next few elections we do not vote for an incumbant. Vote Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, Independant, Martian, whatever. Vote for whomever you feel is the most qualifed non-incumbant candidate.

Alot of people say we need term limits. We already have term limits- 2 years for the House and 6 for the Senate. The voters just have to be smart enough to enforce them.

[Sindawe]

Not a bad idea, though there are a few folks in Congress who recall the point of the exercise. Ron Pau of TX is one, and Tom Tancredo of CO is another.

[gc70]

Is anybody else fed up with Congressional inaction/deadlock?Noooo! :eek:

I wish we could pay the members of Congress to stay away from Washington. Since Congress seems to be unusually successful at getting more things wrong than right, I think that Congressional gridlock is my friend. :D

[pcf]

The easiest way to fix problems with Congress would be to double the salaries and cut the legislative session to six weeks (for the entire year), I wouldn't mind paying for that.

Repeal the 17th admendment. It hold senators accountable to their respective state assemblies and usually prevents a quorum from being present in the Senate.

Put a ten year limit on all legislation (exception to constitutional admendments), Congress would spend most of it's time reauthorizing "core" legislation.

[geoff40]

I am more than ready.
What we have in DC are a bunch of crooked fat cat bums who ought to be thrown out of office, including the people we have been electing to the White House over the last 25 years.
They long ago stopped representing we the people.
Vote themselves the best healthcare plan there is, with lifetime free 100% coverage, no deductibles or annual cost. It's paid for by we taxpayers, and even if a newly elected Congressperson, or Senator is thrown out of office a month later, they get it for their lifetimes.
But they tell you and me to tough it out, and that we can't afford universal health care for those working full time who can't afford it. They allow big business to shift the costs of health care in ever increasing amounts on the Americans who can afford it the least. At election time they buddy up to us and tell us how they understand.
They vote themselves a pension plan for after they leave office, in which they get a full salary every year, for life, period. This too, even if they leave office in handcuffs. Then they pass an annual salary increase for themselves to top that one off. They just did a month or so ago.
But when it comes to you and I, they allow our pension plan administrators to cut payouts, to make bad financial investments (free markets they call it) with our dollars, and they do nothing about the corporate greed that has dried up so many American's retirement accounts, who worked harder than they[I] ever have, to get it. Then they talk of the need to increase the retirement age because we can't afford it. But rest assured that at election time they'll buddy up to you and tell you they understand how hard it is to plan to retire.
Half of these people would dangle from the end of a rope if the founding fathers were here to deal with them, but in today's world, we just change the news channel to "Survivor" or "American Idol" because thats what really matters, thats "reality". In a beautiful example of wordcraft, it is what someone called [I]the dumbing down of America.

Anyway, before I start foaming at the mouth, I am with you. Calm and relaxed is what my doctor wants.

Where do I sign up?

[VorpalSpork]

Geoff, you first make the point that (1) congress is corrupt. Then you go on to state your expectation that (2) congress should become involved in paying for our health care. Then you go back to complaining about how (3) Congress wants to raise the retirement age for social security.

Doesn't point number two seem out of place to you? It seem to me that since government is corrupt, you should want it involved in as few areas as possible.

Vote for whomever you feel is the most qualified non-incumbent candidate.
Why do you feel that non-incumbency is a virtue? What about people who were non-incumbents last election, and are incumbents this year. When did they go bad? Why did they go bad? Did they go bad? The system didn't corrupt them, they were corrupt before. Incumbency isn't the issue.
Vote for whomever you feel is the most qualified non-incumbent candidate.
There i fixed it for you

[Malone LaVeigh]

The press here couldn't stop wetting themselves with excitement because Trent Lott, one of the most worthless wankers to ever use good air, announced he would seek reelection. All they want is someone to bring home the bacon, and they figure he can do it best. They're probably right.

[geoff40]

Geoff, you first make the point that (1) congress is corrupt. Then you go on to state your expectation that (2) congress should become involved in paying for our health care. Then you go back to complaining about how (3) Congress wants to raise the retirement age for social security.

Doesn't point number two seem out of place to you? It seem to me that since government is corrupt, you should want it involved in as few areas as possible.


No, it isn't that our government being involved in health care is a corrupt idea, it is the double standard they exemplify. Every other advanced country there is has their government involved in the health care system, but we do not. Everyone is too busy pointing out the things that are wrong with these systems in other places, but notice they never point out what is right about them, what works well for them. Yeah, I am guilty of thinking we ought to provide basic health services to anyone born on our soil, so if that makes me evil so be it. Let me ask you something, what would you like your government to be doing most with your tax dollars, giving them away to some 3rd world commies? Or are you one of those "give them back to me" people who thinks along the "everyone for themselves" line? Even our founding fathers knew the fallacy of that kind of thinking, didn't they?
Your tax dollars already pay the health costs of immigrants into this country who don't have insurance. So why not your own children's too, should they need help? What if you are a Ford line worker, you lose your job, and then your kid comes down with cancer? Too bad, you lose everything?
The worst thing about our health care system in this country, is that we allow our politicians to play these kinds of games with it. Of course it sucks.
Though I doubt you'll see the truth in this, here goes anyway: if you have health insurance now, your health care is socialized.

[beerslurpy]

Wrong, our government is involved in health care, to an enormous extent. The problem is that everyone is gaming the system, including the government.

We have
-FDA, that dramatically raises the cost of procedures, devices, software and medicine
-pharmaceuticals, who see that medicare has bottomless pockets and charge accordingly. No sense in selling a hyundai to someone who wants to pay for a ferrari
-medicare, medicaid, disability- yeah, no government involvement here, just several hundred billion dollars worth
-insurance regulations, tax credits, medical regulations, malpractice regulations, etc, etc

Oh noes, looks like the govt is involved after all! And it is everything we dreamed of! Nightmares are dreams too, after all.

[KriegHund]

Currently the pay rate for senators is $165,200 per annum (http://www.congresslink.org/print_basics_pay.htm)

And $143,100 for congress members.

I belive we should cut pay rates to $40,000 or $50,000 (well above poverty rates) and allow 2 weeks paid vacation. Dont allow 'gifts' over the price range of 1,000$, cash or otherwise.

I believe that would root out the career politicans. Finally, it must be recquired, except for exceptional cirumstances (death of a fmaily member, etc) that all senators and congressmen must hold a full session on a law. No more of this 1/4 full house voting crap.

[hvengel]

No, it isn't that our government being involved in health care is a corrupt idea, it is the double standard they exemplify. Every other advanced country there is has their government involved in the health care system, but we do not. Everyone is too busy pointing out the things that are wrong with these systems in other places, but notice they never point out what is right about them, what works well for them. Yeah, I am guilty of thinking we ought to provide basic health services to anyone born on our soil, so if that makes me evil so be it. Let me ask you something, what would you like your government to be doing most with your tax dollars, giving them away to some 3rd world commies? Or are you one of those "give them back to me" people who thinks along the "everyone for themselves" line? Even our founding fathers knew the fallacy of that kind of thinking, didn't they?
Your tax dollars already pay the health costs of immigrants into this country who don't have insurance. So why not your own children's too, should they need help? What if you are a Ford line worker, you lose your job, and then your kid comes down with cancer? Too bad, you lose everything?
The worst thing about our health care system in this country, is that we allow our politicians to play these kinds of games with it. Of course it sucks.
Though I doubt you'll see the truth in this, here goes anyway: if you have health insurance now, your health care is socialized.


I think you are totally wrong about the founders. They viewed taxes as evil even if they are nessesary. When the 16th amendment was passed (you know the one that made the imcome tax possible) someone in congress wanted to put an upper limit of 10% in as part of the amendment. This what shot down with the argument that if the income tax ever exceeded 10% there would be a revolution. How much do you pay? I would guess that it is considerably more than 10%.

In other words only 100 years ago any tax over 10% was widely considered to be oppressive and unthinkable. The period in American history when we were arguably the most free was in the period right after the Civil war (1865 - 1900) this was also the period when America had the greatest growth in it's standard of living ever. Much greater than it currently is or has been since after WWI. That was a time when taxes (as a percent of GDP) were only a fraction of what they are now (less than 5% of GDP). In fact until the 16th amendment was passed taxes as a percent of GDP were basicly flat and started to riase dramatically after that time.

There is an inverse correlation between libery and taxation. Higher taxes result in less libery. We see this all around us now as our taxes are orders of magnatude higher than they were only 100 years ago but we have significantly less liberty. There is also an inverse correlation between levels of taxation and standard of living. Low taxes result in some folks getting very rich, which some leftests consider bad, but it also raises the standard of living of even the poorest amoung us.

I personally agree with the founders that taxes are a nessary evil and that total taxes (fed, state and local) anything higher than a single digit percentage of GDP are repressive and counter productive. Currently in the US taxes consume over 30% of GDP and are far too high to promote libery and higher standards of living. If anything our current taxes are undermining our libery and standard of living.

[Standing Wolf]

Term limits.

[xd9fan]

Noooo! :eek:

I wish we could pay the members of Congress to stay away from Washington. Since Congress seems to be unusually successful at getting more things wrong than right, I think that Congressional gridlock is my friend. :D

So true. I wish bills would be voted on individually on thier own. No attachments allowed. sink or swim.


Big time for term limits

[Kodiaz]

Heck I'd like to see all kinds of congressional activity.


BATFE

Bureau of Arson Terror and Federal Excess Shut down in next budget.

Foreign aid no more in next budget

Earmarks none

1934, 1986 gun laws repealed.

Education dept. goodbye

and a whole lot more.

Man our govt need a good shrinking

[Waitone]

The press here couldn't stop wetting themselves with excitement because Trent Lott, one of the most worthless wankers to ever use good air, announced he would seek reelection. All they want is someone to bring home the bacon, and they figure he can do it best. They're probably right. Trent Lott is a dispicable biped. The guy as majority leader was in well over his head. All the fun of public office went away when spinelessrepublicans dumped his person.

Shift to here and now. Lott was going to retire from the senate. That made a Mississippi democrat the favorite to take his seat. Bush does not want a democrat in the seat so he prevailed upon Lott to return and not retire. I read an article which said Bush called Lott 4 times to talk him into standing for re-election.

And here is the corker. Frist is term limiting himself out of the senate. Lott wants to be majority leader again (we'll ignore his blistering failure and inept management). So whaddya wanna bet part of the conversation with Bush was to drum up support for Lott to retake the leader position? Lott got something for his return. He has been planning to get back into leadership for some time now.

<Historical note--I am pretty much by myself in using the term "spinelessrepublican". It was a term I developed to specifically and directly identify Trent Lott. After using it for a while it just seemed so appropriate that I extended the definition across the board.>

[RealGun]

Seriously, I think we could resolve a lot of our problems if for the next few elections we do not vote for an incumbant. Vote Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, Independant, Martian, whatever. Vote for whomever you feel is the most qualifed non-incumbant candidate.

I am not going to give Democrats a chance. If I am happy with my Republican incumbent, I am certainly going to vote for that person.

[dmftoy1]

I think limiting them to a single term would probably do the most. That way we'd get rid of people who have made a career out of screwing things up. Imagine if a Kennedy and any number of senators from California had only been in office for six years?

[dcloudy777@aol.com]

Here's a thought... with all of the available technology we have for communication, teleconferencing, and the like, why does the daily business of Congress need to be done at the Capitol? Let everyone get together in DC for the beginning of each session, maybe for really important votes, but for most of the year require members of Congress to remain in their districts. Votes are already recorded electronically anyway, they could be just as easily recorded remotely. We need to eliminate the "Culture of Congress" that has turned DC into a quagmire of back-room dealing and shady tactics. This would also make members more accountable to their constituents, and make lobbying a much more expensive propostion, not all of the "influencees" are so conveniently located.

DanO

[longeyes]

Alot of people say we need term limits. We already have term limits- 2 years for the House and 6 for the Senate. The voters just have to be smart enough to enforce them.

This Republic was never intended to have a professional poltiician class. It is clear, to me anyway, we need term limits and the promotion of the concept of the citizen representative.

[Herself]

Tree. Rope. Some assembly required.

[Kodiaz]

The only problem with the rope is its previous misuse. That would be the first I would have said if it wasn't for the misuse of trees and ropes a while back.

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

I think I was the only person who was happy when the Federal government shut down for a week back in the 90s.

Let's do that again. :D

[Malone LaVeigh]

I think I was the only person who was happy when the Federal government shut down for a week back in the 90s.

Let's do that again. :D
Oh, no, you weren't the only one. I was working for the govt at the time and the paid two-week vacation was great.

[bogie]

Congressional inaction ain't what I'm worried about - it's when they act that bothers me. They don't HAVE to pass new laws, you know... But they do anyway...

[afasano]

Cut congress pay to 50,000 with a 2 week vacation. Expense account and government car that they must keep clean.

[tube_ee]

Make serving in the Legislature somewhat like being on a jury. It's random, and you have to do it. Now, putting people in the poorhouse just to run the country is bad, so let's say that the government will pay you whatever your last year's W-2 showed as your salary, and will put you (and maybe your family) up in an apartment in the capital while you serve. For every CEO who got picked there'd be a bunch of folks working the graveyard shift at 7-11. I bet that, on average, you'd save money on salaries.

There's a reason we don't have professional jurors, and we don't elect them. We are judged by our peers. Maybe we should try being ruled by them.

Campaign finance (aka legalized bribery) would go away if nobody was campaigning.

This also fixes what I see as the fundamental flaw with elective republican democracy. Our form of choosing leaders awards power to power-seekers. I'd rather have leaders who were PO'd that they had to govern. Think about how you feel when you get a jury duty summons. That's exactly how I'd like anyone headed to the legislature to feel about it. People who want power shouldn't be trusted with it.

--Shannon

[LAK]

Congress needs to be a less lucrative job and business for politicians, and more of an avenue of government for statesmen. Corruption is the problem, and for the most part the current House is sold.

We do not need a Congess made up of members which can "agree with each other". We need a Congress with a conservative majority, with the Consitutional interests of this country placed first, and that will act.

But the criminals who have sold out to corporate-government and global socialism need to be weeded out, tried and punished first. Nothing will change otherwise.
----------------------------------------------------

http://ussliberty.org
http://ssunitedtstates.org

[BigG]

Tree. Rope. Some assembly required. I can get behind that! :D