Posted on Feb 22, 2016
What are some alternatives to the status quo system with the US Congress, and how do we get them into legislation?
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1. One of the best ways is to have lawmakers spend more time in their home districts and learning what issue are being faced by their constituents SSG (Join to see)
An old friend of mine is a long-standing Congressman for southern Illinois. Since he was elected last century he spends as much time as he can in his home district. He also spends time with other representatives from Illinois as well as the surrounding states
2. US House Representatives not only represent their district but they are especially attuned to regional issues as well including but not limited to the federal HHS and DHS districts their district is a part of, military stationing issues which impact the nation, and in many cases international relations which impact their region.
3. Perhaps if Washington domicile facilities for Congress were downgraded significantly to resemble the accommodations of those who live northeast of teh Capital it might encourage more to spend less time in Washington and more time at home in their districts.
4. With secure internet the legislators could discuss issues and I expect there could be a way to vote remotely with secure verification that the Congressman or Senator is actually the one casting the vote. This might move us closer to the founders intent.
What are your thoughts COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. Capt Christopher Mueller SMSgt Minister Gerald A. Thomas SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" SGT Robert Hawks SGM David W. Carr LOM, DMSM MP SGT SGT Forrest Stewart SGT Randal Groover SrA Christopher Wright SN Greg Wright
An old friend of mine is a long-standing Congressman for southern Illinois. Since he was elected last century he spends as much time as he can in his home district. He also spends time with other representatives from Illinois as well as the surrounding states
2. US House Representatives not only represent their district but they are especially attuned to regional issues as well including but not limited to the federal HHS and DHS districts their district is a part of, military stationing issues which impact the nation, and in many cases international relations which impact their region.
3. Perhaps if Washington domicile facilities for Congress were downgraded significantly to resemble the accommodations of those who live northeast of teh Capital it might encourage more to spend less time in Washington and more time at home in their districts.
4. With secure internet the legislators could discuss issues and I expect there could be a way to vote remotely with secure verification that the Congressman or Senator is actually the one casting the vote. This might move us closer to the founders intent.
What are your thoughts COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. Capt Christopher Mueller SMSgt Minister Gerald A. Thomas SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" SGT Robert Hawks SGM David W. Carr LOM, DMSM MP SGT SGT Forrest Stewart SGT Randal Groover SrA Christopher Wright SN Greg Wright
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PO2 Mark Saffell
I see them vote against what polls say America wants because it doesn't fit there party line
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SGT Robert Hawks
The best way would be for the next President to introduce an amendment to the Constitution for term limits for congress. Do it on national television so people will apply pressure to get it passed.
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Remember that Congress does NOT represent America. They represent their Districts and States.
A California Senator or Representative has NO obligation to represent the interests of someone from TX. In many cases those interests will directly oppose each other.
Instead of looking at the States as part of the Nation, instead look at them like Ambassadors from "foreign nations" who are aligning influence to accomplish their own specific goals. The more states we have, the harder it becomes to get everyone's interests to align for a specific goal.
It's not a failing of Congress, but a product of design, and the diversity of our Nation that Congress is dysfunctional.
A California Senator or Representative has NO obligation to represent the interests of someone from TX. In many cases those interests will directly oppose each other.
Instead of looking at the States as part of the Nation, instead look at them like Ambassadors from "foreign nations" who are aligning influence to accomplish their own specific goals. The more states we have, the harder it becomes to get everyone's interests to align for a specific goal.
It's not a failing of Congress, but a product of design, and the diversity of our Nation that Congress is dysfunctional.
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PO2 Mark Saffell
Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS What you say has a lot of truth to it, however its missing the part about how polarized American Politics has become. Most in Congress will vote against whatever the other party suggests even when they agree with it, simply because suggested by a conservative, a Liberal will almost always vote against it and vice versa.
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Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS
PO2 Mark Saffell - I believe the polarization is, in part, a side-effect, and also partially a product of how our system works. Because our system doesn't "protect" multiple (more than 2) parties, the natural state will end up being either a single party or two parties in balance. Eventually, the balance is going to just break, and we'll swap to single party (and then that will divide etc).
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Limit Congressional sessions to two months every two years and have Senators appointed by governors with advice and consent of state legislators. Term limits for all
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PO3 (Join to see)
Good suggestion on the limited sessions. But the "appointed" by governors ... I think is better with elected by the state legislators.
About the term limit. Term limit will not solve the corruption or the self-interest of the politician. It will only free them from the wills of their voters, and freely do what is good for themselves ... in a massive scale during the "term limit". Term limit will actually make the problem worse. If you don't like a President act all out on their second term, you will absolutely exploded, when the congress acted in such way.
No every official should be term limited. don't be blind sided by what GOOD might come out of it, but never even consider what BAD might come out of it.
About the term limit. Term limit will not solve the corruption or the self-interest of the politician. It will only free them from the wills of their voters, and freely do what is good for themselves ... in a massive scale during the "term limit". Term limit will actually make the problem worse. If you don't like a President act all out on their second term, you will absolutely exploded, when the congress acted in such way.
No every official should be term limited. don't be blind sided by what GOOD might come out of it, but never even consider what BAD might come out of it.
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CPT Jack Durish
SFC James Sczymanski - The whole idea is to limit the damage by limiting the amount of time in which they can cause damage. As it is, they have nothing better to do than sit around spending money we don't have
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CPT Jack Durish
PO3 (Join to see) - Once upon a time, U.S. Senators represented the states. Now they are a sort of House of Lords. I would rather eliminate the Senate than have them elected by the people. If they represent the people, should they be apportioned by population? No, they were supposed to represent the states. Once that concept was eliminated, they became superfluous.
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PO3 (Join to see)
CPT Jack Durish - which I agree that the Senate is superfluous because it no longer represent the state.
On the term limit, it will actually bring more harm than good. You will feel good knowing that there will be no "career" politician, but you forget that you also unbounded the hound on their "last term" too and there will be a good portion of them unbounded at the same time ... Term limit will not "limit" the damage, instead will magnified the damage, and cause it to go into a circle of damage. It become a circle. every "term limit" arrive "MASSIVE DAMAGE" happen and then it go back to "normal" damaging mode. instead we keep it in check ALL the time, until the voters are all a sleep.
On the term limit, it will actually bring more harm than good. You will feel good knowing that there will be no "career" politician, but you forget that you also unbounded the hound on their "last term" too and there will be a good portion of them unbounded at the same time ... Term limit will not "limit" the damage, instead will magnified the damage, and cause it to go into a circle of damage. It become a circle. every "term limit" arrive "MASSIVE DAMAGE" happen and then it go back to "normal" damaging mode. instead we keep it in check ALL the time, until the voters are all a sleep.
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