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MSgt Dale Johnson
11
11
0
Agreed, there is always room for improvement, in today's circumstance maybe more than usual.
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A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney
A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney
2 mo
Exactly, And That's Where Disagreements Come In Handy,
Without Them, Nothing Would Improve. Because We'd All Be Agreeable
With Having Everything "As-Is".. Disagreements Are Just An Additional Way We Learn.
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SFC Ralph E Kelley
9
9
0
Edited 2 mo ago
Thank you for posting this topic for our attention. Here are my thoughts on an additional area for member consideration:
We seem to not have a King but instead we've turned our legislature into a Royal Council. When the country was formed, our congress was expected to be made up of those that were successful in life. They were elected to office in the expectation that when they were selected then elected they would serve the people.
When the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, the average life expectancy of 35 was the American norm. Now, CDC tracking of cause of death, that number is closer to 77. Those that were older were thought to be 'older and wiser', but soon to be removed from the scene by demise. At the most 8 to 12 years was all they could serve prior to ill-health or death. Any damage caused power by held in their hands was expected to be short-lived or at the worst - minor.
Today we have President Biden who has been in the federal government for 52 years. For congress it is a scarily 46 year for those that are incumbents, with new candidates usually failing against them. It has literally become a case of someone must die to open a space.
I’m not saying that all the congressional members need to be replaced by neophytes just that there should be a large enough field of talent to replace the sitting congress that to be considered as candidates. A new but different shuffle of people for our consideration upon each election cycle we vote upon. A deck of eligible and qualified citizens would seem to be the desired nadir, if you will consider this solution.
Term Limits - like imposed on the Presidency – mayhap be the answer to a stagnant government staffed with those that are past their most effective years – a legislated date of expiration, if you will.

https://www.everycrsreport.com/files/20101102_RL32648_98cc1e44948f5e92b5146bc1ed00224f2597dbdf.pdf
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SFC Eric Harmon
SFC Eric Harmon
2 mo
PO3 Edward Riddle - Just trying to keep the world straight. How are you making it?
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PO3 Edward Riddle
PO3 Edward Riddle
2 mo
SFC Eric Harmon - Struggling physically having been hospitalized for 2 weeks with Atypical Pneumonia. Getting better though every day. Other Than that, just peachy. And you?
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SFC Eric Harmon
SFC Eric Harmon
2 mo
PO3 Edward Riddle - Dang, sorry to hear that. Stay strong, sending some prayer your way. Doing well here, just trying to solve the world's problems daily.
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PO3 Edward Riddle
PO3 Edward Riddle
2 mo
SFC Eric Harmon - Amen Brother Eric. Good Luck with that.
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SFC Eric Harmon
4
4
0
Excellent points. I subscribe to our first Commander in Chief's view:
" However [political parties] may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion. " (Washington, 1796).
Dissolving the parties would be the one thing to bring us back in line with the constitutional republic the Founders foresaw. Short of that we will continue to lurch towards some sort of autocracy.
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SFC Casey O'Mally
SFC Casey O'Mally
2 mo
I agree with Washington. However, we are a tribalized species. Even while he was uttering those words, political parties had already formed and were coalescing.

Because of this, I argue for the solution not of eliminating political parties, but rather, greatly expanding them. A viable Libertarian Party, Green Party, MAGA Party (which splinters from the GOP), Anti-Vaxx Party, Socialist Party, Sharia Party, AIPAC Party, etc. would prevent any single party (or pair of parties) from dominating politics and ramming their ideology down our throats.

Coalitions would need to be formed to get anything done and those coalitions would likely shift from topic to topic. Socialists and Greens may agree on a strong central government, but completely disagree on spending priorities, for example.
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SFC Eric Harmon
SFC Eric Harmon
2 mo
You are absolutely correct about parties forming even as Gen. Washington was condemning them. Expanding the number may be a viable option, but breaking the stranglehold the two major parties have would be difficult at best. Humans do tend to tribalize and not think rationally, overcoming that behavior requires an educated polity, something we really have not had for decades. If we could just get some traction with a third party candidate it could lead to success. That is the problem with power, as Lord Acton pointed out "power corrupts". That is clearly evident from our ruling class.
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