TheBook
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2011
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- Location
- Olympia, WA
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- Political Leaning
- Independent
This is an idea I keep hearing thrown about, and was wondering DP's opinion on it.
Would setting term limits for congresspeople (4 for Representatives, 2 for Senators) as well as changing their wage to one in line with the average income of an American citizen help force congress to be more focused on serving the people rather than simply serving themselves? Or would it simply make them more likely to seek out more cash from lobbyists and make it easier to insert shills for a specific group in a race?
i'm for tying their salary and benefits to the national average.
especially vacation and health care options.
also, if tax revenue drops, they can be laid off and rehired as independent contractors.
Term limits are just a cop out for the voters. There are term limits - they're called "elections." If you feel that strongly about the incumbent, vote for the other guy.
This is an idea I keep hearing thrown about, and was wondering DP's opinion on it.
Would setting term limits for congresspeople (4 for Representatives, 2 for Senators) as well as changing their wage to one in line with the average income of an American citizen help force congress to be more focused on serving the people rather than simply serving themselves? Or would it simply make them more likely to seek out more cash from lobbyists and make it easier to insert shills for a specific group in a race?
Term limits are just a cop out for the voters. There are term limits - they're called "elections." If you feel that strongly about the incumbent, vote for the other guy.
Seems a bit off-the-mark to try to lean on the 'national average' when it's average but not the norm: people's perks and benefits increase and improve as their value in corporation/business/society improves and increases.
i'm for tying their salary and benefits to the national average.
especially vacation and health care options.
also, if tax revenue drops, they can be laid off and rehired as independent contractors.
Why not tie wage and befits for what their state average is?
This is an idea I keep hearing thrown about, and was wondering DP's opinion on it.
Would setting term limits for congresspeople (4 for Representatives, 2 for Senators) as well as changing their wage to one in line with the average income of an American citizen help force congress to be more focused on serving the people rather than simply serving themselves? Or would it simply make them more likely to seek out more cash from lobbyists and make it easier to insert shills for a specific group in a race?
i'm for tying their salary and benefits to the national average.
especially vacation and health care options.
also, if tax revenue drops, they can be laid off and rehired as independent contractors.
I would agree with pegging their salaries to some objective marker of economic performance, but I absolutely disagree with term limits. I want my government managed by professionals, not an endless parade of rookies that are forced out of office the very moment they start figuring out how to do their jobs.
Seems to me that term limits, by themselves, would make matters worse. If politicians are lured by money and power, term limits would entice them to be even more aggressive to accumulate what they can while they can.
I'm really not concerned with length of office, and I believe citizens should retain the right to vote for whomever they want.
I think it's the influence of outside money that is the biggest problem and the most easily fixable. Get rid of outside money, and much of the problem goes away. Though I do think that most politicians are corrupted more by power than money... not that the money isn't desirable in its own right, of course.
What about the whole, "representation", thing? Where will my constitutional rights be, if my congressman gets laid off?
Term limits would definitely be a good idea for reducing corruption. As for tying their wage increases to median wage increases...meh. I doubt it would have much of an impact.
I believe that the majority of people who enter politics early in life do so for honest and noble reasons, and end up being corrupted by outside money and power well into their careers. Removing the money influence keeps the job attractive to them while they're still reasonably honest.Unlikely. By limiting the amount of money and power a person can acquire through political office (by reducing the timespan), we're less likely to attract people to office who are only interested in money/power. Outright bribery is not common, it tends to take the form of campaign contributions instead. If congresspeople aren't worried about their reelection campaign because they are term-limited, then the influence of money will be much more limited. Their ability to otherwise line their own pockets is limited, short of blatant bribery.
Totally agree there are many qualified people. Still doesn't justify removing the voter's right to make their own choices.I don't believe that there are very many irreplaceable people who are serving in our Congress or who have ever served in our Congress. Every district has hundreds or thousands of people who are intelligent, politically knowledgeable, and have a similar ideology to the mainstream voter.
It's a relative statement. I favor, "can't vote, can't contribute", which would go a long way toward solving the money issue without stepping on individual citizen's rights to make their own choices at the ballot box. Term limits would make the urgency of special interests getting the 'right' person in office even worse. You want to take away the money, just take away the money. Don't dance around it.Getting rid of outside money is easier said than done...I don't see how it's so "easily fixable" except, incidentally, by eliminating the motivation to contribute all that money to individual politicians in the first place...such as through term limits.
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