How can we ever hit the "reset" button on Congress?

[Craig234]

The first step is to "break" the traditional ways congress "gets things done" (nebraska compromise, bridges to nowhere, over-complicated bills, etc...).

Elect a president who will veto each and every bill with any hint of any bullshit in it, and will publicly declare that as the reason he is vetoing it. (I'm vetoing this because of the immense amount of pork attached to this otherwise decent legislation. If congress gives me a bill with (a,b,c,d) removed, I will sign it.) Make them get that 2/3rds majority to pull off the BS that they get away with right now.

A fine plan for a president who doesn't want to get a single thing of his passed and is happy to be at war with both parties. That's pretty naive IMO.

 

[ebaycj]

A fine plan for a president who doesn't want to get a single thing of his passed and is happy to be at war with both parties. That's pretty naive IMO.

I updated my previous post. I don't think it's naive.

It puts the blame (in the public's eyes) where it belongs: On Congress, who is writing and voting on the bills.

That way, if congress passes bullshit bills by veto override, the country will know who's to blame, and who's to be voted out. Simple as that.

I mean, seriously, the last time I remember hearing about multiple veto's was back in the Clinton - Republican Congress era. GWB certainly didn't veto very much. BHO seems to be doing about the same.

 

[ebaycj]

A fine plan for a president who doesn't want to get a single thing of his passed and is happy to be at war with both parties. That's pretty naive IMO.

Also, that's exactly what's needed. "war with both parties". The PEOPLE need to be at war with both parties (in congress), because the parties (in congress) are not sufficiently serving the PEOPLE who they represent.

 

[MotF Bane]

Also, that's exactly what's needed. "war with both parties". The PEOPLE need to be at war with both parties (in congress), because the parties (in congress) are not sufficiently serving the PEOPLE who they represent.

This. D's and R's are really just the same shit, and if you're voting for them, you're voting for the problem.

 

[Fenixgoon]

A fine plan for a president who doesn't want to get a single thing of his passed and is happy to be at war with both parties. That's pretty naive IMO.

restore the line item veto?

 

[Robor]

As much as I hate watching the sausage making, I do sort of think the results are better. I know it tends to water down legislation, but...well, it keeps it more middle of the road as well.

I don't really trust opinion polls on major initiatives like Health Care. Depending on the poll you trust, maybe 40% of people approve of the current health care legislation. I'd be amazed if that 40% of voting eligible citizens even understood what the legislation actually does and can make an informed opinion.

There's a lot of e-thugs here talking of revolution and assassination (which is despicable btw), real solutions involve getting more people to vote and having voters paying more attention to what their elected official actual does. They need to pay less attention to the (R) (I) (D) and more to what actually is accomplished. Sadly, Americans would rather get there political information from unbiased sources like Fox News and MSNBC rather than read an actual bill.

Probably true but I would say the 60% who are opposed are equally uninformed. Death panels? LOL!

 

[Robor]

Really that doesnt matter when a lot of them admit to not even bothering to read it anyways. Bush could had put the ghost of Walt Disney was the reason and our representatives on both sides of the aisle would had voted yes. Which brings up another problem. Representatives not even bothering to read what they are voting on.

Can't disagree with you there. :\

 

[dyna]

There needs to be an expansion of the judicial branch of government which monitors ethics and provides more checks to the congressional and executive branch. The IRS for congress/executive.

 

[MotF Bane]

Probably true but I would say the 60% who are opposed are equally uninformed. Death panels? LOL!

Nobody seems to know what is in the bill, including the people who vote on it.

 

[Craig234]

restore the line item veto?

Bad idea. Line item veto = President's party gets pork, other party doesn't.

 

[zephyrprime]

We need to change the way congressional districts are drawn. Otherwise, incumbants will always almost always be secure in their districts.

 

[Darwin333]

Anyone who supported the Bush administation is a poor judge of fixing the system. For a start, term limits are a terrible idea. The solution is to reduce the role of concentrated wealth ni the system. Not easy.

I agree with your first statement but I would extend it to this Admin as well. As far as reducing the concentrated wealth in the system, are you talking about the political system or just in general?

Generally speaking, you will always have massive companies that have access to extremely large quantities of capital. Politically speaking, I think that would definately help but it would just be a start. IMO, I think we should put huge criminal penalties for unethical behavior as well as a nonpartisan (lol, I know) group of investigators. Politicians who are found guilty of taking bribes should never breathe free air again. No bullshit "you can go home with your families for the holidays" like Dollar Bill Jefferson, you go straight to jail.

If we could possibly come up with a better way for politicians to run for office that doesn't require them raising a crapton of capital from private individuals/companies you could then severely restrict what they are allowed to receive while they are in office (no more convenient 5 or 6 figure donations from an industry you are currently passing laws on while feeding us bullshit that it doesn't sway your opinion).

And all laws apply to Congress just like the rest of us such as insider trading laws. No more cushy pensions and healthcare for life for being a public servant. I don't mind paying them a good wage but with all the other benefits they get we damn sure don't need to be paying for them after the quit, get replaced or thrown in jail (yeah, they still get paid if they are found guilty of committing crimes while acting as a Congressman).

 

[QuantumPion]

All we need to do is pass a constitutional amendment that says "the constitution means what it says, and is binding law". That would do away with pretty much every problem the government has now, most of which are the result of your congressmen buying your votes with your own money.

 

[Jaskalas]

So how do we do it? How do we get term limits on these people?

Term limits are not a solution, you'll still vote in the same two corrupt incumbent parties.

 

[Jaskalas]

Texas secession would actually be a good start and most practical and high chance of success assuming other states follow.

Think Texas can handle the withdrawal symptoms from federal dependence? Like a drug addict, they're probably not capable of saying no to their master.

 

[spacejamz]

Nobody seems to know what is in the bill, including the people who vote on it.

Kinda to hard to know what is in a bill if it still being modified while the vote is in progress...

IIRC, weren't some of those 1200 page bills still being worked on while they voted on it?

 

[spacejamz]

The solution is to reduce the role of concentrated wealth ni the system. Not easy.

The solution is to motivate everyone in a society to want to help the whole society prosper while they are helping themselves. However, this is not easy because it is in the nature of some (many) humans to only care about themselves (which is true of both the wealthy and non-wealthy).

You really need to get over your fixation that the wealthy in this country are the cause of all of our problems.

 

[JS80]

You'd think that wouldn't you. Like I said education is key. It's in the video but here is another link.\
http://www.epi.org/publications/entry/pm120/

We can debate it all day long but I don't consider carried interest to be wages.

 

[JS80]

Think Texas can handle the withdrawal symptoms from federal dependence? Like a drug addict, they're probably not capable of saying no to their master.

I'm not saying it'll happen. To me it's the easiest way to reset congress.

But to your point, yes, I think the federal handout money shortfall will be more than made up by net immigration into TX by individuals and corporations if TX secedes as a true libertarian state.

 

[blackangst1]

OP: How can we ever hit the "reset" button on Congress?

Answer: it would take 2 elections. Dont vote for incumbents.

 

[spacejamz]

OP: How can we ever hit the "reset" button on Congress?

Answer: it would take 2 elections. Dont vote for incumbents.

and within another 2 elections, the new congress will already have been bought out (or as someone else posted earlier, the new congress will already be made up those have already been bought out)...what's the point?

But after it's all said and done, I would rather live here in the States with our current system (as fvcked up as it is), then move to another country...

 

[Zebo]

Politicians are already corrupted and bribed before they get into office. That's how they get the funding to win the elections in the first place.

Succinct and accurate at all levels school board to President of the United States.

 

[Siddhartha]

Vote
There is a federal election next year where all the Representatives and 1/3 of the Senators are up for re-election.

 

[Craig234]

OP: How can we ever hit the "reset" button on Congress?

Answer: it would take 2 elections. Dont vote for incumbents.

For the umteenth time., that does nothing to fix the problme but give you a new face with the same corruption and less accountability, and get rid of the good people who are in office also.

 

[Modelworks]

Movie Mars Attacks ! had the perfect solution , quoting Sylvia Sidney "They blew up congress !"