Cancel the Midterms

[jaysunb]

But the two-year cycle isn’t just unnecessary; it’s harmful to American politics.

The main impact of the midterm election in the modern era has been to weaken the president, the only government official (other than the powerless vice president) elected by the entire nation. Since the end of World War II, the president’s party has on average lost 25 seats in the House and about 4 in the Senate as a result of the midterms. This is a bipartisan phenomenon — Democratic presidents have lost an average of 31 House seats and between 4 to 5 Senate seats in midterms; Republican presidents have lost 20 and 3 seats, respectively.

The realities of the modern election cycle are that we spend almost two years selecting a president with a well-developed agenda, but then, less than two years after the inauguration, the midterm election cripples that same president’s ability to advance that agenda.


http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/03/opinion/cancel-the-midterms.html?ref=opinion&_r=0

[IkeRepublican]

1. Not a bad idea

It's not bad if the god damned system wasn't so deliberately corrupt in favor of the Repukes all the time.

2006 was a good Democrat year, but they sat around with their thumbs in their asses not rocking the boat - why, I don't know since Bush crippled himself severely by that point.

[jmowreader]

2. I have a better idea, but it would take a constitutional amendment

In the 18th Century when the Constitution was written, your average white male (the only people eligible to be congressmen then) lived somewhere between 40 and 50 years. Far from the "the Founding Fathers intended for people to serve in Congress for a few years then go home" theory the teabaggers have, the the Founders intended for the best of us to be elected as our leaders, and die in office.

At the opening gavel for this Congress, there were 42 members of the House and 25 Senators that are, as of right now, at least 70 years old. Whether it's stubbornness, better medical care or just proof positive that only the good die young, we're stuck with the bastards for a hell of a lot longer than Thomas Jefferson was led to believe.

Congressmen also have an approximate 90-percent reelection rate. They get in and they immediately start running for office.

Hence my idea: Instead of having congressional elections every two years, elect the House on the same four-year schedule as the president. And instead of having senators serve six years and a third of the body stands for reelection every two, have them serve eight years and have one senator from each state stand for reelection at each presidential election.

What might be more entertaining is to change the way the Speaker of the House is selected. Right now, as we're all painfully aware, the majority party picks the worst pain in the ass they have to be the Speaker. How about running a national election for it?

[aquart]

4. Better? How nice of you to institutionalize a corporate revolving door.

Carefully ensuring no one is around long enough to know what the fuck is going on.

Is everyone as shortsighted as a Republican?

[jmowreader]

5. That horse left the barn LONG ago

Under my system, the Republicans completely lose the ability to trash a Democratic president's agenda by doing something like the Contract On America. We also might get a whole year's work out of them before they go out and start campaigning again.

The "carefully ensuring no one is around long enough to know what the fuck is going on" thing is the result of term limits, which I would never advocate - the only way small-state legislators gain prestige is by being in office so long they grow moss.

[aquart]

3. Giving us no recourse for how long? (Long enough to lose Social Security and Medicare? Why yes.)

How about we limit Congressional campaigns to 6 weeks with jail and heavy fines for any media outlet that takes their money before then (6 months for presidency)?

Cure campaign creep before you explode the constitution.

[jmowreader]

6. I like that idea too

Another big change I'd like to see: create a national primary day in May, and the national general election day will be the first Saturday after the 4th of July. They can seat the new Congress on October 1, and the new President a week later.

And how about this: Any negative campaign commercial must be 60 seconds long and must contain at least 20 seconds explaining why the candidate who bought the ad would be the better choice.

Also: In the little "I'm Senator Jack S. Phogbound and I approved this message" line, the candidate must SPEAK in a normal tone of voice the top three people who paid for the ad.

[n2doc]

7. Would rather outlaw gerrymandering and put a hard cap on election spending

Would require constitutional amendments, though.

[CrispyQ]

8. The House is in constant campaign mode.

As soon as they get elected they have to start raising money to get re-elected.

The answer is right there in front of us, but profits must reign.