And the gutless democrats will say nothing!!

[busterbrown]

It is becoming more and more apparent just how cowardly they are...
Besides Sanders, Warren, Grayson and Waxman...What other Dem. elected official shows any
guts? You guys please add to this list.... House and Senate only...


http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2013/05/inhofe-oklahoma-disaster-relief-will-be-different-than-slush-fund-for-sandy.php

[BlueStreak]

1. What is the point of holding office if one doesn't want to do anything with that?

It is like they have all just decided they have a good life and nothing much will really happen until 2016, so why work up a sweat?

This is why we need term limits. I have heard the arguments against that, but I think we are now at the point where term limits may be the only way to get enough people in office who actually care about improving this country.

4 terms (8 years) for a Congressman

2 terms (12 years) for a Senator

No more than 14 years total in either the House or the Senate

And those would be lifetime limits. No taking one cycle off and them coming back for another 4 terms.

This would do several important things:

1) Get rid of some of the people who really are mentally incompetent.

2) Put more urgency on governing than fund-raising

3) Curtail the seniority system, making it more likely that legislators would be on committees they are well suited for.

4) Reduce the K-street revolving door. While that won't eliminate the influence of lobbyists, a lobbyist at least has to develop new puppets much more frequently, and these elected people might not be so eager to use their limited time doing nothing but carrying water for lobbyists. And it would completely eliminate the super-lobbyists like Daschle who trade on the influence they built up over decades.

[busterbrown]

2. Absolutely...

The best way to accomplish this is Election Reform... Get the money out of politics and these people won’t be able to stick around long..

[bamacrat]

3. I completely agree.

Term limits seem like the most logical way to remedy the issues we are having with our elected representatives. People get locked in to an almost lifetime appointment and don't give a shit about what gets done as long as they keep a job. Also, people who are in their 70's who have been in congress for decades have little insight or grasp of what the country is really like. Fresh ideas are never a bad idea.