For a while now I've become more and more frustrated with the current political environment where nothing substantive is being accomplished. Both parties are spending too much time wrangling and in-fighting so that little or nothing is being accomplished. Although a life-long democrat I think that both parties are guilty of grid-lock in Congress. I agree with senator Evan Bayh that Congress needs a "shock" in order to get their attention and to begin to remedy the situation.
In my opinion, the Senate is more broken that the House of Representatives. Most senators seem to spend as much time running for re-election as they do trying to accomplish any serious business. I think that not voting for the incumbent will not administer a severe enough shock to the current senators or either party to really get a serious effort to fix the problem. I genuinely think that the only way to have a long-term fix to this problem is a constitutional amendment which limits senators to one six year term, with no provision to be re-elected to the senate in the future after sitting out one term.
The other issue which I think needs to be resolved is the Supreme Court decision which permits virtually unlimited contributions to the election process by big business and lobbying groups. I think we need to take steps to see that it is not permitted. If legislation can't do it because of the first amendment - then we need a new amendment which restricts political contributions to the private American citizen only.
So - what are your thoughts concerning these two topics? Perhaps you don't agree that our government is broken. That's OK. Your opinion is as valid as mine,
What would be the unintended consequences of either or both of them? Can you think of better ways to remedy them? Lets hear your ideas. I think that the American electorate needs a spirited and thoughtful discussion of these ideas in order to get out government working again.
In my opinion, the Senate is more broken that the House of Representatives. Most senators seem to spend as much time running for re-election as they do trying to accomplish any serious business. I think that not voting for the incumbent will not administer a severe enough shock to the current senators or either party to really get a serious effort to fix the problem. I genuinely think that the only way to have a long-term fix to this problem is a constitutional amendment which limits senators to one six year term, with no provision to be re-elected to the senate in the future after sitting out one term.
The other issue which I think needs to be resolved is the Supreme Court decision which permits virtually unlimited contributions to the election process by big business and lobbying groups. I think we need to take steps to see that it is not permitted. If legislation can't do it because of the first amendment - then we need a new amendment which restricts political contributions to the private American citizen only.
So - what are your thoughts concerning these two topics? Perhaps you don't agree that our government is broken. That's OK. Your opinion is as valid as mine,
What would be the unintended consequences of either or both of them? Can you think of better ways to remedy them? Lets hear your ideas. I think that the American electorate needs a spirited and thoughtful discussion of these ideas in order to get out government working again.