US Government does it work?
Sep 9th 2011, 7:56 pm
#16
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Dec 2006
Location: Nova Scotia Canada
Posts: 27,078
Re: US Government does it work?
The system of electing for different terms for President, Senate and the House is intended to permit the people to make changes to the government every two years if they disapprove of the way it is working. Problem is, too many damned stupid voters and radicals. Too many rational people stay home on election day if there is no Presidential race. As soon as you get a divided government between the House and the Senate you get gridlock to some degree. It is a somewhat odd system in some ways. Senate, 1/3 up for election every two years, but all of the House up for election every two years.
Terms limits have some advantage, but some disadvantages too when it comes to the House. Imagine if half the House of Representatives (and it could be more) turned over in one election. The new folks literally have no time to get up to speed, learn the ropes, become well informed about the budget (and that is their responsibility), legislation pending, rules and regulations etc because they have to start preparing for their reelection campaign almost as soon as they arrive. After all, it's only two years. So they just make waves, spout bullshit and vote for or against legislation based almost entirely on their perception or political position and not on the facts or reality.
The real need is for serious reform of the campaign funding and campaign process. Take the big money out of it and shorten the permissible campaign time to three months. No more of those special groups that supposedly do not support a particular candidate but can raise vast sums of money to in effect covertly support them by engaging in things like the Swift Boat campaign. No more robo calling. No more corporate donations that basically buy influence. Equal air time for candidates. No big cash advantage for anyone to be able to bury their competition. And stagger the House elections so that only half are up for reelection every two years.
The problem becomes that pesky Constitution thing that right wing Supreme Court Justices want to interpret as corporations being 'people' under the free speech amendment and therefore being able to publicly campaign via ads for or against certain candidates or parties. I doubt the founding fathers intended that amendment to support what borders on corrupt buying of political influence by corporations and special interest groups.
The system is a hodge podge and a cluster **** bought and paid for by whomever has the most money to spend.
Terms limits have some advantage, but some disadvantages too when it comes to the House. Imagine if half the House of Representatives (and it could be more) turned over in one election. The new folks literally have no time to get up to speed, learn the ropes, become well informed about the budget (and that is their responsibility), legislation pending, rules and regulations etc because they have to start preparing for their reelection campaign almost as soon as they arrive. After all, it's only two years. So they just make waves, spout bullshit and vote for or against legislation based almost entirely on their perception or political position and not on the facts or reality.
The real need is for serious reform of the campaign funding and campaign process. Take the big money out of it and shorten the permissible campaign time to three months. No more of those special groups that supposedly do not support a particular candidate but can raise vast sums of money to in effect covertly support them by engaging in things like the Swift Boat campaign. No more robo calling. No more corporate donations that basically buy influence. Equal air time for candidates. No big cash advantage for anyone to be able to bury their competition. And stagger the House elections so that only half are up for reelection every two years.
The problem becomes that pesky Constitution thing that right wing Supreme Court Justices want to interpret as corporations being 'people' under the free speech amendment and therefore being able to publicly campaign via ads for or against certain candidates or parties. I doubt the founding fathers intended that amendment to support what borders on corrupt buying of political influence by corporations and special interest groups.
The system is a hodge podge and a cluster **** bought and paid for by whomever has the most money to spend.
Last edited by dakota44; Sep 9th 2011 at 8:00 pm.
Sep 9th 2011, 8:37 pm
#17
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jun 2008
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Posts: 10,678
Re: US Government does it work?
From up here in Canada I have always been amazed at how much government that the US has.
The three parts, President, House of Representatives and Senate seem unable to come to a consensus in the last few years.
The US system gets bogged down by petty arguments and seems to be in a continuous re-election state.
Isn't it about time the system was streamlined. The founding Fathers wrote the book but does it work in todays world?
The three parts, President, House of Representatives and Senate seem unable to come to a consensus in the last few years.
The US system gets bogged down by petty arguments and seems to be in a continuous re-election state.
Isn't it about time the system was streamlined. The founding Fathers wrote the book but does it work in todays world?
Sep 9th 2011, 8:46 pm
#18
BE Enthusiast
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2002
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Posts: 556
Re: US Government does it work?
The system of electing for different terms for President, Senate and the House is intended to permit the people to make changes to the government every two years if they disapprove of the way it is working. Problem is, too many damned stupid voters and radicals. Too many rational people stay home on election day if there is no Presidential race. As soon as you get a divided government between the House and the Senate you get gridlock to some degree. It is a somewhat odd system in some ways. Senate, 1/3 up for election every two years, but all of the House up for election every two years.
Terms limits have some advantage, but some disadvantages too when it comes to the House. Imagine if half the House of Representatives (and it could be more) turned over in one election. The new folks literally have no time to get up to speed, learn the ropes, become well informed about the budget (and that is their responsibility), legislation pending, rules and regulations etc because they have to start preparing for their reelection campaign almost as soon as they arrive. After all, it's only two years. So they just make waves, spout bullshit and vote for or against legislation based almost entirely on their perception or political position and not on the facts or reality.
The real need is for serious reform of the campaign funding and campaign process. Take the big money out of it and shorten the permissible campaign time to three months. No more of those special groups that supposedly do not support a particular candidate but can raise vast sums of money to in effect covertly support them by engaging in things like the Swift Boat campaign. No more robo calling. No more corporate donations that basically buy influence. Equal air time for candidates. No big cash advantage for anyone to be able to bury their competition. And stagger the House elections so that only half are up for reelection every two years.
The problem becomes that pesky Constitution thing that right wing Supreme Court Justices want to interpret as corporations being 'people' under the free speech amendment and therefore being able to publicly campaign via ads for or against certain candidates or parties. I doubt the founding fathers intended that amendment to support what borders on corrupt buying of political influence by corporations and special interest groups.
The system is a hodge podge and a cluster **** bought and paid for by whomever has the most money to spend.
Terms limits have some advantage, but some disadvantages too when it comes to the House. Imagine if half the House of Representatives (and it could be more) turned over in one election. The new folks literally have no time to get up to speed, learn the ropes, become well informed about the budget (and that is their responsibility), legislation pending, rules and regulations etc because they have to start preparing for their reelection campaign almost as soon as they arrive. After all, it's only two years. So they just make waves, spout bullshit and vote for or against legislation based almost entirely on their perception or political position and not on the facts or reality.
The real need is for serious reform of the campaign funding and campaign process. Take the big money out of it and shorten the permissible campaign time to three months. No more of those special groups that supposedly do not support a particular candidate but can raise vast sums of money to in effect covertly support them by engaging in things like the Swift Boat campaign. No more robo calling. No more corporate donations that basically buy influence. Equal air time for candidates. No big cash advantage for anyone to be able to bury their competition. And stagger the House elections so that only half are up for reelection every two years.
The problem becomes that pesky Constitution thing that right wing Supreme Court Justices want to interpret as corporations being 'people' under the free speech amendment and therefore being able to publicly campaign via ads for or against certain candidates or parties. I doubt the founding fathers intended that amendment to support what borders on corrupt buying of political influence by corporations and special interest groups.
The system is a hodge podge and a cluster **** bought and paid for by whomever has the most money to spend.
Sep 9th 2011, 9:25 pm
#21
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,847
Re: US Government does it work?
Apparently in the UK the most a candidate for Parliament can spend on their campaign is £20K.... so candidates and their activists have to go door to door - imagine THAT here in Phoenix in a 110' heat!!!
And to quote from a couple of films... "I was too busy trying to keep my job that I forgot to DO my job..." from 'The American President'
and... "Who are you going to vote for? NONE OF THE ABOVE!!!" from 'Brewster's Millions'
and my favourite...
"Why would you spend $10 million to win election to a post that pays $60K a year, unless you planned to screw the people?" - also from Monty Brewster!!!
MONTY!!! MONTY!!! MONTY!!! MONTY!!!
And to quote from a couple of films... "I was too busy trying to keep my job that I forgot to DO my job..." from 'The American President'
and... "Who are you going to vote for? NONE OF THE ABOVE!!!" from 'Brewster's Millions'
and my favourite...
"Why would you spend $10 million to win election to a post that pays $60K a year, unless you planned to screw the people?" - also from Monty Brewster!!!
MONTY!!! MONTY!!! MONTY!!! MONTY!!!
Sep 9th 2011, 10:36 pm
#22
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Dec 2006
Location: Nova Scotia Canada
Posts: 27,078
Sep 10th 2011, 1:26 pm
#23
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2004
Location: South Florida
Posts: 2,068
Re: US Government does it work?
And to quote from a couple of films... "I was too busy trying to keep my job that I forgot to DO my job..." from 'The American President'
and... "Who are you going to vote for? NONE OF THE ABOVE!!!" from 'Brewster's Millions'
and my favourite...
"Why would you spend $10 million to win election to a post that pays $60K a year, unless you planned to screw the people?" - also from Monty Brewster!!!
MONTY!!! MONTY!!! MONTY!!! MONTY!!!
and... "Who are you going to vote for? NONE OF THE ABOVE!!!" from 'Brewster's Millions'
and my favourite...
"Why would you spend $10 million to win election to a post that pays $60K a year, unless you planned to screw the people?" - also from Monty Brewster!!!
MONTY!!! MONTY!!! MONTY!!! MONTY!!!
Sep 10th 2011, 1:45 pm
#24
Guttural Brumerican
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: The Mile High City
Posts: 1,312
Sep 11th 2011, 3:08 am
#25
Unmitigated Gall
Joined: Dec 2006
Location: it's still too dark to tell
Posts: 16,162
Re: US Government does it work?
Excellent. The next Chief Justice will be a heavily made up 9 year old girl from Chode, AR that handles snakes while singing selections from popular Broadway shows.
