Worse Congress in History?

[bhunter]

Originally Posted by beej

What the hell ever happened to compromise? E-friggin-gad!!!!

The same thing that happened to business ethics: the "me" generation followed up by the "I" generation getting their hands on the carnival controls.

[Oerets]

Originally Posted by merrylander

Our system of government was setup on the assumption we would elect honest fair minded men and women to office. Unfortunately they are in damn short supply these days.

Especially now the pretense of big money not influencing campaigns is gone.




Barney

[wgrr]

Originally Posted by bhunter

True, but nevertheless new faces would be nice.

The problem is that Congress is an institution and we need members that know the ropes to teach newly elected members the ins and outs of legislating. If we term limit members of Congress we will no longer have a strong Congress with a somewhat permanent presence in Washington.

Guess who does have a strong permanent presence in Washington; lobbyist. They would swoop in on all the freshmen members of Congress like blow flies attracted to a dead animal. They would have the power to mold the new members of Congress and get them to do anything they want without worrying about senior members of Congress getting in the way. Wouldn't that really improve things.

I am all for voting the bums out.

[beej]

I am totally opposed to term limits. Hell the only reason Presidents are limited to two terms is the Republican Congress had to find a way to get back at Roosevelt even though he was already dead.

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by bhunter

True, but nevertheless new faces would be nice.

We got lots of new faces with those idiot Tea Party freshmen. The result has been an unqualified disaster.

John

[beej]

I have no problem with new faces even if some of them have extremist views on either side. It is when those extremist views have sufficient weight to place the country in extremis (I give you the debt ceiling) that they become a threat to the nation.

[wgrr]

Originally Posted by beej

What the hell ever happened to compromise? E-friggin-gad!!!!

There is a very simple answer to that question.

Eric Cantor, Jeb Hensarling, Pete Hoekstra, Dan Lungren, Kevin McCarthy, Paul Ryan and Pete Sessions. From the Senate were Tom Coburn, Bob Corker, Jim DeMint, John Ensign and Jon Kyl. Others present were former House Speaker and future – and failed – presidential candidate Newt Gingrich and the Republican strategist Frank Luntz

The day of Obama's inauguration these asshat Republicans met at the Caucus Room a DC steakhouse and hatched a plan to oppose and obstruct everything Obama proposed. Notice any obviously missing Republicans like Mitch McConnel and John Bhoener.

This to me is very unethical because once voted into office they represent all their constituents not just the ones that agree with them. Those constituents watched as the big banks were bailed out. Then they watched as the Republicans in Congress obstructed almost all the bills designed to help the people. They started losing their homes, jobs, unemployment insurance, etc... That is why Congress' approval rating is lower than Hugo Chavez.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012...obstruct-obama

[BlueStreak]

Originally Posted by merrylander

Our system of government was setup on the assumption we would elect honest fair minded men and women to office. Unfortunately they are in damn short supply these days.

They were in damn short supply then, as well. Think about it, even among the founders we admire most, there's what? Maybe a half dozen?

Dave

[bobabode]

Well put Wgrr. I concur wholeheartedly. I vote against Dana Rohrbacher every election, little good that it seems to do but I keep doing it. Tradition, eh. Maybe I would get that book for him if it were available in a cliff note edition as I have some serious doubts about his ability to read.

[BlueStreak]

Originally Posted by beej

I am totally opposed to term limits. Hell the only reason Presidents are limited to two terms is the Republican Congress had to find a way to get back at Roosevelt even though he was already dead.

Yep. When someone believes they are appointed to rule by the Almighty himself, you don't dare beat them once let alone FOUR TIMES....

Dave