Dave
Loc: Upstate New York
stairman wrote:
thanks dave....my thoughts are the same.
because o the failure of people to be completely honest and altruistic when serving in a government position ,elected or not,we need to resist the urge to have government have power over all but the most egregious criminal wrongs.
A benign dictatorship would be the perfect form of government...there just aren't any benign humans to run it
since no matter what the government regulates there will always be a monied interest to want an exemption or exception there will always be those that adress those that v**e on changing regulations with campaign contributions.
we need an iron clad term limit of one.....one term as senator,representitive or president then a life long ban of working for any other federal government office or agency.
we should also limit people that work for the offices of any legislative branch to no more then two term all or part then back out into private enterprize to live with the results of your legislation.
thanks dave....my thoughts are the same. br br b... (
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While agreeing with you on the problem, I'm not sure I agree on the solution. Term limits might well make some aspects of the problem worse - where politicians seeing their term in office over feeling less restraint in cashing out before their term is over.
A better, and harder to accomplish solution, would be a more informed e*****rate. Most people think that conservatives are supporting large corporations, for example, while real t***h is the opposite. Large corporations like large government - it provided restraints of competition from smaller or newer corporations. Also, they have the lobbying power to push programs that give them further opportunities - like Pepsi-Cola being the majore lobbyist to expand food stamps. This crony capitalism is rampant, and fostered by liberals and "moderate" Republicans - and less than 5% of the e*****rate even understand that. Our form of government was based on - in large part - an informed e*****rate. We've lost that and if we can't recover it, most other solutions will fail.
It would be easier to stay informed if the scope of what the government gets involved in is smaller then it is today.
I disagree that the end of a term would create the impetus to do criminal or ethical wrongs at the last moments.If they have it in them they will be at it from the start,it's the constant barrage of "deal making" in Washington that erodes the best intentions of those elected.Terms limits means you also get people that want to get things done in a hurry instead of making it a career.If a representative knows that they won't be there long they can live with the lack of congeniality that comes from standing on principle.
But more then any one thing if a politician knows they are barred for life from ever serving in the government again they will be more likely to think hard about what their v**es do to the private sector.
Dave
Loc: Upstate New York
stairman wrote:
It would be easier to stay informed if the scope of what the government gets involved in is smaller then it is today.
I disagree that the end of a term would create the impetus to do criminal or ethical wrongs at the last moments.If they have it in them they will be at it from the start,it's the constant barrage of "deal making" in Washington that erodes the best intentions of those elected.Terms limits means you also get people that want to get things done in a hurry instead of making it a career.If a representative knows that they won't be there long they can live with the lack of congeniality that comes from standing on principle.
But more then any one thing if a politician knows they are barred for life from ever serving in the government again they will be more likely to think hard about what their v**es do to the private sector.
It would be easier to stay informed if the scope ... (
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I'd rather we elect good people based on being an informed e*****rate. Further, while I'd hope folks wouldn't see a stint in an elected position as an opportunity to feather their nest, experience tells me I'd rather not tempt the fates by counting on that.
tThe trouble is that we don't have enough people that care to inform themselves
Dave
Loc: Upstate New York
stairman wrote:
tThe trouble is that we don't have enough people that care to inform themselves
Exactly - those who see the government as their direct benefactor don't care to know much more than that - the others are too busy making a living.
That's the problem we need to solve
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