Is it time for term limits in Congress?

MX479Guy
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MX479Guy
Edited Date/Time 1/13/2012 4:48am
If yes, why?

If no, why?

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huck
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huck 7/15/2009 8:36am
7/15/2009 8:36am
Yes. Too much "milking"...
MX479Guy
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MX479Guy 7/15/2009 8:47am
7/15/2009 8:47am
My answer is YES

Too many favors and too many people that are too "comfortable" with their jobs, and don't get enough of what the majority tax payers in this country seem to want.
txmxer
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txmxer 7/15/2009 8:51am
7/15/2009 8:51am
should have done this long ago.
72kiteboarder
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72kiteboarder 7/15/2009 9:21am
7/15/2009 9:21am
NO, If they retire after just a couple of terms then we will be paying for a LOT more people to retire with full benefits after only a few years of service. I have to do a minimum of 20 years to receive retirement benefits. Think about that.


Seriously though, it was time for term limits 20 years ago. Without limits they focus on re-election instead of voting their hearts.

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jtomasik
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jtomasik 7/15/2009 9:35am
7/15/2009 9:35am
Seems to me like lynchings would better serve us. We need to SENTENCE politicians who are guilty of crimes against the country. Maybe if we started holding our politicians accountable for their actions, instead of letting them wave their hands and walk away.
SteveS
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SteveS 7/15/2009 9:41am
7/15/2009 9:41am
72kiteboarder wrote:
NO, If they retire after just a couple of terms then we will be paying for a LOT more people to retire with full benefits after...
NO, If they retire after just a couple of terms then we will be paying for a LOT more people to retire with full benefits after only a few years of service. I have to do a minimum of 20 years to receive retirement benefits. Think about that.


Seriously though, it was time for term limits 20 years ago. Without limits they focus on re-election instead of voting their hearts.
They shouldn't have the defined benefits pension either. They should have to return home and work in the private sector.
MX479Guy
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MX479Guy 7/15/2009 9:56am
7/15/2009 9:56am
I would rather pay a some members of Congress' benefits (which we already are now anyway) then have then make horrible decisions which will end up hurting millions and millions of US citizens.

Accountability seems to be the key thing that keeps coming up.
Dean
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Dean 7/15/2009 9:58am
7/15/2009 9:58am
yes- I think it's the one single thing that would do the most good
Farva
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Farva 7/15/2009 10:06am
7/15/2009 10:06am
I say yes to term limits, and don't give them a retirement plan. Make congress more of a volunteer thing and we might actually get people who WANT to help America, not people who want to milk it. If they want money after congress they can take the experience they got and either get another job or write a book.
huck
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huck 7/15/2009 10:18am
7/15/2009 10:18am
Their retirement plan should be lumped together with social security.
brainbasket
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brainbasket 7/15/2009 10:31am
7/15/2009 10:31am
The answer is "no" and here's why:

California decided to term limit it's politicians in an attempt to "throw the bums out" automatically. How well has that worked out?

The root cause is the voting population tends to vote for and keep their incumbent representative for some reason - maybe because of the pork he brings home to his district.
But the same voters get angry when a representative from another district blows taxpayer money on some wasteful program (pork).
The result is everyone is pissed off about various things - but they expect OTHER PEOPLES representatives to be shown the door - not their own.

In Cali we have a bunch of "short timer" politicians that are ineffective at dealing with issues, and that spend their time feathering their nest for their next political office after they're termed out.

Seriously - Term limits has a lot of unintended consequences...
txmxer
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txmxer 7/15/2009 10:55am
7/15/2009 10:55am
brainbasket wrote:
The answer is "no" and here's why: California decided to term limit it's politicians in an attempt to "throw the bums out" automatically. How well has...
The answer is "no" and here's why:

California decided to term limit it's politicians in an attempt to "throw the bums out" automatically. How well has that worked out?

The root cause is the voting population tends to vote for and keep their incumbent representative for some reason - maybe because of the pork he brings home to his district.
But the same voters get angry when a representative from another district blows taxpayer money on some wasteful program (pork).
The result is everyone is pissed off about various things - but they expect OTHER PEOPLES representatives to be shown the door - not their own.

In Cali we have a bunch of "short timer" politicians that are ineffective at dealing with issues, and that spend their time feathering their nest for their next political office after they're termed out.

Seriously - Term limits has a lot of unintended consequences...
it does, but damn!!! We don't seem to be willing (as a people) to vote out these folks that keep screwing us over. Maybe it's a co-dependent/abusive relationship type thing? Our political self-esteem is so low that we think we can't do any better?

48fordcoe
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48fordcoe 7/15/2009 11:09am
7/15/2009 11:09am
YES
and no life time pay ,let them get a job like us...
brainbasket
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brainbasket 7/15/2009 11:14am
7/15/2009 11:14am
48fordcoe wrote:
YES
and no life time pay ,let them get a job like us...
If only it were that easy.

They'll get a job alright - With one of the firms they helped out by voting a certain way, knowing they had only a short time to leave their mark, and having no fear of being held accountable and voted out of office....
Void Main
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Void Main 7/15/2009 11:14am
7/15/2009 11:14am
Theoretically if a congressman fucks up bad enough they would get voted out of office anyway. If they are doing a good job and people want them to stay why not? The problem is the dumb ass people keep voting them back in. Instead of term limits we should have public education on the issues so these bozos will get voted out when they suck.
brainbasket
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brainbasket 7/15/2009 11:16am
7/15/2009 11:16am
Void Main wrote:
Theoretically if a congressman fucks up bad enough they would get voted out of office anyway. If they are doing a good job and people want...
Theoretically if a congressman fucks up bad enough they would get voted out of office anyway. If they are doing a good job and people want them to stay why not? The problem is the dumb ass people keep voting them back in. Instead of term limits we should have public education on the issues so these bozos will get voted out when they suck.
You're Right!
Nerd
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Nerd 7/15/2009 11:18am
7/15/2009 11:18am
Brainbasket has a good handle on this one...

Nice job with the logic, BB.
Ivan
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Ivan 7/15/2009 11:23am
7/15/2009 11:23am
I'm a no also. I would rather see a civics test on the ballot that would cancel your vote if you don't pass.

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Farva
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Farva 7/15/2009 11:24am
7/15/2009 11:24am
brainbasket wrote:
If only it were that easy. They'll get a job alright - With one of the firms they helped out by voting a certain way, knowing...
If only it were that easy.

They'll get a job alright - With one of the firms they helped out by voting a certain way, knowing they had only a short time to leave their mark, and having no fear of being held accountable and voted out of office....
Because we don't have lobbyists now...
Nerd
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Nerd 7/15/2009 11:38am
7/15/2009 11:38am
Ivan wrote:
I'm a no also. I would rather see a civics test on the ballot that would cancel your vote if you don't pass.
95% of the people on this board would not be allowed to vote.
Dean
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Dean 7/15/2009 12:01pm
7/15/2009 12:01pm
oh jeez louise

rallendude
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rallendude 7/15/2009 12:14pm
7/15/2009 12:14pm
We need to gut the place and start over from the local levels up.
oldx
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oldx 7/15/2009 12:19pm
7/15/2009 12:19pm
rallendude wrote:
We need to gut the place and start over from the local levels up.
X2
flarider
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flarider 7/15/2009 12:29pm
7/15/2009 12:29pm
We have term limits, it's called "elections"

and BB is right
Farva
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Farva 7/15/2009 12:42pm
7/15/2009 12:42pm
flarider wrote:
We have term limits, it's called "elections"

and BB is right
Elections are not term limits.
Dean
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Dean 7/15/2009 12:59pm
7/15/2009 12:59pm
The argument that it takes too long to get acclimated is indicative of a system that has gotten out of hand. Bills don't need to be as convoluted as they are now. The system would evolve and the learning curve would catch up.

Why is that only two opponents to this are incumbents and special interests, particularly the unions?

I think it's worth trying.
flarider
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flarider 7/15/2009 1:34pm
7/15/2009 1:34pm
flarider wrote:
We have term limits, it's called "elections"

and BB is right
Farva wrote:
Elections are not term limits.
Yes, it is.
The electorate decides what their representative's term is limited to.

If they think their representative is doing a good job, they extend his or her term by re-electing that person.
If they believe otherwise, they vote to end the representative's term to that point.

flarider
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flarider 7/15/2009 1:37pm
7/15/2009 1:37pm
Dean wrote:
The argument that it takes too long to get acclimated is indicative of a system that has gotten out of hand. Bills don't need to be...
The argument that it takes too long to get acclimated is indicative of a system that has gotten out of hand. Bills don't need to be as convoluted as they are now. The system would evolve and the learning curve would catch up.

Why is that only two opponents to this are incumbents and special interests, particularly the unions?

I think it's worth trying.
The "acclimation" issue is really more of a power issue, power by seniority

If you had term limits, who are the senior representatives?
WhKnuckle
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WhKnuckle 7/15/2009 1:45pm
7/15/2009 1:45pm
The other term limiting mechanism is an opposing party. If a Congressman is doing a bad job, the opposing party can roust out a good candidate to try to defeat him. If the people don't vote for the opposition, they keep the one they have - they apparently still want him there. Frankly, I don't think there should be term limits on presidents either. I didn't like Bill Clinton but I think he'd have beaten Dubya Bush in '00, and if he had, the country would have been much better off.
Farva
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Farva 7/15/2009 1:50pm
7/15/2009 1:50pm
The only people for this are people who want Obama for dictator it seems.

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