I do not understand the notion of term limits. It seems to me, term limits is addressing the symptom and not the problem. Term limits seems like price fixing to me. Price fixing and govrnmant controls have never worked. What if neither of the NEW candidates are worth a dime and the incumbent is leaving only because his time is up. What if the incumbent is doing a GREAT job? It seems to me, most of the so called Campaign reforms of the past twenty years seem to be closer to the problem. The incumbents currently have the deck stacked in their favor against any new entry. If Ron Paul had been a victim of term limits, I never would have heard of him. I believe he is now serving something like his fourteenth term. If we don't think someone is doing a good job, we can give him the end of his term by voting him out. Perhaps eliminating any election contributions would help. Having a candidate only able to promote what he has done while in office might help. No Mudslinging, no promises that aren't backed up by events that are currently being promoted. I know that Fairtax will help since half the lobbyists will disappear. I do not know the answer, but I know that term limits is one of those ideas that sound good on the surface, but may be something that makes the issue worse. I do not know the answer but I know more research needs to be done. When I was standing in line to vote in 2008, the people in front of me were deciding who they would vote for while they were in line. Term limits is just saying, since you people aren't paying attention, we are going to make you vote for some one you never heard of instead of voting for a name you recognize.
On another note, Does any one know what has happened to Micheleking. She no longer is answering emails and has not made any posts since June 24th. I fear something has happened to her.
The last email (June 28th) I had from Miss Michele said she was becoming active in Twitter and spending most of her time there. It is possible she is simply not visiting us anymore.
I have often thought as you have - are term limits a good idea? In the past, I didn't think so; however, I have lately become to believe it is a necessary "evil". When I take a look at what a member of Congress gets paid these days (about $175,000 - not to mention all of the other perks), it makes me ask why they are there - is it to serve the public or to serve themselves?. I can think of several members of Congress that could not earn that kind of money in the private sector simply because they are incapable of earning it legitimately anywhere else.
I think we should drop the amount of compensation to about half of what it is now, and limit how long any one member can earn it. I think this will get rid of all the incompetent members living off the taxpayer and provide us with members who truly want to do something good for America. Will this result in eliminating some of the "good" members? Yes, most likely. But it will also get rid of the bad ones as well.
Again, just my thoughts. Like you, I don't have the answers - but I think this might provide a certain amount of thinking for those who might have the same question in their mind.
I think you might have hit on a great start to eliminate unscrupulous congress men with out term limits No salary, only cover legitimate, preset, list of expenses. The original representatives were volunteers. So were the framers of the constitution although most had wealth to start with.
I have also thought that you could do without term limits if you could do away with the "Golden Parachutes" and other perks that the politicians get, but then the only people that could afford to run and serve would be the rich aristocrats----would that work???
no retirement unless you get re-elected at least once. You had to do some thing right to get re-elected. retirement pay equal to the average Americans retirement of that time with cost of living increases. Salary would be based on the average American working mans salary, with only certain expenses allowed above that. I think I might be persuaded to run for office. Give me an incentive of 1% of what ever I save the public in taxes and I could be rich beyond my wildest dreams. I am sure there is a better solution then term limits. After all, if the politician is only going to be in office two terms, what is to stop him from voting for an increase in pay to compensate for the additional years he might have been in office. If you are not fighting to get re-elected, what is the incentive to do the right thing by your constituents. That's the problem we have now with the campaign reforms that are now in existence. Show me any case when a "limit" has actually worked as intended. remember 55 MPH? Remember price controls on gasoline in the eighties? I just don't think term limits is the answer. I see it creating worse issues. It does not address the cause, only the symptom.
Ain't it funny how the FairTax either fixes completely, or fixes as well as any one piece of legislation can, hundreds of our nations problems, all at once.
I think a new party called the "Reaganites" would be a success. Ronald Reagan stood for fiscal and social responsibility. I believe that if he were President today, he would have the Fairtax passed within a year.
If you relate to Reagan, and want to help get people like him elected so we can get tax reform off the ground, visit www.billybarepockets.com, and join the grassroots effort now!
Permalink Reply by Judy on August 14, 2009 at 1:13am
I believe we do need a conservative third party that true conservatives in the Dem and Rep parties would join. The party would need to be very conservative in its platform that the other two parties have totally abandoned. This party would be against The New World Order, giving up The United States Sovernity to the United Nations and against The United States being under International Laws. The party would be for The United States not to be a member of the United Nations. Require that the United Nations headquarters be moved to another country immediately. I was raised a Democrat, then after Jimmy Carter, I changed to the Republican Party because the party's platform was conservative. I left the Republican party after 1st George W. Bush administration. The party platform must also be free market, get government out of all Americans lives, get rid of the IRS, for a Fair and Simple Tax with limits that must never allow different party leaders to change the percentage collected, the simplicity of the collection, nor how it is collected. The party platform must agree to secure all our borders with electronic fenses, Israel style fence, funding for at least 100,000 more border guards or what ever manpower, and the firepower that is needed to stop the illegal and drug gangs from entering U.S. soil and killing our citizens. The party platform must also include returning all illegal aliens and alien families back to their own countries immediately. The platform should be for the removal the illegal alien baby born in the United States should automaticly make the baby a U.S. citizen law. etc.
I am so sorry for going on, but it is 1:30 am and I am very angry with our political parties and leaders and how they are destroying the United States! I am just a white hair grandmother who is disabled and can't hit the streets to protest like I really want to. I will do what I can even if I get labeled belonging to a mob, or am put on any lists that obama thugs wants to put me own.
They consider me, unborn children, and children up to 2 years old not worthy of staying alive, we are not contributing to the gobal societies good! First they were allowed to kill the unborn children, and majority of the citizens said it was a mothers choice and did nothing. Then they came and took all children two and under and killed them for the global society's good. And again the citizens did nothing. Then they decided it was for the good of the gobal society to kill all so called seniors citizens over, lets say 58 years old and all ages of the disabled citizens (baby boomers, vets, etc). Do you think the citizens will still be thinking of the gobal societies good or will you be worried that your family is next and wished you had been active in stopping the killing of the unborn children. I know I have been yelling about the take over of our country for many years, including trying to stop the killing of the unborn children. As you can see I do not know my grammer, nor do I know how to spell well and I will be critized for it! But, I am included in "We The People," and this is my country and mine, my daughter, and grandson's tax money being spent on total waste by our government, and I have as much right to speak my opinions as loud as I want, just as much as the next conservative or liberal! That is what I intent to do! I will stand up for The Constitution and The United States! Thanks for letting me vent! Good Night! May GOD Bless all of you and GOD Bless The U.S.A.! Judy Cody
We have officially coined the term "Reaganite" on our website www.billybarepockets.com and are seeing it quickly become what might be the third party. All of our members follow the same conservative beliefs of our favorite President of recent years. In his inaugural address in 1980 Reagan stated that if our Country was to recover from the challenges we faced then we would need three things:
Strong faith in God,
Good work ethic,
And Compassion for our fellow citizens.
Reaganites follow these same ideas and work hard to get people elected who also follow them. I hope you'll come join us to get good people elected to key positions at all levels of government.