crumplestiltskin
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OK guys I'll be short and quick here. With all the batshit stuff going on and with congressional approval at an all time low, how have there not been term limits paved on these ass hats.
Piornet
There's a compelling argument against it
LinguisticBitch
Why are they allowed to continue the race if the FBI is investigating the candidates?
EGOT
Because members are more effective in committee when they have experience.
Burgerdan2Tall
Founding fathers figured it was a shitty job, didn't think anyone would stay away from their home state too long.
AllRightYouTootinMaverik
Because they make the rules. Same reason their healthcare is free to them and they give themselves pay raises
RenegadeTQ
I'm generally in favor of term limits but there are some pretty good arguments against it that are best left in a PoliSci class and not here
Beleg7
Term limits don't actually fix the perverse incentives that are causing the problems. We need voters to hold them to a higher standard.
theonetrueCronos
Studies have shown that people who say the disapprove of congress usually give higher marks to their own rep and senator.
ThePickliestRick
Because congress are the people who decide if Congress should have term limits.
impactify
Because noone is really paying attention to them. People just vote along party lines and move along.
PoolOrAPond
Real answer is preserving Rep/Sen committee knowledge, specialization, & seniority structures in Congress, constant turnover wouldn't work
perfectlyrics
This. Term limits are a terrible idea.
stumps290
Congress does have term limits 2 years for house of reps and 6 years for senate. The judicial branch is the only branch that doesn't.
Beleg7
This Congress is the result of a wave of freshmen TEA Party reps elected in 2010. How is that working out?
RadTechExtreme
I still wonder why your president can only serve for two terms
napoleonsghost
Because of U.S. Term Limits, Inc. v. Thornton
DrJSJ
More congressional turnover = more control by lobbyists, because we can' give them term limits. Experienced politicians get things done.
smeeshsmoosh
This is important. Term limits = you have no stake in not leaving a mess.
fadingtheory
I'll give you three guesses to the question 'Which branch has the power to make such a law.'
DespiseEveryone
Because often the new guys are no better. Chance for the sake of change is a foolish argument. What you really need is better voters.
madetheaccountjustforyou
Because the creators of our system carefully considered term limits vs experienced leaders and figure the public voting would be enough.
Anfalicious
Because having people in congress with decades of experience makes government run better. Gerrymandering is the big prob in the US.
groundscreeperwilly
the same way they can approve all their own pay rises
Reilynn
At this point I am more upset that the president DOES have a term limit. 4 more years of Obama sounds really good right about now.
Cyborgbird
Obama doesn't want four more years, and with good reason. A presidential office with no term limit is easily corrupted.
Neuroactive
1. corruption and 2. actually experience, the backscratching, legislative shelving, Whips and talliers. all require knowing the person (1
Neuroactive
and the other reason is incumbency. the people in congress have records in their constituency, those trying to take their place don't.
crumplestiltskin
I understand that I'm just saying let's guy this shit
4KidCrazy
Would you vote yourself out of a cushy job that pays way more than for the actual work you do plus all the kick ins from lobbyists?
IamSoSoSorry
Don't forget the yearly raise too!
lilleigh3
Don't forget the health care!
Neuroactive
or the yearly check for the rest of your life for [any length of time spent in legislative]
guardian19d
Here is a better question. Why don't more citizens care enough to rise up against the BS and corruption in our government?
aceebro
Everybody loves their congressman. It's everyone else's they hate.
AbsurdSteak
Everybody is too comfortable. Yeah it sucks but we got wifi and cell phones now. Things need to get worse before they're better.
RenegadeTQ
People never think it's their candidate, plus incumbents get party support, easier fundraising, + hometown support from pork put in bills.
ChachCabulivich
Bread and circuses.
PrincessWordplay
Well, in theory we should know better and vote out the incompetent buffoons. The real question is 'What the fuck is wrong with us?'
legalizebestiality
We're divided in half as a nation and focused on fixing the other half by blaming them for everything
AJWILLIKERS
"We looked into the mirror and say our reflection. We decided the reflection was ugly."
Wuz314159
We vote IN the incompetent Buffoons & vote OUT the skilled leaders. . . . P.T. Barnum > Abraham Lincoln
NotTheRealSource
I recently volunteered for a congressman campaign in which we had a map of known voters to try and contact. They were all 50+. The prob1/2
NotTheRealSource
Is very simple, no one votes. The neighborhood I was assigned to go door to door had probably 200 houses, but only 20 were shown to vote.
Nimin
The answer to that question requires a lot of bullet points
frustratedwheelofcheese
Cause people love to bitch and moan but hate actually doing something about it
OtherRichard
Everyone blames the Congress members that aren't their own. "my guys great everyone else sucks"
hEEbtHejEWish
The south is what is wrong with us.
PrincessWordplay
I don't know, I live in Wisconsin and Scott Walker's obviously shady dealings are yet ignored. Seems the disease is nationwide.
Daloth
I live in the south and this isn't wrong. but its for President too, not just congress.
BurgerBuns
Rational ignorance
wellju
Most are mistaking freedom for security and are all held up by 18th century gun and racial discussions.
boopysnoot
The problem is they redraw the district lines to benefit themselves.
PrincessWordplay
There ought to be a public vote required to approve any changes to the lines. But that's true of a lot of things.
Enoan
Easy solution is to design a algorithm that splits people into even districts reasonably fairly, release algorithm to the public, and use it
boopysnoot
Because they would have to vote it into law themselves?
NoSkellingtons
Florida, of all places, is trying to do this now.
ChachCabulivich
Move to the Conch Republic, it's Americas little secret. Key West is the way the U.S was supposed to be. So happy I moved here.
idahomachinist
There would have to be a constitutional convention of the states, create an amendment and 2/3 majority (states) to be come law.
Mas7er
Exactly. Why threaten your job security?
1Tw1
This is exactly the problem with modern democracy. That and limited choice of parties.
ChachCabulivich
America is a Republic, not a democracy!
BourbonBuck
They could be added as an ammendment
crumplestiltskin
They could be forced into it if sought ppl got behind it
scrapadactal
Scrapadactyl as your next congresswoman
boopysnoot
We can't even get them to pass a budget...
iguessidontknowhowtospellimaganative
Alas most don't give a fuck, and they know to keep people distracted with the presidential race.
boopysnoot
Or abortion or taxes or defense or gay rights or...
Wuz314159
Congress DOES have Term Limits. They're called ELECTIONS. Every TWO years in fact. . . . Don't like your Congressman? vote them out!
NotTheRealSource
Went door to door in a neighborhood with a list of known voters for a local campaign. 20/200 houses voted in the last election. VOTE!
cooperbergh
THIS! Fuck this, 'blah blah long shot' im reading! You vote. You fucking vote. YOU don't like something YOU VOTE. Enough long shot talk.
cooperbergh
@Wuz you know what's up.
DukePaulAtreides
(Six years for Senators, it's the House that is every two.)
Daloth
Good luck with that when people in office win reelection 7/10 times and the average person has served 15 years. Can't out vote Baby Boomers
Wuz314159
If 90% of a District re-elect them, why do you want to force them out? Odds are great you'd just get the same exact traits.
crumplestiltskin
You do realize it is fairly rare for an incumbent to be voted out of office if they rerun. 1
crumplestiltskin
The party that put them there won't switch them, and often they have the strength of name recognition and three funds to remain 2
crumplestiltskin
Typically they either have to fuck up royally (and even then sometimes that doesn't do it) or step down to try for a different office
realmdweller
Now I'm off to watch "The Distinguished Gentleman" again. http://youtu.be/AXL7XSW4xHA
EGOT
Redistricting. We need to vote in STATE elections, bc that's usually how districts are drawn after the census. Koch brothers figured it out
Kiwisphere
And most people tend to think their own congress person/senator is doing a good job, but its the other congress/senators that are doing bad.