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Old 11-15-2012, 08:47 AM
 
1,217 posts, read 2,587,190 times
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Forget GOP vs. Dems for a second. But for the sake of building a better Democratic system, does a four-year term make any sense? Especially, since the midterm elections happen at the two-year mark. It seems our system promotes way too much time campaigning, does not allow the President in-charge enough time to implement and push through meaningful reforms, and most importantly forces the government in charge to think and act short-term, not long-term, which is essential for the good of the country. For instance, a President is biased to spend or implement policies that would temporarily lower employment or raise GDP to build a trend leading up to an election as opposed to pursuing sustainable policies. Not to say this will be eliminated but it will be tempered and may yield significant benefits to soceity. We all know human nature drives us and Politicians have to manage the polls to get re-elected. It seems like our system is working against us and not for us and I think we should seriously consider six-year terms. What do you guys think?
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Old 11-15-2012, 08:50 AM
 
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That's probably not a bad idea. Especially because they start campaigning so early.
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Old 11-15-2012, 08:50 AM
 
2,930 posts, read 2,215,947 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by johnathanc View Post
Forget GOP vs. Dems for a second. But for the sake of building a better Democratic system, does a four-year term make any sense? Especially, since the midterm elections happen at the two-year mark. It seems our system promotes way too much time campaigning, does not allow the President in-charge enough time to implement and push through meaningful reforms, and most importantly forces the government in charge to think and act short-term, not long-term, which is essential for the good of the country. For instance, a President is biased to spend or implement policies that would temporarily lower employment or raise GDP to build a trend leading up to an election as opposed to pursuing sustainable policies. Not to say this will be eliminated but it will be tempered and may yield significant benefits to soceity. We all know human nature drives us and Politicians have to manage the polls to get re-elected. It seems like our system is working against us and not for us and I think we should seriously consider six-year terms. What do you guys think?
I agree. One six year term, no pension.
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Old 11-15-2012, 08:52 AM
Status: "Ephesians 6:12" (set 15 days ago)
 
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one year, make em earn it.
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Old 11-15-2012, 08:57 AM
 
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I don't mind the four year term for president; I do think a two-year term for a representative is too short, and should be four years and coincide with the presidential election.
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Old 11-15-2012, 08:59 AM
 
3,614 posts, read 3,489,860 times
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You could also reform campaign laws, force campaigns to only run for 90 days before an election (or sixty, or forty five, or thirty, etc). You need some campaign time. I imagine 60 days would be plenty. Keep in mind, the election campaign only really started in at the end of August, beginning of September, once both parties had chosen their candidates. There is no reason to limit how long challengers could in-fight and jockey for position as the party nominee.
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Old 12-06-2012, 04:27 PM
 
1,217 posts, read 2,587,190 times
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Originally Posted by Konraden View Post
You could also reform campaign laws, force campaigns to only run for 90 days before an election (or sixty, or forty five, or thirty, etc). You need some campaign time. I imagine 60 days would be plenty. Keep in mind, the election campaign only really started in at the end of August, beginning of September, once both parties had chosen their candidates. There is no reason to limit how long challengers could in-fight and jockey for position as the party nominee.
60 days of campaign time should be enough. This whole super PAC concept completely blows my mind as well. It's kind of confusing but imagine having organizations that can fund raise and spend unlimited amounts to campaign on your behalf. There is no way they don't talk and coordinate with the campaign managers of the Candidate. And I don't even think they have to disclose who really contributed. This is really a corrupt system IMO. Our politics are too heavily infleunced by corporate interests. If you don't have at least some industries behind you, you have no chance. No wonder nothing gets done until it is too late in this country.
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Old 12-06-2012, 04:30 PM
 
2,043 posts, read 2,890,720 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by johnathanc View Post
Forget GOP vs. Dems for a second. But for the sake of building a better Democratic system, does a four-year term make any sense? Especially, since the midterm elections happen at the two-year mark. It seems our system promotes way too much time campaigning, does not allow the President in-charge enough time to implement and push through meaningful reforms, and most importantly forces the government in charge to think and act short-term, not long-term, which is essential for the good of the country. For instance, a President is biased to spend or implement policies that would temporarily lower employment or raise GDP to build a trend leading up to an election as opposed to pursuing sustainable policies. Not to say this will be eliminated but it will be tempered and may yield significant benefits to soceity. We all know human nature drives us and Politicians have to manage the polls to get re-elected. It seems like our system is working against us and not for us and I think we should seriously consider six-year terms. What do you guys think?
I agree.
I think presidents should get one six-year term. Since they now spend two years of their first year campaigning and two years of their second term as lame ducks, why not just give them one six-year term? If people like the direction the country is going at the end of the six-year term, they can vote in the candidate from that president's party again.
Additionally, get rid of life-long congressmen. Gross.
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Old 12-06-2012, 04:41 PM
 
753 posts, read 724,897 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by johnathanc View Post
Forget GOP vs. Dems for a second. But for the sake of building a better Democratic system, does a four-year term make any sense? Especially, since the midterm elections happen at the two-year mark. It seems our system promotes way too much time campaigning, does not allow the President in-charge enough time to implement and push through meaningful reforms, and most importantly forces the government in charge to think and act short-term, not long-term, which is essential for the good of the country. For instance, a President is biased to spend or implement policies that would temporarily lower employment or raise GDP to build a trend leading up to an election as opposed to pursuing sustainable policies. Not to say this will be eliminated but it will be tempered and may yield significant benefits to soceity. We all know human nature drives us and Politicians have to manage the polls to get re-elected. It seems like our system is working against us and not for us and I think we should seriously consider six-year terms. What do you guys think?
An odd result of this is that two-thirds of states would have a Senate seat permanently aligned with Presidential elections. These states, of course, would all have a second Senate seat permanently unaligned with Presidential elections.

One-third of states would have both Senate seats permanently unalighed with Presidential elections.

Currently, every Senate seat alternates -- its election coincides with a Presidential election, then the next time it doesn't.

Since there is some relationship between Presidential races and downticket races, this would have unusual effects applying inequally to the states.

Also, it will never happen.
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Old 12-06-2012, 04:44 PM
 
2,635 posts, read 3,498,590 times
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I'd go with:

President: 5 year term, 12 years max.
House of Representatives: 3 year term, 15 years max.
Senate: 6 year term, 21 years max.
Supreme Court: 20 year initial term, followed by 10 year reconfirmations.
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