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You guys advocating term limits for Congress just remember that a constant member turnover will give the unelected career bureaucrats even more power and lobbyists even more influence. The lobbyists will go after the bureaucrats (they do that now) instead of the elected officials. And nobody will know what's happening.
How is that different from the President going around congress and directing bureaucrats in EPA, IRS and others to do his bidding?
Abuse of power occurs when a life-long senator from an insignificant state like Nevada makes national policy based upon regional needs.
Abuse of power comes about when a life-long representative who is only elected by the people of San Fransisco makes national policy based upon what will get her re-elected.
Since bureaucrats don't make their own rules, I don't see that you have made a case AT ALL that turning over legislators will somehow give department heads more power.
Because FDR thought he was a king, admittedly tried to pack the Supreme Court with a passel of "extra" judges, and probably would've run again had he not keeled over.
You guys advocating term limits for Congress just remember that a constant member turnover will give the unelected career bureaucrats even more power and lobbyists even more influence. The lobbyists will go after the bureaucrats (they do that now) instead of the elected officials. And nobody will know what's happening.
Flush that idea out a little more. It may have some merit
Flush that idea out a little more. It may have some merit
Right now who writes the laws? It's not the Senators or Representatives, all they do is vote on them. Most of them don't even read the laws but depend on a one or two page summary written by someone on their staff. Which they may or may not understand.
Who writes them is the people in the Department impacted. Something about the environment? That's the EPA, maybe Fish and Wildlife, possibly Interior.
Where do the bureaucrats in those Departments get their information and "guidance"? From the lobbyists and industry representatives. Whether it's the UMW, or the NAM, or the Audobon Society.
It's like that at almost every level of government from the federal down through the states down through counties down to towns. At the local level that's how you get the weird **** like a development agreement that turns over a road to a developer with the town paying to bury power lines, waive sewer and water connection fees and permanently suspend property taxes on the parcel.
That's a true story, by the way. I've spent much of the last 30 years as an elected official. The above was almost approved a number of years ago. I wasn't in office at the time and called the then officials on it when they were getting ready to pass it. They called me a liar whereupon I referenced the page numbers. Not a single one of them had read it, not one, and it was less than 60 pages. And that's just one example I could cite.
Last edited by North Beach Person; 03-02-2016 at 06:26 AM..
Thank God for term limits. The stupidity of the American people elected Obozo twice. Thank God his time is up! Then we must begin the task of restoring America.
One term, in any one elected office in one persons life. No retirement benefits, no "royal" treatment, no political parties, no fund raising for campaigns, no special security. Nothing, nada, zilch. "Citizen government" should be exactly that...citizens coming together to make the best decisions possible for the country.
Those are the term limits we "should" have. Lord, could you imagine our poor country having to deal with zero-bumma as president for more than two terms? We really couldn't afford the 5 star vacations and golf trips. Our predecessors were very wise, but they just could not foresee the depth of corruption, cowardice, and incompetence that would eventually creep into American politics.
I mean, if you like the guy, just vote for him again and again until he screws up, right?
Term limits are really a just a happy accident. Consider this: Who was the first president of the USA? That's right it was John Hanson. Under the Articles of Confederation, George Washington did exactly what he wanted to do. He went home and left public service forever. John Hanson was the first of 8 US presidents before the adoption of the Constitution. Trouble was, the USA didn't just need a stronger central government. It needed George Washington to make it real. So Washington reluctantly unretired, presided over the Constitutional Convention and agreed to run for President. The people of the United States had every intention of making George Washington into a Constitutional monarchy/dictatorship. Washington was so loved and respected that whatever he did became the unwritten law. Swearing the oath of office on a Bible. Shunning titles like "Your Majesty", "Your Excellency" or "Your Worship" and insisting up the much more pedestrian title of "Mr President." And because he didn't really want to be President in the first place, he served two terms and then retired again. George Washington is the man who would not be king.
Having no term limits is a dangerous thing. We see its terrible corrupting influence on Congress. But for the leader of our country, it creates a monster that isn't easily killed. When FDR was running for his fourth term, one of the biggest reasons he was reelected was that Americans could barely remember the days where FDR was not president. Many thought the idea of anyone else being president was terrifying. It was alien. Unfamiliar. This is what inevitably happens when the leader of a country has the ability to stay in office indefinitely. People get comfortable with them and just pull the lever for the same guy over and over again with little or no care for the man's programs or politics.
Term limits force us to focus on the issues that matter to us. It forces us to pay more attention to our government. It forces us to get involved more. It's a very good thing.
Right now who writes the laws? It's not the Senators or Representatives, all they do is vote on them. Most of them don't even read the laws but depend on a one or two page summary written by someone on their staff. Which they may or may not understand.
Who writes them is the people in the Department impacted. Something about the environment? That's the EPA, maybe Fish and Wildlife, possibly Interior.
Where do the bureaucrats in those Departments get their information and "guidance"? From the lobbyists and industry representatives. Whether it's the UMW, or the NAM, or the Audobon Society.
It's like that at almost every level of government from the federal down through the states down through counties down to towns. At the local level that's how you get the weird **** like a development agreement that turns over a road to a developer with the town paying to bury power lines, waive sewer and water connection fees and permanently suspend property taxes on the parcel.
That's a true story, by the way. I've spent much of the last 30 years as an elected official. The above was almost approved a number of years ago. I wasn't in office at the time and called the then officials on it when they were getting ready to pass it. They called me a liar whereupon I referenced the page numbers. Not a single one of them had read it, not one, and it was less than 60 pages. And that's just one example I could cite.
Anyone who pays attention knows that what you say is absolutely true -- add to that, these Bureaucrat Careerists that work in Government can't be fired because of their Unions. They already have too much control - short term limits just give them more control.
I could be in favor of a reasonable Term Limit, but we also have to make it possible to clean out the Careerist Bureaucrats as needed.
Right now who writes the laws? It's not the Senators or Representatives, all they do is vote on them. Most of them don't even read the laws but depend on a one or two page summary written by someone on their staff. Which they may or may not understand.
Who writes them is the people in the Department impacted. Something about the environment? That's the EPA, maybe Fish and Wildlife, possibly Interior.
Where do the bureaucrats in those Departments get their information and "guidance"? From the lobbyists and industry representatives. Whether it's the UMW, or the NAM, or the Audobon Society.
It's like that at almost every level of government from the federal down through the states down through counties down to towns. At the local level that's how you get the weird **** like a development agreement that turns over a road to a developer with the town paying to bury power lines, waive sewer and water connection fees and permanently suspend property taxes on the parcel.
That's a true story, by the way. I've spent much of the last 30 years as an elected official. The above was almost approved a number of years ago. I wasn't in office at the time and called the then officials on it when they were getting ready to pass it. They called me a liar whereupon I referenced the page numbers. Not a single one of them had read it, not one, and it was less than 60 pages. And that's just one example I could cite.
I could say very similar scenarios about healthcare/cmms... Not that I worked for the government but over many years I was one of the individuals pointing out the inconsistencies during the open forums before the final rule hit the fed register.
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