Oh, our fun-loving, whacky GOP leadership!
 

:zz:

Honestly the Repubs in Congress are just getting to be to much. They wanted small business help but they are calling Obama's plan to use the Tarp money "stimulus 2" and opposing. Dems are just as bad, but its hard to believe or agree with anything coming out of a Repub congressperson these days.

I really hate the current government and both parties.

The Dems want one thing so the Republicans automatically oppose.

The Republicans want one thing so the Dems automatically oppose.

Do all problems require two extreme viewpoints? Dont some problems/issues have a common answer that everyone can agree with?

The Republicans and Democrats dont give a DAMN about you or I. Most of them are probably too drunk or stupid to even understand the issues they give opinions on.

They all need to freaking go. Its time for our Congressmen to get paid about $45G per year and have 8 year term limits. then maybe people will enter politics for the right reasons, to make a positive difference in this country.

Yes, "now", after 8 years, they are saying, "oh, no, put all monies towards that huge deficit!" (that George Bush gave us .... :D

I agree, both parties are not immune.

Well, now it looks like we'll have an unoffical third party, The Teabaggers (or the TeaBag Patriots, depending upon if they've been told about what teabaggin' means in the common vernacular :p)

But, if the Sarah Palin-successionist types go Teabaggin', and drag the true extremist crazies and the Libertarians (sorry, LIbertarians) off the GOP and out into Teabaggin' land, that leaves a GOP that can reform into a useful political force. They won't have the extreme crazies (also improperly known as "the base") to dance to, the GOP can return to being a combined moderate and conservative, sensible GOP.

No kidding. I didn't realize that after your years in Congress, you retain your health plan and I think a bit of salary. Geesh, let's run for office!

FYI

"Congressman Rostenkowski" is how the former chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means committee answered his cell phone. Not "ex-con Rostenkowski," not "Mr. Rostenkowski," not even "Hey, I've been pardoned by Bill Clinton, Rostenkowski".

Nope, it's "Congressman."

And with good reason. Congress is still paying the chairman. According to the National Taxpayers Union, an organization that advocates for lower taxes, Rosty is making $126,000 a year from his federal pension. Not bad for a guy that went to prison after being indicted on 17 counts of, among other charges, embezzling public funds.

Crime in this profession pays.......

Yeah, THAT'S exactly what I was trying to remember about that "bit" of salary!

They already have term limits. One term at a time. They just somehow keep getting re-elected. Take away the lifetime health plan and any pension. If they know they are going to have to slum it some day like the rest of us do every day they might have a greater concern for what condition they leave the country in.

Oh yeah I'm sure that wouldn't make matters worse. :rolleyes:

"Hey we're cutting your pension AND dropping health care coverage after you leave office. Oh and while we're at it your pay is going to be cut by 50%. Ya see, only people who make s.hit pay and have s.hit benefits are honest in this country. I read that on a forum called derby trail."

I just think greed and the lust for re-election keeps them a tiny bit accountable to their constituents. If there isn't a massive turnover in 2010 especially in districts where the representatives ignore the people who put them in office, I will rethink that opinion.

If the good people of S.F. and Guam feel they are being represented fairly by Pelosi they should have the right to keep voting her in. Term limits in the Legislative branch just seem like something meant to please people who can't stand someone else's Representative. Did I just defend Pelosi?:zz:

I think if the people/constituents want to keep re-electing someone, they should have the opportunity. Regardless of the supposed bad apples that are usually front and center, there are a lot of good people trying to do good things and I have no problem with them being re-elected as many times as long as they deserve it.

the problem isn't term limits. it's gerrymandering.

districts are drawn to maximize safety for the largest number of house members whose party controls the state legislature following the census every 10 years.

if dems are in control they draw as many safe democratic districts as possible. what's left over are safe republican districts because most of the dems have been jammed into other districts. the same thing happens when republicans control the process.

the solution to this problem isn't term limits. it's taking the power to draw districts away from politicians.

that will never happen though because voters are laughably stupid. they always fall for the line that having an appointed panel take on this job is anti-democratic. they want to believe that since "their" elected legislature does it, they actually have some input. suckers.

politicians drawing district boundries = uncompetetive districts. competetive districts = responsive elected officials.

i wonder why everyone thinks their elected officials are unresponsive?

That's criminal!