Can the Congress be saved?

[CajunRaven]

Or one longer term...

Ted Turner once proposed a single 10 year term for President....

That makes sense. Make the House terms longer, but keep the two year elections and rotate the seats up for re-election like the Senate.

[soulflower]

Congress can be saved when we get big money out of politics

They spend more time fundraising than legislating

[SemiAuto]

Congress can be saved when we get big money out of politics

They spend more time fundraising than legislating

Then get politics out of big money. You don't see billion dollar campaigns for dog catcher for a reason.

[gonzoliberal]

Congress can be saved when we get big money out of politics

They spend more time fundraising than legislating

Yet we're moving in the opposite direction.

Go figure...

[soulflower]

Then get politics out of big money. You don't see billion dollar campaigns for dog catcher for a reason.

Why do people spend millions for Senate seats?

[CajunRaven]

Yet we're moving in the opposite direction.

Go figure...

It hurts too much to try and figure out how to solve that one........

[flyboy56]

Why do people spend millions for Senate seats?

They are sure they can recoup the money with bribes if they win. Not to mention a nice little retirement package after serving just one term.

[LarryN]

Or one longer term...

Ted Turner once proposed a single 10 year term for President....

10 years is too long. I could get behind one 6 year term.

[RIKMAN]

Good comments all.

Perhaps reading the bill before passing it would be a good idea to eliminate the pork!

Back in the days before all the lobbyists wrote the bills, I would think that bills could have been easily read and reviewed and that representatives knew what they were voting. I hate to think that Lincoln in the House, Henry Clay, Daniel Webster or any of the legends of Congress didn't read a bill before voting.

Sadly, the self made complexity of government has made it incomprehensible to most of the folks ...including the elected ones!

[flyboy56]

Good comments all.

Perhaps reading the bill before passing it would be a good idea to eliminate the pork!

Back in the days before all the lobbyists wrote the bills, I would think that bills could have been easily read and reviewed and that representatives knew what they were voting. I hate to think that Lincoln in the House, Henry Clay, Daniel Webster or any of the legends of Congress didn't read a bill before voting.

Sadly, the self made complexity of government has made it incomprehensible to most of the folks ...including the elected ones!

How about passing a law that requires all bills be available to representatives and the public at least one week before it should be signed. Not this behind closed doors and late at night quick voting without anyone knowing everything that is in it. Is that what is being called transparent these days?

[Creekman]

Maryland does one thing better than the Feds when it comes to legislation.

The State Constitution requires that all bills be limited to one subject and that be described in the title of the bill.

If this was happening in Congress it would be hard to slip in pork amendments as well as other unrelated things in legislation.

http://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual...html/proc.html

[flyboy56]

Maryland does one thing better than the Feds when it comes to legislation.

The State Constitution requires that all bills be limited to one subject and that be described in the title of the bill.

If this was happening in Congress it would be hard to slip in pork amendments as well as other unrelated things in legislation.

http://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual...html/proc.html

I agree. Which is probably why the fed does everything in such a complicated way.