Term Limits and Campaign Finance Reform

[KeithE]

Gene often brings Term Limits up and I agree.

So much so, I'd say the Presidency, Senators, Representatives should be one term only. That way they can execute their duties without an eye on collecting campaign cash for the next election (and the corruption that entails). We also end up with a broader based democracy and no "professsional" politicians.

But we really do not get rid of moneyed "interests", by Term Limits alone. We need a cheap way for candidates to run for office, so that non-wealthy people with ideas can run. Have candidates collect enough supporters signatures to qualify for public debates of the issues. It used to be that a media outlet had to show some sort of public service to obtain a license. We could use that for the public debates and get rid of the expensive signage/ TV ads/ political pundits.

Thoughts?

[Tim Bonney]

I don't believe that term limits solve the problem. All you get are inexperienced legislators. I don't see that reducing corruption.

[Ed Pettibone]

[KeithE]

With all having the same amount of "experience", that will limit the jaded status quo, partisanship, gridlock, and protect-their-committee turfism we see so much of in Congress. They might even discuss the issues more even handily.

[Tim Bonney]

[KeithE]

[Dave Roberts]

I would favor a restructuring that gives the President one six-year term, Senators a maximum of three six-year terms, and House members should have a maximum of six two-year terms. I would also favor making the Supreme Court a twenty-year appointment, not lifetime. Just my humble opinion.

[Haruo]

[Tim Bonney]

I'd not support the term limits for the Supreme Court. It would make the court even more political than it already is.

[Dave Roberts]

[KeithE]

[Tim Bonney]

[KeithE]

[Stephen Fox]

http://conconcon.org/

And a transcript that may make a difference.

I plan to ask Senator Shelby, if that will come to anything, and his staff about this next time I see him in Town Hall

http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2011- ... transcript

Keith, I am interested in your take after you read the transcript

[Gene Scarborough]

Keith---

I appreciate the reference to my "sacred cow" of TERM LIMITS.

I have been watching this dog-and-pony show in Washington for more years than you know---it has become rediculous.

A good friend pastored a church inside the beltline in the 70's. He knew first hand what was going on. His observation was: "If the American public saw what I see every night with cocktail parties / drunkeness / subversive pandering, we would kick the whole bund of leeches out!"

He was no fool and told the truth! Therefore, don't give the leeches of society one thing more than their constitutuents get and roll them over on a more regular basis!!!! Lobbyests are the beast from Hell!

1) Campaign disclosure of fund raising has produced NOTHING!
2) We have a bunch of pandering leeches allowing Corporations and the Rich to pay little taxes
3) Enough is ENOUGH = send them home after 2-3 terms and see if the rich can suck them in again--it takes a little time in to turn a good old boy into a leech just wanting to be re-elected!!!

[Tim Bonney]

[Tim Bonney]

[Haruo]

Tim, do you regard the current constitutional two-term limit on the presidency as anti-democratic?

[Gene Scarborough]

Tim---

You are approaching Term Limits from an idealistic perspective with little consideration to the originial purpose of representative government.

No one got paid in the beginning and that limited the time they could take away from home and business.

Roosevelt's extra terms were seen as hurtful and that resulted in a Term Limit on the Presidency.

There is none on the Supreme Court which is now being used as a tool to achieve political purposes rather than to simply interpret the Constitution. Is this a good thing in this divisive and hateful political climate?

Our real problem is a lack of statesmanship among those elected---but that is a moral issue and you can't legislate morality!

[KeithE]

[KeithE]

[Tim Bonney]

[Gene Scarborough]

Tim---

I recognize a difference between 1776 and 2012---and the need for better representation is greater now than it was in the beginning!

In 1776 it took news some 2 weeks to circulate / now it does so in 2 minutes. You would think Congress could quit moving like snails in the legislative process more akin to 1776. That is hardly progress nor efficiency in representation.

Any representative could use the internet to quickly poll their constituents on any issue so representation could actually be much more accurate and efficient---IT'S NOT!

I refer you to the description above given me in the 70's by my friend pastoring a Baptist Church inside the Beltline: drunken parties by lobbists / money flowing into back pockets in cash / little more than surface meeting of constituents' needs.

I have had a few instances of personal problems met by federal representatives. The most responsive were the most conservative: Strom Thurmond / Jesse Helms. So I know things can be moved forward by proper attention to real needs of a constituent.

3 years ago when my house was foreclosed / I moved here with little to do except freeze in a summer cottage with no insulation, I wrote and emailed my 2 Congressmen (Hagen [D] and Burr [R]). I was telling them the story of the Depression and the Land Bank Solution offered the most prominent small businessmen in America, the family farmer. It is a real story based on what we really have = DEPRESSION! Neither of them gave me the courtesy of a reply. I was using their websites plus Burr's fine liason person in his Rocky Mount office so I know the message got through.

Nothing has happened overall in this economy except waste and favoritism to Corporations and Banks who are keeping it all!

My conclusion is that I have had enough / America is not progressing in the current system / it's time to act. Occupy Wall Street is but one civil protest starting. It is getting ugly when police run off protesters who seem to be much more orderly than they were when they were wearing long hair and calling themselves "hippies."

If you have money, the justice system favors you and gets you little or nothing in jail time. Lack of arrests on Wall Street is but one example of justice and government oversight. The oil spill in the Gulf proves no one cared about the required containment dome on any deep water oil drilling.

Is this enough to convince you there is a stinch in Washington because we lack real representation for average citizens????

[Gene Scarborough]

[KeithE]

A House Bill to Ban Corporate money in elections inspired by the Occupiers:




This is what should be happening in response to the Occupy movement - discussion of new laws to fix our problems (corrupt congress/media favoring big business interests, inequality, unemployment, deficits, lack of financial/environmental control via regulations, counterproductive wars). Also candidates are starting to identify themselves for 2012. At present they stand little chance due to the money that incumbents and corporate-backed TeaPartiers have been given; but it is a start. That is why campaign finance reform is so critical in restoring our democracy.

Write your congressmen to support this bill.

If unconvinced, read at least the reviews of this great book . I'm reading it now and it is full of careful research. It is by Lawrence Lessig, a Reagan supporter, Clerk for Judge Scalia, and currently a Harvard Law Professor.