Poll: Does anyone think it would improve congress a LOT to impose term limitations?

[Kolby Jack]

Think about it. The main problem I see with the US congressional system is that people can run for congress as many times as they want until they die or get tired of having to work less than 100 days a year. It makes the congressmen focus too much on getting reelected and staying in power than actually trying to handle issues appropriately. The simplest and easiest way to fix this would be to impose a set number of terms a person can serve in Congress, just like the presidency. The only reason I don't think this was implemented from the start was that at America's founding there weren't very many well-educated people around so the number of eligible men would dwindle rapidly, but that's not really an issue anymore.

So, do you think it would work? Or am I wrong? I know it doesn't really matter because the very people who's power it would limit are the ones who would vote on whether or not to implement it in the first place, but it's still something to think about.

 

[CCCPIronCurtain]

The problem is, you would be asking congressmen to vote on, and enact, a bill that ends their own jobs. Even if it would help fix a flawed system, it will never happen.

 

[Kolby Jack]

The problem is, you would be asking congressmen to vote on, and enact, a bill that ends their own jobs. Even if it would help fix a flawed system, it will never happen.

I mentioned that, yes, but this is more of a thought exercise, not a call-to-arms.

 

[Chibz]

I've got a better way to fix congress.

All current congressmen, with nothing but the clothes on their back are led into a large furniture/internal doorless building and locked in. And then an equal number of extremely hungry tigers are released into the building.

Hilarity ensues, and it makes doing stuff like imposing term limits a lot easier.

 

[CCCPIronCurtain]

a call-to-arms.

I'll ring the church bells at 03:00 PST. That is when the revolution begins!

 

[KeyMaster45]

Yeah it would help; then we wouldn't get stuck with some extremist retard in the same position for decades on end. Though how much it would change things is another question. It could backfire and instead of constantly doing stupid shit to stay in office they'd be doing stupid shit to groom their predecessor to take their place.

The system is broken, it will always be broken, and there ain't jack shit we can do to fix.

 

[Chibz]

The system is broken, it will always be broken, and there ain't jack shit we can do to fix.

My proposed solution is a real possibility. Come on. Hungry tigers. No escape. Make me the only living congressman and I pass the bill.

 

[Kolby Jack]

It may not help, like you say, but it could, which is something. People will always try to abuse the system to get as much out of it for themselves as they can, but it's hard to work around term limits without a successor, and that kind of "grooming" is heavily frowned upon state-side.

 

[dyre]

I like the idea of giving everyone exactly one term, actually. I doubt anyone is enough of a douchebag to go "oh, I don't get to win another election? screw it, I'll just fuck around the office all day," because they'll know what they'll be getting into.

So, people who get into office wouldn't have to worry about pleasing their corporate sponsors and relevant interest groups for reelection time; they'd just try to do a decent job in their current term, because it's the only term they'd get.

Terms could be increased in length to compensate for the fact that people only get one.

 

[Kolby Jack]

Well, they have to have at least one reelection so they can have some incentive to listen to the voters. It's just that unlimited reelections tend to make them pander to their base, which is never good.

 

[evilneko]

Yes. I support this idea. Too long in office, and they start to become professional politicians. Give them each a two term limit. It might also be good to reduce the length of a senator's term as well.

 

[Ace of Spades]

What congress really needs is for someone to assassinate every current member and institute a completely new group of people, because there is no way of instituting that kind of reform naturally.

 

[Korolev]

I am partially in favour of Chibz's proposal, providing we have access to hungry lions. However, I am concerned that forcing the Lions to be in the same room, let alone eat, congressmen and congresswomen would constitute an act of animal cruelty.

The only people miserably damned enough to deserve to be forced to interact with politicians, let alone touch them, are news anchors.

In any case, I think it would help somewhat. I don't think it'll ever happen, but it is a good idea. We need newer, fresher faces within government. Too many congressional representatives and Senators use their office to get waaaaaay too cozy with people they should not be getting cozy with. Changing up the scene will limit the sway some of these players and lobbyists have on the system, as every 4 or 8 years the dirt or the connections they have on/with certain politicians expires.

 

[22steve5150]

the big problem with congress, and just about every other federal and state institution is corporate and PAC money influence. great congressmen should be allowed to continue as long as they want, but it should be easier to get rid of corporate mouthpieces and psychos who have a few stinking rich mega-contributors.