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Want to Change Congress?

Beach Fanatic
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Fair Elections Now Act Bill Summary | Fair Elections Now!
The Fair Elections Now Act (S. 752 and H.R. 1826) was introduced in the Senate by Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) and in the House of Representatives by Reps. John Larson (D-Conn.) and Walter Jones, Jr. (R-N.C.). The bill would allow federal candidates to choose to run for office without relying on large contributions, big money bundlers, or donations from lobbyists, and would be freed from the constant fundraising in order to focus on what people in their communities want.

check it out and let your Congressperson/Senator know how you feel.

Edited

Replies

19
Beach Comber
#2
Fair Elections Now Act Bill Summary | Fair Elections Now!

check it out and let your Congressperson/Senator know how you feel.
Great post goodwitch. Taking Corporate/PAC money out of the elections process will be the first step "We The People" take to "TAKE BACK OUR U.S." from corporations.
Rita avatar
margarita brocolia
#3
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"If a participating candidate is facing a well-financed or self-financed opponent, or is the target of an independent expenditure, they will be able to respond by utilizing this matching fund provision."
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Can someone explain how this section might work?


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futurebeachbum avatar
Beach Fanatic
#4
I just want to completely change Congress. Just replace all of them.
Yzarctoo avatar
Beach Fanatic
#5
I just want to completely change Congress. Just replace all of them.

I would like to see limited terms...perhaps limit it to two as the Max. I really don't believe we need any "career" folks serving us in Congress. Some of our politicians have been there for YEARS!
Beach Fanatic
#6
The concept behind term limits is noble.

Tallahassee is a prime example of how a good idea can degenerate.

It's just my opinion but term limits are more of a problem for Florida than "career" politicians.

Edited

Beach FanaticAuthor
#7
The concept behind term limits is noble.

Tallahassee is a prime example of how a good idea can degenerate.

It's just my opinion but term limits are more of a problem for Florida than "career" politicians.

I agree, Buz. It is a two-pronged problem at least: Members do not know as much as they need to about the issues; and staff know too much--so the Member relies on the staff for policy decisions/creations...and we end up with the state laws being written by lobbyists and unelected staff members...there are probably many more problems too.

Not sure what the solution is, because 30 years as a Member did not work so well either.

Of course it would all work much better if we had an active public who would educate themselves about the process and the issues.
sunspotbaby avatar
SoWal Insider
#8
I just want to completely change Congress. Just replace all of them.

yep, congress and diapers. Both need to be changed often and for the same reason. ;-)
Lake View Too avatar
SoWal Insider
#9
I believe Congress has gotten so totally dysfunctional because every bill becomes a laundry list of pork projects that are designed to get the encumbent re-elected. Absolutely every one of these jerks are motivated by one thing: getting re-elected. Newly elected members just fall into the same game very quickly. This may sound radical, and most certainly undoable, but, one idea is to have a handful of "Congressmen-at-Large", who don't come from a particular district or state, who might actually vote for bills on the merits of how good they would be for the majority of the entire country, rather than how many votes it will gain them in their own district. I'm just throwing out ideas at this point.
Beach FanaticAuthor
#10
I believe Congress has gotten so totally dysfunctional because every bill becomes a laundry list of pork projects that are designed to get the encumbent re-elected. Absolutely every one of these jerks are motivated by one thing: getting re-elected. Newly elected members just fall into the same game very quickly. This may sound radical, and most certainly undoable, but, one idea is to have a handful of "Congressmen-at-Large", who don't come from a particular district or state, who might actually vote for bills on the merits of how good they would be for the majority of the entire country, rather than how many votes it will gain them in their own district. I'm just throwing out ideas at this point.

that's not a bad idea and I think it needs to be coupled with a way to hold the lobbyists at bay...the special interests of the big corporations are much too influential IMO...same is true in Tallahassee. Only Dr. Peaden from Crestview was willing to stand against the 3 mile drilling off Florida's coast...the others voted for the bill in 2009 or in the case of the Senate where there was not a vote, supported the concept.
sarawind avatar
Beach Fanatic
#11
South Carolina Republicans nominated a tea party-backed Indian-American woman to run for governor and a conservative black man to run for Congress from the former Confederate state. Another incumbent congressman lost. So did a Senate hopeful chosen by Washington Democrats.
Themes of the November midterm elections popped up in the handful of primaries and runoffs held Tuesday in four states, the latest cluster of contests to determine matchups for the congressional elections just over four months away.

It's shaping up to be an unpredictable year with several variables ? from the sluggish economy to President Barack Obama's popularity to lingering resentment over lawmaker votes for the 2008 Wall Street bailout ? affecting races across the country. The one clear element is the electorate's disgust with establishments of any kind; angry voters routinely are casting ballots against candidates with ties to Washington and the national political parties.

2010 themes pop up in runoff results - Yahoo! News

I can see November from my house.
Andy A avatar
Beach Fanatic
#12
Its shaping up to be a blood bathe for all incumbents regardless of party and rightly so. We still need term limits.
Alicia Leonard avatar
SoWal Insider
#13
And don't forget to show the lobbyist the door while we're cleaning the house.
Sheila avatar
SoWal Insider
#14
And don't forget to show the lobbyist the door while we're cleaning the house.

Amen sistah! That should be the first order of business.
Rita avatar
margarita brocolia
#15
And don't forget to show the lobbyist the door while we're cleaning the house.
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Andy A avatar
Beach Fanatic
#16
A word about lobbyists. Sometimes, depending on the subject and the knowledge of it, a lobbyist can supply invaluable information to an elected official. The problem comes when they cease supplying information and instead begin influencing decisions. If there is a way to provide one and stop the other, we could have the best of both worlds but I don't see that happening, so I guess its best to get rid of them and let the elected officials and staffers do their own research. (In many cases, wishful thinking when they don't even bother reading the bills they pass.)
Alicia Leonard avatar
SoWal Insider
#17
A word about lobbyists. Sometimes, depending on the subject and the knowledge of it, a lobbyist can supply invaluable information to an elected official. The problem comes when they cease supplying information and instead begin influencing decisions. If there is a way to provide one and stop the other, we could have the best of both worlds but I don't see that happening, so I guess its best to get rid of them and let the elected officials and staffers do their own research. (In many cases, wishful thinking when they don't even bother reading the bills they pass.)


Without the special interest, maybe they would have to actually read what they are voting on. :idontno:
sarawind avatar
Beach Fanatic
#18
Without the special interest, maybe they would have to actually read what they are voting on. :idontno:

Many of them pass the reading and research to their staff. Same problem there as with some lobbyists - staff with agenda.
Here4Good avatar
Beach Fanatic
#19
Many of them pass the reading and research to their staff. Same problem there as with some lobbyists - staff with agenda.

Yes, everyone - the congressperson and their staff - are all looking for their post-governmental high-paying gig.

Kinda like our former state senator.
futurebeachbum avatar
Beach Fanatic
#20
Yes, everyone - the congressperson and their staff - are all looking for their post-governmental high-paying gig.

Kinda like our former state senator.

Nowadays, that's the basic reason people run for President. The power is nice (and ages them) but the real payoff happens after they leave office.

For example, Bill Clinton made $200k/year as President. He's earned well over $100 million since leaving office.

That makes 8 years of putting up with power, the Congress and the occasional intern well worth it.

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