Does our country need a political cleanup backed up by some serious term limits laws?

Question

I am sick of being represented by the top 4% of the economical class. Certainly there has to people who agree that there should be only a certain amount of years you can politic and/or lobby. Lets get some new ideas in there from new people...Thank you Americans

Answer 1

The dirty truth is that all politicians take money with strings attached. Call it campaign contributions or whatever, it is a sick way of doing things. Specifics would go on forever but we can do better.
I also think we have too many lawyers in government. I understand they have special abilities but it is not representative enough for me. By training, lawyers "resolve conflicts" but that is not always solving or anticipating problems. We could use more people from the worlds of technology and creative fields in government.
Term limits are a good idea but I would like too see more of these people working more hours at what they are supposed to be doing and less hours on campaigning and media spectacles. Six weeks should be more than long enough for an election cycle, now one campaign ends and the next has already started.

Answer 2

Term limits are an interesting question, because it is rarely "your guy" that spawns the debate. What I mean by that is, for example... my mother is a Democrat who lives in Maryland, as she has for the past 30 or so years. For years she was outraged by the fact that long time incumbant Republicans like Jesse Helms and Strom Thurmund kept getting elected to the Senate, and wanted to see term limits imposed to kick them out. Yet she never seemed to have a problem voting for Paul Sarbaines or Barbara McKulsky (both MD Democrats), whom I beleived each served for over 20 years (more than 3 terms) in the Senate themselves.

When the politics match up, or the pork-barrel spending helps you, there is never a cry to "throw the bum out" based on term limits.

Answer 3

Term limits - Keep the terms as long as they are - but put STRICT limits on the numbers of terms one can serve. The exact number could be negotiated.
Lobbying - This should be abolished, It's legalized bribery - If not abolished, a senator shouldn't be a lobbyist for 10+ years, a lobbyist should have to follow the same such restriction in going to congress (though that would never pass).

Sorry, I'm having a hard time thinking today.

Answer 4

We did it with the presidency. Before FDR there was no law, just an implied 2 term limit. After his 4 terms they made two terms the maximum. I can't see why we couldn't impose term limits on lobbyists. Unfortunately, I don't think it will happen. These people have way to much money and power.

Answer 5

I agree, it's time to clean things up. Just remember democracy is power of the people. The first hurdle is to tackle voter apathy & get the younger generations interested & involved in the political process. With them will come new ideas along with change.

Answer 6

you only have to look at Ted Kennedy to know the answer is yes