Does the U.S. Congress represent you ? The People.?

Question

Feel that your voice is not being heard in U.S. Congress ?
How can Congress be improved ?
Term limits ?

Answer 1

No, Congress fails to represent the people of this nation anymore; its interest lies in serving only the corporations and wealthy elitists that contribute to their campaigns.

Congress could be improved:
by returning to its original Constitutional mandate of serving the people and acting as public servants instead of privileged royalty;
by limiting terms of office to no more than two terms, which would eliminate the 'career politician' and allow a more diverse representation among all citizens;
by passing strict campaign reform laws that would not allow any Congressional candidate to take money from special interest groups, corporations, or lobbyists; all campaign contributions would come only from individuals (with a maximum 'cap'), and all contributions would be divided equally among all qualified candidates;
by demanding that 'the people' have more access to their representatives while corporations, special interest groups and lobbyists have no access at all;
by requiring that any member of Congress who violates any condition of his or her term in office will be prosecuted for treason and high crimes against the people;
by lowering the salaries of members of Congress to be identical to those of U.S. soldiers below the rank of Lt., taking away all 'perks' and benefits, and providing pensions equal to those pensions provided to U.S. soldiers below the rank of Lt. Money is power. Power corrupts. Taking away the money and power will eliminate - or at least minimize - the corruption;
by dismantling the current monopolistic two-party political system which continues to keep a stranglehold on our electoral process, allowing voters few choices and less freedom of expression.

In short, simplify the whole process so that 'commoners' can again participate in our government instead of leaving it all up to the career politicians and haughty lawyers. -RKO- 09/03/07

Answer 2

No, they do not represent the best interests of me or the American people. They have fallen so far away from their grassroots constituents they vote for and pass legislation that the American people do not need or want and they fail to see that immigration reform and amnesty is NOT in the best interests of America - just business. The one and only thing that can improve Congress is setting term limits - two terms as a maximum they can serve. Those that have made a career out of their public office must be rooted out and new candidates elected.

Answer 3

All Government positions should have term limits on them, from judges to presidents.

We should go a step future and severely limit the Lobbyist abilities to influence the rulings as they do.

The Lobbyist are doing the same thing to our country that the unions have done in driving companies to foreign lands. They are crushing us. They are destroying it with their greed and constant cries and demands for more. Using the money of big business to bribe and influence decisions and votes. Bribery is bribery no matter what tile you put on it and I always thought it was against the law, or did something get passed through Congress and signed by the President that we the people were never made aware of again.

Answer 4

The U.S. congress represents congressmen and their political donors. Not me.
Term limits might work. I think the best way to implement them would be to issue hunting licenses to taxpayers with no bag limit. Of course you would have to do just like you do with other game. If they're too young you would have to pass them up. Say for reps they would have to be on their third term. For senators their second term. Maybe on the tag you could list what portion of the constitution has been violated. Of course the responsible hunters would pass over the ones that were observing the constitution and wait for a good shot at more deserving game!
Of course I'm just kidding.

Answer 5

I don't believe they do. I think they are totally out of touch with the people of this nation. I think they are influenced by the media and think that (what the media says) is what Americans think but it really isn't, the media is slanted too.

I don't believe that they get that we are not responsible for the whole world or that we have the right to tell other nations how to live. I think they need to be thinking about this nation and solving our own problems. I think they need to go home for 3 months every year and speak with their constituents (this does two things - 1. keeps them from making more unnecessary laws for that time period and 2. find out what the real people think).

I think term limits would be good and I think that lobbyists should be outlawed. PACs are probably ok because it gives us a chance to ban together and have a bigger voice and get their attention but that's tricky too. How such a wonderful idea as freedom and our Country has degenerated to this point is sad and I grieve for the losses in my own lifetime (I'm 59 and lots has changed in that time). We don't need laws that legislate how we are to think or statements that imply you are unAmerican if you do not agree with the reigning party. It's too fine a balance we teeter on to use name calling or imply that we don't love our country because we disagree with each other.

Answer 6

No. They are spending this country down the river and the taxpayer and this great country will foot the ultimate bill. As a whole, Congress is despicable and grossly under-qualified to pass judgment on the most of the subject matter over which they have jurisdiction.

There seems to be no solution. Washington corrupts and fighting the bureaucracy appears to be a battle that will never be won.

Answer 7

No! they represent them selfs and the lobbyist that support them .Yes I think we need shorter term limits on congress.And term limit on federal judges also.The only way to get congress to represent America is to outlaw all lobbyist!
God save America,because our congress sure will not.

Answer 8

I'm not an American and I live in Germany, but I spent this summer in the US. None of the people I met seem to agree with the way government is conducted, have no trust in elected officials at any level, and were unhappy and scared about the war policies.
Trust is important, because politicians can make mistakes, but if you trust them to be doing their best, that they're acting in good faith, you're likely to understand and accept. It appears that such is not the case in the US today.

Answer 9

no,sadly they represent their selfish needs and which they should be representing us instead of theirselfs which is totally idiotic and selfish and its a slap in the face of our political system

Answer 10

You ARE kidding, right ? The congressmen will kiss our asses to get there... then we can kiss theirs.