AOSHQ yesterday:
I do think conservatives should seriously consider my suggestion that we
pick 10 or 12 (I'm upping the number) Republican Congressmen and
absolutely tank them in 2016. First, they get a primary, and if the
primary fails to dislodge them, we give the seat to the Democrats. We
actively vote for the Democrat. Whatever happens, we retire their asses.
Borepatch, May 2010:
People are talking about 100 Democratic seats being lost this November.
I for one will consider this a failure if 20 Republicans are not also
turned out into the street. I want Congress terrified of us, more terrified of us than tempted by their old comfortable ways. I want them thinking on their future.
As Dr. Johnson said, When a man knows he is to be hanged in a fortnight, it concentrates his mind wonderfully. This isn't Republican vs. Democrat, that's short term thinking. Long term thinking is it's us vs. them, and we have to break them to our will. All of them.
As I said then, the problem is not the Democrats, and the solution is not the
Republicans. The problem is that there's a permanent political class
that has increasing contempt for the voters, and who is aided and
abetted by their lackeys in the traditional media. If the Republicans
are not as bad as the Democrats in this, it's not for lack of trying.
Wisely chosen words, as usual.
ReplyDelete"Terrified" is an excellent word choice in this instance.
Once again, You are prescient.
If you wore your kilt maybe we could install you at Delphi.
My default is that being an incumbent or in the majority party is each a strike. You have to be outstanding to overcome those and earn my vote.
ReplyDeleteBorepatch, you are wise beyond your years. The last paragraph nailed the problem in Washington. Term limits and limit total time in federal positions are a good start.
ReplyDeleteIf I may....simple term limits is an inadequate solution. What we're fighting is an entrenched political class, people who start by running for city council, parlay that into a state rep seat or state senate seat, then shoot for Congress, which is a stepping stone for the US Senate, then, maybe, the White House.
ReplyDeleteThey spend their adult lives wheeling, dealing and buying votes; learning to be a professional parasite, in other words, as opposed to learning (and achieving) something productive. Elected service should be a mission, not a way of life.
How about a lifetime cap on terms in elected office? Such as: "no one shall serve more than four terms, or portion thereof, in elected office in the United States, no more than two of which may be in the same office." There might be a 10th Amendment issue there, but I think a Constitutional amendment would resolve it.
Plus: "No one who has served a term, or portion thereof, in federal elected office shall be eligible for remuneration or compensation in any form from the United States government other than salary for that office during the term served or salary and benefit commensurate with rank for service in the active duty U.S. military or U.S. military reserves." That eliminates cushy self-voted retirements. I'd like to see something preventing those leaving office from keeping accumulated campaign funds, as they can now; I'll defer that language to someone who knows the process much better than I.
I like what Nosmo King said, but could something like that really pass as a constitutional amendment?
ReplyDeleteI think it would take a total change in the attitudes of the citizens; a very large majority of the country would have to be demanding it and I frankly don't see that coming.
For many people, their main concern about the Ruling Class seems to be how they can (a) avoid their notice or (b) work it to their advantage.
I will go Tony Tsquared one better. Change his line "limit time in Federal positions" to "hard time in Federal prisons".
ReplyDeleteGreat - who are the first five?
ReplyDeleteReelect absolutely no one. Either side of the aisle. With the possible exception of those that walk the Libertarian line.
ReplyDeleteWe would be better off if Congress was peopled by lottery. You vote, you own property, you're not on the dole, you get your name in the 'Congress pool'. Your name gets drawn, you serve for 2 years. You get paid. A lot. When you are done, you vacate. You do NOT get to lobby. Ever. You do get taken care of for the rest of your life.
That system would probably work pretty well. At least as well as the current one. I am SICK TO DEATH of people saying that 'Congress needs to get things done'. They've done enough. Let's get some folks in there to UNdo some of that damage.
Dream on...
Cap'n
If you have a Repub incumbent primary him. If you fail in that, vote Dem or third party; it doesn't matter which. If enough of us do that, the Rs will become terrified. It doesn't take any coordination or fund raising, either.
ReplyDelete