DeMint tries to ban 'permanent politicians'

[bobbyw24]

DeMint tries to ban 'permanent politicians'

S.A. Miller

Sen. Jim DeMint says Washington politicians are like fruit on the vine: the longer they hang around, the more rotten they get.

The South Carolina Republican - hearkening back to the days of the party's "Contract with America" - on Tuesday offered a fix to the corrupting influence of "permanent politicians," introducing an amendment to the Constitution that would limit Senate members to three six-year terms and House members to three two-year terms.

"As long as members have the chance to spend their lives in Washington, their interests will always skew toward spending taxpayer dollars to buy off special interests, covering over corruption in the bureaucracy, fundraising, relationship building among lobbyists, and trading favors for pork - in short, amassing their own power," said Mr. DeMint, who is running for a second term next year.

Senate leaders and longtime Washington watchdogs said Mr. DeMint's bill had a zero chance of becoming law, mostly because of a general lack of interest and the high hurdles to amending the Constitution.

http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/nov/11/demint-revives-bill-to-ban-permanent-politicians//print/

[tpreitzel]

DeMint tries to ban 'permanent politicians'

S.A. Miller

Sen. Jim DeMint says Washington politicians are like fruit on the vine: the longer they hang around, the more rotten they get.



:)

Let's face it. Generally, politicians lie. Liars shouldn't be believed or obeyed which also includes their legislation.

Although I don't agree in principle since some superb representatives exist, e.g. Ron Paul, most representatives are rotten to the core so term limits would help deal with the corrupt two party system. As far as the US Senate, the 17th amendment needs to be axed and the appointment of senators returned to the legislators of their respective states. Let the people of their respective states deal with the corruption at the level of the state. In principle, I'm opposed to legislating term limits. I'd much prefer for the people to enforce term limits by simply voting their rascally representatives out after a couple of terms. In conversation with people, the latter idea seems workable as more people grasp the level of systemic corruption within the two party system. Sure, we need more transparency with the voting mechanism as well, e.g. a separate audit trail or total elimination of electronic voting, etc. Lastly, if the US Congress didn't remain in session more than a couple of months out of the year, the rascally representatives would have to find gainful employment from private enterprise rather than living large at the expense of taxpayers.

[Austin]

:)

Let's face it. Generally, politicians lie. Liars shouldn't be believed or obeyed which also includes their legislation.

Although I don't agree in principle since some superb representatives exist, e.g. Ron Paul, most representatives are rotten to the core so term limits would help deal with the corrupt two party system. As far as the US Senate, the 17th amendment needs to be axed and the appointment of senators returned to the legislators of their respective states. Let the people of their respective states deal with the corruption at the level of the state. In principle, I'm opposed to legislating term limits. I'd much prefer for the people to enforce term limits by simply voting their rascally representatives out after a couple of terms.

This summed up my thoughts on the issue as well. I do appreciate DeMint offering his solution as a Constitutional amendment rather than a simple blanket law from Congress. Term limits should only be enacted in two ways, either by state legislature or by Constitutional amendment.

[johnrocks]

I don't like the idea that the only or best way to end the run away train we know as D.C. is to restrict my right to vote for the ones I want to, remember, there are precious few up there we like now, do we really want a Constitutional Amendment in place to force them out? Unintended consequences people.....unintended consequences!

[KAYA]

I don't like the idea that the only or best way to end the run away train we know as D.C. is to restrict my right to vote for the ones I want to, remember, there are precious few up there we like now, do we really want a Constitutional Amendment in place to force them out? Unintended consequences people.....unintended consequences!

The untended consequences of not having term limits is that the partisan hacks from partisan districts get the most power. Nancy Pelosi, Charlie Rangle, Chris Dood & Barney Frank, need I say more? These hacks have way more power and influence in the circles of power than Ron Paul. If we had term limits there would be less corrupt partisan hacks out there and more Ron Paul types. And the Ron Paul types would also have more power and influence.

FDR, the most effective president in the promotion of socialism served 4 terms, stacked the courts and gave us so much of what is wrong with the federal government. Take the modern interpretation of the commerce clause and federally mandated ponzi schemes for example. How about that for untended consequences?

Term limits work great for presidents and should be extended to congress.

[Minlawc]

Increasing the size of the House of Reps and giving the State Legislature back the power to elect their Senator would be a better deal to me. This would eliminate entrenched representatives and senators without restricting the right to vote for whomever you please.

[specsaregood]

They'd have to completely restructure how committee assignments are handled wouldn't they? All that seniority stuff....

[erowe1]

I definitely like term limits, by any means we can get them, and the shorter they are the better (up to and including a term limit of zero days). But proposing a limit as long as 18 years in office for senators may be better than nothing, but not by much.

I am definitely glad we have term limits for the president. I think that's the only amendment (aside from repealing prohibition) since the Civil War that actually helped us more than hurt us.

[johnrocks]

The untended consequences of not having term limits is that the partisan hacks from partisan districts get the most power. Nancy Pelosi, Charlie Rangle, Chris Dood & Barney Frank, need I say more? These hacks have way more power and influence in the circles of power than Ron Paul. If we had term limits there would be less corrupt partisan hacks out there and more Ron Paul types. And the Ron Paul types would also have more power and influence.

FDR, the most effective president in the promotion of socialism served 4 terms, stacked the courts and gave us so much of what is wrong with the federal government. Take the modern interpretation of the commerce clause and federally mandated ponzi schemes for example. How about that for untended consequences?

Term limits work great for presidents and should be extended to congress.

That was during the Great Depression and World War ll, he took advantage of the nation's fears, we are supposed to be all about freedom and liberty, this goes against that in my opinion, would I oppose a politician that supports term limits, no, but I don't like the idea of this being the "solution" to our problems as opposed to trying to educate the public to simply following the Constitution and demanding no less from their elected officials.

[specsaregood]

They'd have to completely restructure how committee assignments are handled wouldn't they? All that seniority stuff....

In reply to myself. So if term limits would changed the committe assignments and such....maybe committee assignments and leadership positions in the senate and house should be up for popular vote among the citizenry?

[jmdrake]

Term limits haven't created better presidents. It's nice that Bush is gone (would these fools have given him a third term? :eek:), but the (fake) antiwar left let their guard down with Obama. What we need now is the possibility of recall elections in every state. I think with a minimum budget it wouldn't be hard to put a serious hurting on certain congresspersons that might otherwise be tempted to vote for cap and trade, universal healthcare etc.

[thasre]

Term limits haven't created better presidents. It's nice that Bush is gone (would these fools have given him a third term? :eek:), but the (fake) antiwar left let their guard down with Obama. What we need now is the possibility of recall elections in every state. I think with a minimum budget it wouldn't be hard to put a serious hurting on certain congresspersons that might otherwise be tempted to vote for cap and trade, universal healthcare etc.

I think the problem with saying that term limits haven't created better presidents is that presidents always subjected themselves voluntarily to term limits until FDR, who I hope we can all agree was pretty horrendous. Imagine if they had been like him from the beginning! Or imagine if people had been allowed to follow in his footsteps!

[KAYA]

That was during the Great Depression and World War ll, he took advantage of the nation's fears, we are supposed to be all about freedom and liberty, this goes against that in my opinion, would I oppose a politician that supports term limits, no, but I don't like the idea of this being the "solution" to our problems as opposed to trying to educate the public to simply following the Constitution and demanding no less from their elected officials.

Are you proposing that FDR was they only politician to ever take advantage of a nation's fears? Bush did it and now Obama and Rahm "never let a crisis go to waste" Emmanuel are doing it. Remember the bailouts, taking over financial institutions, GM, etc.? And how in the world do term limits on politicans take away freedom and liberty? That's a new one...:confused:

Btw, good luck trying to educate the public on the principles and adherence to the Constitution while the entire public school system, mass media and Capital Hill are dead set against it.