Should we change Congress and Presidential terms

I think our way of government is flawed. I don't believe our forefathers ever envisioned the amount of corruption that would seep into our Congress, and now that it is in there, it is almost impossible to remove it. Too many politicians are taking whatever path they need to take to ensure they are reelected. Whether through pork projects for their constituents or favors to influential businesses......... whatever it takes to get another term.

At the Presidential level, how many of our recent 2 term presidents have left the office in bad ways (Clinton and Bush both had terrible last years)? Sorry, but the fancier words are escaping me right now, so you are getting high school conversation here.......

I think our government needs an overhaul, to try and prevent Congress from working to reelect itself, and instead, concentrate on working for the people!

I would start at the President's office. A President would be elected for a single 6 year term. However, there would be a provision to vote the current president out of office at the 4 year mark, if he is doing a very poor job.
House Reps would be elected to a single 6 year term. The states would be split up by geography, size, and population to try and create equal representation for the country. Every year 1/6 of the House would be newly voted in. Once your 6 year term is done, you are done.

Senators would serve 8 year terms. Again, the states would be divided up, so each year 1/8 of the Senate is replaced. Again, only 1 term is allowed.

Once you have served in the House or the Senate, you cannot serve in either branch again.
I think there could be value in allowing a Rep or Senator to run for President, so I am undecided if that should or should not be allowed.

What I am trying to accomplish is have some continuity to the Congress, so there is no interruption, but at the same time, remove the incentive for Congress to try and work for its own benefit. Every member of Congress will have a chance to be in the senior 1/6 of the body at the end of their career. Great Congressmen will make a name for themselves in the first 2 years, and will have 4 years to affect change.

What I don't know how to do is prevent Congressmen who are done with their terms from still trying to exert influence on the process, or working on getting their puppets elected to office.

By giving politicians only one term, you're telling them: you have only 6/8 years to amass as much power, influence and money as you can. that's a really bad idea.

Your ideas are well thought out, but term limits are not necessarily the secret to a corruption free government. Mexico thought that "no re-election" would be the secret to good government. Instead they developed a form of institutionalized corruption.

A great deal of the problem I think is that there is always an election looming. We're in early 2011 and we're talking about presidential candidates already. The 2010 election just ended. So politicians go from election cycle to election cycle without getting the business at hand done.

Another part of the problem I feel are the ways that bills are created these days: The 2,000 page health care bill which included a crippling paperwork jam for small businesses (1099 reporting -- they have to send a form listing any annual payments of $600 or more to every one of their suppliers and the government) and a number of other measures that had nothing to do with health care reform. Create a bill and make it about the intent of the legislation. Don't allow things into the bill that have nothing to do with the bill. That's corruption.

So your solution is to have elections every single year? Radio and TV station owners will love you.

Quote: boymimbo

Another part of the problem I feel are the ways that bills are created these days: The 2,000 page health care bill which included a crippling paperwork jam for small businesses (1099 reporting -- they have to send a form listing any annual payments of $600 or more to every one of their suppliers and the government) and a number of other measures that had nothing to do with health care reform. Create a bill and make it about the intent of the legislation. Don't allow things into the bill that have nothing to do with the bill. That's corruption.

Here is an even better idea--try and create an atmosphere where you don't need to keep passing bills/laws to be considered "successful." Limit Congressional sessions to 120 days per year. Most of that should be devoted to budget passing, something the democrats ignored in the last congress though they managed to pass a lot of pages of other bills. Why do we feel the need for "reform" constantly?

The balance of the time the Senator/Congressman would be expected to be in their district, helping their constituants cut thru all the red tape they helped create in the 120 days they were in session.

We need to bring our elected officials back to earth. They have budgets, benefits and yes men (lobbyists & staff) that feed their egos. Seniority benefits like committee assignments, office budgets and "Pork" handouts that only fuels their re-election and does nothing for fairness and their constituents. Make them fly commercial airlines like the rest of us. Give them health and retirement benefits like the rest of us. They are even "immune" to laws that the rest of us have to follow.

I have one guy that EVERYONE LOVES!! He takes OUR tax dollars and builds libraries and bridges and then PUTS HIS NAME ON IT!! No mention of me & my tax dollars. No politician should have his name put on ANYTHING until he/she is out of office

I don't think term limits is the answer BUT we need to have our elected officials on a level playing field with those that would hope to run against them. This having to raise $2 million dollars to run for a House seat is crazy.

Politicians, both Dem & Rep, make me ill.

Quote: JimMorrison

So your solution is to have elections every single year? Radio and TV station owners will love you.

Yes, there will be an election SOMEWHERE every year, but it will not be a national election. 1/6 of the House gets replaced every year, so roughly 8 states would have an election this year. Then those 8 states will have elected their Rep for the next 6 years. They will still have a vote in a couple of years for their Senator, and they will participate in the presidential election when it comes along.
However, there will not be elections in every state, every year.

I don't have many problems with the federal constitution. The problem is so many people want to ignore it.