General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsAt what point does Congress reach its "USE BY" date?
The incredible show of spine by yesterday's Congress was probably the greatest display of what goes on in DC that we have ever witnessed. In the face of almost unheard of uniformity within the American Public, 80% or more, Congress sat, laid down, rolled over, and on command, fetched the NRA from potential doom.
Doom? you may ask? Doom, indeed!
Teh Horrors! The idea that we may want to have background checks for anyone who wants to buy a gun is so revolting, so unconstitutional, so against our American Values, that our congress is will to stand up, take a difficult position, stand up to the mere masses, the angry plebes, the mourning know nothings. No, Congress was extraordinarily brave in protecting a small group of gun manufacturers against the vast majority of the people.
What courage. What moral fortitude. What an ethical, honorable stance Congress took.
So how did we come to this? At what point did Congress feel brave enough to drop even the pretense of honest governing?
Ever shop at a sneaky grocer, who would pack beautiful looking fruit or veggies in a plastic wrap, go home to cook, only find that he hid all the rotting parts inside? Yeah, me too. But that is what this Congress reminds me of.
They no longer govern for us. They do not represent us (despite their chest-pounding public statements to the contrary). They do not lead us, except astray.
This is a Congress that is part and parcel owned by lobbyists, by a few incredibly rich benefactors, and by those who do not you and my best interests at heart. They were bought, paid for, and are totally beholden to a limited few, precisely the opposite of what our founding fathers intended.
Now that I think about it, (as much as it pains me to say it) some of the ideas that drove folks to Tea Parties begin to make sense. I do not agree with LESS GOVERNMENT and NO TAXES, which crowd out their other messages. But, every Tea Bagger I have talked to wants medical marijuana. Now. Every one I spoke with thinks that lobbyists have too much control. And except for one, who is with the sheriff's police, every one of them thinks that the military budget is too big.
For many months I have poured scorn on the Tea Baggers, denouncing them, their ideas, and gleefully laughing at their idiotic hats and signs. Now, I may have to reconsider my tactics. Perhaps working with them would offer something good. So long as they leave Michelle and Sarah at home.
I suspect another thing they would accept? Removal of today's congress. They are so ripe that their "USE BY" has expired.
Hekate
(90,627 posts)You know this. Do it.
ChairmanAgnostic
(28,017 posts)indies, liberals, progressives will never get on a ballot, and the money poured in to protect their own can act as a virtual ban on outsiders.
Hekate
(90,627 posts)Bye
ChairmanAgnostic
(28,017 posts)Sherman A1
(38,958 posts)You can stay home and do nothing or perhaps you could find a means to make a change, but at the very least you can vote.
ChairmanAgnostic
(28,017 posts)I got that covered.
After the conviction of Bill Cellini on the GOP side, I have no clue what that party will do here. Probably grow more conservative. But as for the Dems? If you don't have Madigan on your side, agreeing to follow his every suggestion, you simply won't get on the battle. You will face a well-paid legal attack that prevents any change to their schemes.
I speak of the dad, not our horrible AG.
FarCenter
(19,429 posts)bike man
(620 posts)incumbents should have lined their pockets sufficiently by now, elect some new little piglets to feed at the taxpayer trough.
bike man
(620 posts)Hekate
(90,627 posts)Don't vote for Republicans, for instance.
bike man
(620 posts)failure, all several hundred of them.
In 2014 there will be an opportunity to replace 1/3 of one group, all of the other. There will be no seniority to work on in the House, and the Senate will see the writing on the wall. After all the current group has been purged, the most senior in "...Congress works on a seniority system..." will have only a tiny seniority, and then 'poof', gone.
In the primaries, pick a challenger and make him/her win. Don't vote for incumbents.
Kablooie
(18,625 posts)That's when there will be an opportunity to undo all the gerrymandering that keeps Republicans in control no matter what the people want.
Aerows
(39,961 posts)LOL. Where on earth did you find it?
And yes, we have to undo the gerrymandering that has allowed Republicans to capture the House. Still, I think we can get it back and vote these idiots out.
Kablooie
(18,625 posts)I found it in a folder of gifs I've collected over the years.
timdog44
(1,388 posts)From the rotten smell we have gone past the "use by date".
City Lights
(25,171 posts)trying to sell themselves to the highest bidder before they expire.
Blue Idaho
(5,045 posts)the place is now a feted shit hole for greedy money grubbers.
Revanchist
(1,375 posts)But I'm really starting to think that we need term limits to get some of these folks out of there.
Volaris
(10,269 posts)one of the reasons it's unpopular is because " what if you REALLY like the CongressCritter you've got?" (Ted Kenndedy in MA, for instance)...
Well, then do this. He serves the maximum limit, then can't run for one cycle. HAS to take one term off, during which, he CANNOT go be a lobbyist. Gives the new perosn a chance to see if he governs as well as he campaigns, and if he doesn't, get him out and put the other guy back in.
Works for me, and IF the GOP want's it badly enough, I'll tell them I'll trade Term Limits for Publicly-Funded Elections.
Laelth
(32,017 posts)Perhaps they never did.
http://laelth.blogspot.com/2011/01/turning-american-ship-of-state.html
-Laelth
Volaris
(10,269 posts)and the other 20% (split between the filthy Rich and the filthy Crazy) might end up serving as a tipping point for something VERY dangerous to those who continue to believe that a Bought Congress does what they are PAID to do. It's SO out in the open after this vote, even people who don't usually pay attention, are starting to get it. That's how movements get started....
ChairmanAgnostic
(28,017 posts)They follow the money, and the orders which then come from the money sources. As for us little folks? If we would only get out of their way.