Fixing Congress: Is It Possible to Fix the "Broken Branch"?

[OmCheeto]

Gads. Just like my spark plugs, I am perpetually cross-threaded.

 

[nanosiborg]

There seems to be a persistent and systemic dysfunctionality in the government and the political system.

Duh. But I don't mean that in an offensive way, as I very much respect your objective and well researched opinions. Just that the need for congressional reform seems to me to be clearly, without requiring any sort of deep research, pretty evident. The question is: how can congressional reform possibly, ever, be made to happen?

My current personal opinion, maybe overly cynical, is that it won't, ever, happen. At least not to the extent that there will ever be significant reforms regarding the generally greedy and wasteful actions of government.

Ummm... No. We didn't.

Ok. Well. We did.

Yeah. I think it ultimately comes down to us. Not any president. Not the government. But, us. We cast the votes, and, therefore, potentially determine the course of national policy. But, this only works well (ie., in the best interests of the mass populace, both of the US and the world) if we, the voters, actually care enough to do our homework. Unfortunately, in America at least, this doesn't seem to be the case. So, our general civic lethargy and complacency allows us to be manipulated by corporate mass media (which more or less obviously, imo, has vested interests at odds with what's best for the US in particular and the world in general).

Yes, we need congressional reform. But I think that before that can happen then significant reforms in the way that average US citizens approach civic issues and elections has to happen.

This can only be brought about by changes in our educational system. Changes which are, imo, not likely to ever happen. So, I think, there you have it. We are, like it or not, for better or worse, more or less locked into the current status quo. I'm not optimistic about the evolution of human society and the future prospects for the survival of humanity. I conjecture that we are our worst enemy, and the US congress seems to support that conjecture.

 

[OmCheeto]

...

Yeah. I think it ultimately comes down to us. Not any president. Not the government. But, us. We cast the votes, and, therefore, potentially determine the course of national policy. But, this only works well (ie., in the best interests of the mass populace, both of the US and the world) if we, the voters, actually care enough to do our homework. Unfortunately, in America at least, this doesn't seem to be the case. So, our general civic lethargy and complacency allows us to be manipulated by corporate mass media (which more or less obviously, imo, has vested interests at odds with what's best for the US in particular and the world in general).

Yes, we need congressional reform. But I think that before that can happen then significant reforms in the way that average US citizens approach civic issues and elections has to happen.

This can only be brought about by changes in our educational system. Changes which are, imo, not likely to ever happen. So, I think, there you have it. We are, like it or not, for better or worse, more or less locked into the current status quo. I'm not optimistic about the evolution of human society and the future prospects for the survival of humanity. I conjecture that we are our worst enemy, and the US congress seems to support that conjecture.

For the most part, I pretty much agree with what you've posted here. If I were ambitious, I would even show you where you've quoted me. But I'm not, so I won't.

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Hopefully I don't get an infraction for not fighting in the P&WA arena.

 

[turbo]

Yes, we need congressional reform. But I think that before that can happen then significant reforms in the way that average US citizens approach civic issues and elections has to happen.

The first thing that needs to happen, IMO, is a negation of the Citizens United decision.

The second is to finance all the Congressional campaigns with public funds and forbid private donations and PACs. This would greatly reduce the number of "candidates" who are in it only to suck up corporate donations, and not to represent us.

It might take a long time to get through this, since many of these "lifers" have slush-funds that they can subsist on before transitioning to private positions with their sponsors. Still, (IMO) the only way to get honest representation in DC is to fund their campaigns with adequate public funds and cut off the private donations.

These reps and senators need to get down in the trenches with the rest of us, and pay attention to making sure that the poor and the middle-class get a fair shake. I am not real hopeful, since common citizens have no voice anymore.

My wife and I can't afford to pay either of our senators $20K to come to our house and speak at a "breakfast". When we write, we get vague form-letters back, with no substance. It is really sad. IMO, the gridlock in DC is less about ideology, and more about money, and who is paying the bills. It's sad.

 

[Astronuc]

There is a spam message passed by email or through the internet, usually on social networking sites - Congressional Reform Act of 2012. It has been falsely attributed to Warren Buffet [sic], and is a variant of some email spam that has been around for a few years (see snopes link below). Some of it is rather drastic or extreme, but there are some good ideas, such as restricting pensions and healthcare benefits to Congress persons, and mandating that Congress should be subject to the same laws they impose on the public.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/medical/28thamendment.asp

 

[Pete Cortez]

My wife and I can't afford to pay either of our senators $20K to come to our house and speak at a "breakfast".

Two words. Pot...luck.