- Thread starter
- #21
. . . .give a good argument for why one, some, or all of these would apply, would be necessary, or would be a bad idea.
(Civility and respect for respectfully stated opinions requested please. We can set up a food fight or insult fest for the children elsewhere.)
1. Elect Democratic super majorities in Congress and Executive Branch.
2. Elect Republican super majorities in Congress and Executive Branch.
3. Be sure that Executive Office and Congressional Branch are of different parties.
4. The President, his staff, Congress, and federal employees must live under the same laws they pass for the rest of us.
5. Do away with federal government pensions and health plans they can fund their own.
6. Do away with all forms of Federal Government charity or benevolence of any kind.
7. Term limits
8. A zero tolerance malfeasance policy. Misuse the people's money for your own or a friend's benefit and you are out of Congress and/or the federal government.
9. None of the above
10. Other (I'll elaborate in my post.)
Number five includes VA benefits too. Better re-think that one. Number six would hit the poor the hardest. I can't understand why some folks think they can balance the federal budget on their backs. I suppose those folks would then complain about the homeless and dispossessed clogging the streets. Poor students of history would support number 6.
We have term limits! Two four year terms for the president and an election every six years for senators, every two years for congressmen. Use the voting booth, not a mandatory hook.
The one suggestion I'd make is bulldozing every building on K Street and making professional lobbyists run for the hills. Special interests, particularly the banking, investment houses and multi-national corporations have greater access to elected officials than average citizens do.
It is a Constitutional Function of the Federal Government to provide the Common Defense and I have no problem with taking care of those who put their lives on the line for their country. I do not see the military as the same thing as government administration.
I think careful students of history, once they fully appreciated good intentions producing unintended negative consequences, would strongly support No. 6 at the Federal level. The Founders were quite clear and wise re the risks and dangers of charity dispensed at the federal level. And implementation of No. 6 takes care of any lobbyists who have bad motives in their lobbying processes.
And. . . .implementation of No. 6 also gives the people incentive to exercise term limits at the voting booth. If they can't vote themselves money and benefits by keeping the same scoundrels in office, they will be more likely inspired to elect people who will have the best interests of the whole country at heart.