How much real power do citizens have over Congress?

[AlmightyMe]

As this is my first post here I have to say, I'm glad I can do it the affirmative. As this debate is still going on over the debt ceiling (not default) the Tea Party people got into office made a promise to those that voted them in, as in not to raise taxes and fight the debt ceiling mentallity. Like it or not, they are to this day now holding Boener feet to the fire, I have to say I'm quite proud of them!

 

[Kiki Cannoli]

Oh, its not new. TJ had warned about Social Security way back...

Are we more informed? More aware? Apply more scrutiny? Not so sure.

For the most part, we rely on snippets because so many facets of our lives are inundated with information; difficult to decipher what is true. In my observation we've become more emotional and attached to winning rather than solving. Our American way of live is deteriorating before our lives and as humans do, we grasp to hold on to what we know because change is difficult. Particularly important in American culture change is challenging because embracing change means we might have been wrong yesterday.

Stop treating the business of running the government like a sporting event. Stop looking to the government to make your life better, it won't ever. Stop thinking 'they' care. They don't.

 

[konradv]

If we really want the power, we need to go to a system of public financing of elections. Now the power is in the hands of whomever can bundle the highest amount of campaign contributions. How can we expect anyrthing but the system we have, if our representitives have already sold their votes to the highest bidder?!?!

 

[Mr Natural]

How much real power do citizens have over Congress?

Absolutely zero. Money is power, and they have the power and the will to do as they wish.

Or to put it another way, how many votes does it take to override the influence of a single lobbyist?

 

[dblack]

Citizens have ultimate power over Congress. We just choose not to exercise it.
They only have power over us because we do what we're told. If we - even if only a relatively small minority of us - simply quit playing along, their little game would be over.

 

[konradv]

Citizens have ultimate power over Congress. We just choose not to exercise it.
They only have power over us because we do what we're told. If we - even if only a relatively small minority of us - simply quit playing along, their little game would be over.

How do you quit playing? That just sounds like, "I'm not going to vote at all". That doesn't end the "game", it just means you quit. IMO, the only way is to not allow politicians to ask for money from private sources. That always comes with strings attached and is the main reason our government is so dysfunctional. We don't get what we want, because the average person isn't paying the bills, someone with an agenda is and is making sure things go their way, NOT yours.

 

[dblack]

How do you quit playing? That just sounds like, "I'm not going to vote at all". That doesn't end the "game", it just means you quit.

I don't agree. I think if as little as 20% (though obviously, the more the better) of us stopped voting for Democrats and Republicans it would cause fundamental change to the status quo. If the Tea Party had resisted being co-opted by the Republicans, they could have had this kind of effect.

IMO, the only way is to not allow politicians to ask for money from private sources.

I've yet to see a workable solution along those lines.

The thing is, as long as we keep voting for them, they'll keep doing what they're doing. If we're not even willing to 'punish' them by refusing to vote for them, what incentive would they ever have to change things? If we were exercising our voting responsibility effectively, they wouldn't be so blatantly flaunting our concerns in the first place.

It honestly seems like a bit of national insanity that we complain so much about the status quo, yet give it our stamp of approval every election cycle by voting for the same scam over and over again.

 

[Sunshine]

Citizens have ultimate power over Congress. We just choose not to exercise it.
They only have power over us because we do what we're told. If we - even if only a relatively small minority of us - simply quit playing along, their little game would be over.

How do we get them to lower their salaries?

 

[Wiseacre]

Seriously. We all have our one vote, IF we choose to use it. Only en masse will votes truly count. So, it takes a heft number of people seeing things you way for you to actually get your way. We are always hearing, 'vote the suckers out.' Ok. So........?
Not everyone in congress has it as a goal to stay there for a lifetime. Some have a special agenda and that is what they go after. The threat of voting those people out will have no effect. And then there's Rand Paul who was surprised as hell that he won.

Now, consider this: How many of you would WANT to be in congress at this red hot minute? I wouldn't. So what would happen if they all just got up, went home, and didn't return? I mean, I can feel the gut wrenching going on, and it wouldn't surprise me one bit if that happened with at least a few of them.

You guys are nuts, have you not been paying attention to the Tea Party over the past couple of years? Talk about who controls who, why do you think the GOP freshmen in the House are scared silly to raise the debt ceiling if taxes are raised? The real power is ours, we just aren't getting informed enough and kicking out the assholes that are screwing this counry over. In essence we have abdicated our responsibilities to hold them accountable, we're giving up the power.

 

[Sunshine]

Seriously. We all have our one vote, IF we choose to use it. Only en masse will votes truly count. So, it takes a heft number of people seeing things you way for you to actually get your way. We are always hearing, 'vote the suckers out.' Ok. So........?
Not everyone in congress has it as a goal to stay there for a lifetime. Some have a special agenda and that is what they go after. The threat of voting those people out will have no effect. And then there's Rand Paul who was surprised as hell that he won.

Now, consider this: How many of you would WANT to be in congress at this red hot minute? I wouldn't. So what would happen if they all just got up, went home, and didn't return? I mean, I can feel the gut wrenching going on, and it wouldn't surprise me one bit if that happened with at least a few of them.

You guys are nuts, have you not been paying attention to the Tea Party over the past couple of years? Talk about who controls who, why do you think the GOP freshmen in the House are scared silly to raise the debt ceiling if taxes are raised? The real power is ours, we just aren't getting informed enough and kicking out the assholes that are screwing this counry over. In essence we have abdicated our responsibilities to hold them accountable, we're giving up the power.

Exit one asshole<<<....................................................................>>>Enter another​

​

 

[Wiseacre]

Seriously. We all have our one vote, IF we choose to use it. Only en masse will votes truly count. So, it takes a heft number of people seeing things you way for you to actually get your way. We are always hearing, 'vote the suckers out.' Ok. So........?
Not everyone in congress has it as a goal to stay there for a lifetime. Some have a special agenda and that is what they go after. The threat of voting those people out will have no effect. And then there's Rand Paul who was surprised as hell that he won.

Now, consider this: How many of you would WANT to be in congress at this red hot minute? I wouldn't. So what would happen if they all just got up, went home, and didn't return? I mean, I can feel the gut wrenching going on, and it wouldn't surprise me one bit if that happened with at least a few of them.

You guys are nuts, have you not been paying attention to the Tea Party over the past couple of years? Talk about who controls who, why do you think the GOP freshmen in the House are scared silly to raise the debt ceiling if taxes are raised? The real power is ours, we just aren't getting informed enough and kicking out the assholes that are screwing this counry over. In essence we have abdicated our responsibilities to hold them accountable, we're giving up the power.

Exit one asshole<<<....................................................................>>>Enter another​

​

I'm an optimist, I figure sooner or later we'll get a person who's asshole factor is a little lower than the people we got now. That's gotta be better than keeping the current asshole who's inthere now.

 

[SFC Ollie]

I don't vote for incumbents.

 

[abeliveau]

When I was turned down by Social Security for my Disablilty, which incedently is done at the State level I was living out on the Street because my family didn't want to have a brother in their house who was not able to provide for them, I digress I went to Congressman Phil English and Senator Spector. Senator Spector was not interested in fact he would not even respond to me Congressman Phil English however wanted all the facts and with in 2 months of Congressman English taking over I started to receive my Social Security Disability. I was very impressed by his clout. There was also a time when Jimmy Carter was president I was helping a friend of mine to get disability and I wrote to President Carter never expecting a reply. One Sunday morning I received a phone call form the White House it wasnt the President himself but it was his Personal Secretary and she told me that President Carter was looking into this himself and assured me that it would be taken care of and a month later my friend stared his SSD. I welcomed these type of actions from our leaders but don't see it anymore.

 

[Sunshine]

When I was turned down by Social Security for my Disablilty, which incedently is done at the State level I was living out on the Street because my family didn't want to have a brother in their house who was not able to provide for them, I digress I went to Congressman Phil English and Senator Spector. Senator Spector was not interested in fact he would not even respond to me Congressman Phil English however wanted all the facts and with in 2 months of Congressman English taking over I started to receive my Social Security Disability. I was very impressed by his clout. There was also a time when Jimmy Carter was president I was helping a friend of mine to get disability and I wrote to President Carter never expecting a reply. One Sunday morning I received a phone call form the White House it wasnt the President himself but it was his Personal Secretary and she told me that President Carter was looking into this himself and assured me that it would be taken care of and a month later my friend stared his SSD. I welcomed these type of actions from our leaders but don't see it anymore.

And your point is?

 

[konradv]

How do you quit playing? That just sounds like, "I'm not going to vote at all". That doesn't end the "game", it just means you quit.

I don't agree. I think if as little as 20% (though obviously, the more the better) of us stopped voting for Democrats and Republicans it would cause fundamental change to the status quo. If the Tea Party had resisted being co-opted by the Republicans, they could have had this kind of effect.

IMO, the only way is to not allow politicians to ask for money from private sources.

I've yet to see a workable solution along those lines.

The thing is, as long as we keep voting for them, they'll keep doing what they're doing. If we're not even willing to 'punish' them by refusing to vote for them, what incentive would they ever have to change things? If we were exercising our voting responsibility effectively, they wouldn't be so blatantly flaunting our concerns in the first place.

It honestly seems like a bit of national insanity that we complain so much about the status quo, yet give it our stamp of approval every election cycle by voting for the same scam over and over again.

I don't see how that's going to ever come about, if the message is fashioned by those with bucks. Britain manages to run elections publically. I don't see why we couldn't. It would probably look a lot different than what we have today, but if our representiives are forced to listen us instead of the moneymen, that's a good thing, IMO.

 

[dblack]

I don't see how that's going to ever come about, if the message is fashioned by those with bucks. Britain manages to run elections publically. I don't see why we couldn't. It would probably look a lot different than what we have today, but if our representiives are forced to listen us instead of the moneymen, that's a good thing, IMO.

The thing is, the will to stop voting for these crooked bastards would necessarily come before any meaningful election reform. And once we've mustered the will to quit playing along at the ballot box, election reform becomes relatively moot. It's a simple situation really. Pretty much the only real power we have over Congress is the vote. Every time we throw away our votes on Democrats or Republicans we're telling Congress "yes, we approve of what you're doing, please do it more". Until we stop doing that, nothing will change - including any real election finance reform.

 

[Kiki Cannoli]

I don't see how that's going to ever come about, if the message is fashioned by those with bucks. Britain manages to run elections publically. I don't see why we couldn't. It would probably look a lot different than what we have today, but if our representiives are forced to listen us instead of the moneymen, that's a good thing, IMO.

The thing is, the will to stop voting for these crooked bastards would necessarily come before any meaningful election reform. And once we've mustered the will to quit playing along at the ballot box, election reform becomes relatively moot. It's a simple situation really. Pretty much the only real power we have over Congress is the vote. Every time we throw away our votes on Democrats or Republicans we're telling Congress "yes, we approve of what you're doing, please do it more". Until we stop doing that, nothing will change - including any real election finance reform.

How do we move voters from hanging on to their beloved teams? Partisanship is deeply ingrained in the voting public. I am repeating myself, but most feel that abandoning the partyline is a) casting a vote that doesn't count and/or b) the belief that change does not represent growth it is a correction and we Americans need not correct anything for we are always right.

How?

 

[StashMan]

Seriously. We all have our one vote, IF we choose to use it. Only en masse will votes truly count. So, it takes a heft number of people seeing things you way for you to actually get your way. We are always hearing, 'vote the suckers out.' Ok. So........?
Not everyone in congress has it as a goal to stay there for a lifetime. Some have a special agenda and that is what they go after. The threat of voting those people out will have no effect. And then there's Rand Paul who was surprised as hell that he won.

Now, consider this: How many of you would WANT to be in congress at this red hot minute? I wouldn't. So what would happen if they all just got up, went home, and didn't return? I mean, I can feel the gut wrenching going on, and it wouldn't surprise me one bit if that happened with at least a few of them.

We stopped having ANY power over congress when they started taking money from lobbyist in Washington. Should make it illegal for ANY politician to take a penny from any company or it's sponsors.

 

[SFC Ollie]

What third party would all of you like to see?

The Tea Party actually made a stir and got some people elected.

Today the Democrats demonize them and the Republicans are afraid to piss them off.

Independents? There are two in Washington I can think of, both of them vote 95% or better with the Democrats.

What 3rd party would make any difference?

 

[saveliberty]

Seriously. We all have our one vote, IF we choose to use it. Only en masse will votes truly count. So, it takes a heft number of people seeing things you way for you to actually get your way. We are always hearing, 'vote the suckers out.' Ok. So........?
Not everyone in congress has it as a goal to stay there for a lifetime. Some have a special agenda and that is what they go after. The threat of voting those people out will have no effect. And then there's Rand Paul who was surprised as hell that he won.

Now, consider this: How many of you would WANT to be in congress at this red hot minute? I wouldn't. So what would happen if they all just got up, went home, and didn't return? I mean, I can feel the gut wrenching going on, and it wouldn't surprise me one bit if that happened with at least a few of them.

We stopped having ANY power over congress when they started taking money from lobbyist in Washington. Should make it illegal for ANY politician to take a penny from any company or it's sponsors.

Reelection becomes an all consuming thing to be sure. Term limits ends that. It would be convenient to blame companies, or parties, but the blame lies with us. We allow the media to shape the issues we see, vet candidates for us, show us ads not based in fact or truth. We don't vote in large measure. We complain about Congress, but make excuses for why our people are doing great. We let them spend, because someone we know would face hardtimes without the assistance. We allowed Social Security to be the main source of income in old age. We have failed ourselves. Now we don't want to face the consequences of our actions.