Time To Increase Size of Congress

[Dante]

Time

 

[TheOldSchool]

I do not want to pay a greater number of liars to not do their job please

 

[Samson]

I do not want to pay a greater number of liars to not do their job please

http://www.usmessageboard.com/congress/256014-usmb-political-hackery-9.html#post6729144

 

[Too Tall]

Time To Increase Size of Congress?

Congress is too small. The US House has members who now represent over 20 times as many people as they were originally set out to represent.

Since so many people like to talk about what US citizens expected over 200 years ago, and insist we live our lives according to their dictates...I say using their standards and understandings of how a government of the people would work, we have inadequate representation.

I usually say there is nothing wrong with our system and that it is the process that is broken, not the system...but something always bothered me with that conclusion...something was missing. I keep hearing people say the founding principles of our nation they admire and cherish, but that the US Constitution is outdated.

I am starting to think it may be. Why should we live our lives according to standards, understanding and meanings from over 200 years ago. We have an amendment process, but even that would not solve the problem of too little representation.

then again...

All that would do is take a few unemployed lawyers off the street.

 

[Votto]

Article V

The Congress, whenever two thirds of both houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose amendments to this Constitution, or, on the application of the legislatures of two thirds of the several states, shall call a convention for proposing amendments, which, in either case, shall be valid to all intents and purposes, as part of this Constitution, when ratified by the legislatures of three fourths of the several states, or by conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other mode of ratification may be proposed by the Congress; provided that no amendment which may be made prior to the year one thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any manner affect the first and fourth clauses in the ninth section of the first article; and that no state, without its consent, shall be deprived of its equal suffrage in the Senate.

To Propose Amendments

In the U.S. Congress, both the House of Representatives and the Senate approve by a two-thirds supermajority vote, a joint resolution amending the Constitution. Amendments so approved do not require the signature of the President of the United States and are sent directly to the states for ratification.


Two-thirds of the state legislatures ask Congress to call a national convention to propose amendments. (This method has never been used.)

To Ratify Amendments

Three-fourths of the state legislatures approve it, or

Ratifying conventions in three-fourths of the states approve it. This method has been used only once -- to ratify the 21st Amendment -- repealing Prohibition.

The Supreme Court has stated that ratification must be within "some reasonable time after the proposal." Beginning with the 18th amendment, it has been customary for Congress to set a definite period for ratification. In the case of the 18th, 20th, 21st, and 22nd amendments, the period set was 7 years, but there has been no determination as to just how long a "reasonable time" might extend.

Of the thousands of proposals that have been made to amend the Constitution, only 33 obtained the necessary two-thirds vote in Congress. Of those 33, only 27 amendments (including the Bill of Rights) have been ratified.
Amending the US Constitution – Methods For Amending the US Constitution

Amending the Constitution: The Meaning of Article V

United States presidential election, 1800 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

How many representatives does each state have in the US House of Representatives

1800 United States Census - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Article V | U.S. Constitution | LII / Legal Information Institute

U.S. Voting Rights ? Infoplease.com

What you have to realize is that the Constitution was written by a bunch of idiot slave owners in white wigs. Now we just do as we please.

Just have Obama write and Executive Order. Geesh.

 

[Votto]

I do not want to pay a greater number of liars to not do their job please

http://www.usmessageboard.com/congress/256014-usmb-political-hackery-9.html#post6729144

We can. Nothing says we can't. But would that solve all the problems or even address enough of them?

I do not trust many people to rewrite the US Constitution, but it obviously needs some things added to address the 21st century we live in.

We keep allowing partisan Congresses to pass laws that address things in ways that often make matter worse.

If you really are wanting to get back to the Constitution, what we need is for the purse strings to be given back to the states so that Congressmen and women from the other 49 states are not able to steal money from my state. This fact helps splain why Congress only has a 13% approval rating, but people keep electing their representative.

But I digress since I'm a backward conservative. For you see, we need to move "FORWARD", not backward, in everything we do!!

 

[Too Tall]

May be time to lower the pay scale for city/town, county, state, and federal officials. Bring back the notion of sacrifice and service.

Why do former President get so much money and protection paid for by the tax payers? Do they not trust their own fellow citizens that much? As we elect younger Presidents we will end up paying enormous sums for people who serve only 4 or 8 years. Makes very little fiscal sense

All these people speak of sacrifices needed...what about their pensions and benefits? Maybe it is time to look at pay scales that rise with time spent serving? Benefits scaled to years of service?

President Obama signed legislation Thursday giving himself Secret Service protection for life.

The bill, the Former Presidents Protection Act of 2012, reverses a previous law that limited Secret Service protection for former presidents and their families to 10 years if they served after 1997.

Under the law Obama signed on Thursday, he, former President George W. Bush and future former presidents will receive Secret Service protection for the rest of their lives. Children of former presidents up to the age of 16 are assured protection under the new law.

The Former Presidents Protection Act of 2012 passed the House and Senate in December 2012.

Read more: Obama signs bill extending lifetime Secret Service protection for former presidents - The Hill's Blog Briefing Room
Follow us: @thehill on Twitter | TheHill on Facebook

Congress passed this law and now they can pass another one giving themselves more and better retirement benefits. Go figure!

 

[Too Tall]

According to a recent search on Google these are the figures.
According to the Congressional Research Service 170 members of the House and 60 Senators are lawyers.

Out of a total of 435 U.S. Representatives and 100 Senators (535 total in Congress), lawyers comprise the biggest voting block of one type, making up 43% of Congress. Sixty percent of the U.S. Senate is lawyers.
Enough said. 37.2% of the House of Representatives are lawyers.

There are 81 Republican lawyers in Congress who list "lawyer" as their profession. There are 123 Democrat lawyers in Congress that list "lawyer" as their profession. Some may have not told that they had a law degree or practiced law, because they were doing something else, e.g., doctor, industrialist, teacher, real estate agent/broker, etc. It seems that the medical and real estate professions are also heavily represented in Congress

 

[Votto]

According to a recent search on Google these are the figures.
According to the Congressional Research Service 170 members of the House and 60 Senators are lawyers.

Out of a total of 435 U.S. Representatives and 100 Senators (535 total in Congress), lawyers comprise the biggest voting block of one type, making up 43% of Congress. Sixty percent of the U.S. Senate is lawyers.
Enough said. 37.2% of the House of Representatives are lawyers.

There are 81 Republican lawyers in Congress who list "lawyer" as their profession. There are 123 Democrat lawyers in Congress that list "lawyer" as their profession. Some may have not told that they had a law degree or practiced law, because they were doing something else, e.g., doctor, industrialist, teacher, real estate agent/broker, etc. It seems that the medical and real estate professions are also heavily represented in Congress

What we need are a few hundred more entrinched Congressmen who are given fabulous pensions and exempt from Obamacare who can't even pass a budget, but who can carry fire arms anywhere anytime they want. In fact, why not elect us all!!!

 

[Michelle420]

waste of time.

nothing to see here


move along

You were doing just fine

What made you change your mind ?

 

[Votto]

waste of time.

nothing to see here


move along

You were doing just fine

What made you change your mind ?

Contrary views are such a bitch.

 

[Michelle420]

waste of time.

nothing to see here


move along

You were doing just fine

What made you change your mind ?

....

Thoughts become things.....

 

[jwoodie]

I don't think it would make much of a difference, but I would be willing to accept the idea if it was combined with a requirement that Congressional district boundaries be drawn according to a fixed mathematical formula rather than political gerrymandering. Otherwise, more districts would allow for greater manipulation of these boundaries.

 

[Dante]

I don't think it would make much of a difference, but I would be willing to accept the idea if it was combined with a requirement that Congressional district boundaries be drawn according to a fixed mathematical formula rather than political gerrymandering. Otherwise, more districts would allow for greater manipulation of these boundaries.

Dante had posted about lower salaries, less benefits, a formula to tack benefits to years of service, lowering costs for security to retired Presidents and more....but not many people here at USMB can keep up a serious discussion without personal, partisan, or ideological attacks

you're wasting your time in this thread.

but thanks for the effort at reasonable and rational debate and discussion

 

[1Templar]

Decrease it.

 

[Dante]

Decrease it.

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