Wishlist for the next administration

[bill718]

In a few months this long awaited general election will be over. I sincerely wish the following for the next administration (whoever wins)

* The Supreme Court overturns Citizens United and gets big money out of politics

* The Senate votes on and installs a much needed Supreme Court justice

* Opposing political party's stop stalling in voting on judicial appointees for partisan reasons

* Conservatives and Liberals begin to realize they have a a great deal in common, and stop listening to their respective media outlets who's sole desire is to boost their ratings by branding the other side as "the enemy"

* America finds a way to shorten the campaign season, in both the general and midterm elections. 4-5 months is plenty of time for any candidate to get their message out.

* Americans begin to realize that our legislative process has functioned for over 200 years by both political party's working together to craft legislation...it's called compromise. Compromise is not a dirty word. Compromise is the only thing that will solve the government gridlock we now face today.

Now...I highly doubt any of these things will actually happen, but they are nice to think about.

 

[rightwinger]

Add a public option to Obamacare
End the death penalty
Repeal Citizens United
Put severe restrictions on gerrymandering
Meaningful campaign finance reform
Fix Social Security
Restrict filibuster

 

[Rustic]

Add a public option to Obamacare
End the death penalty
Repeal Citizens United
Put severe restrictions on gerrymandering
Meaningful campaign finance reform
Fix Social Security
Restrict filibuster

You sound communist...

 

[g5000]

* The Supreme Court overturns Citizens United and gets big money out of politics

I have some really bad news for you.

Brace yourself.




There was "big money in politics" for centuries before Citizens United.

 

[320 Years of History]

In a few months this long awaited general election will be over. I sincerely wish the following for the next administration (whoever wins)

* The Supreme Court overturns Citizens United and gets big money out of politics

* The Senate votes on and installs a much needed Supreme Court justice

* Opposing political party's stop stalling in voting on judicial appointees for partisan reasons

* Conservatives and Liberals begin to realize they have a a great deal in common, and stop listening to their respective media outlets who's sole desire is to boost their ratings by branding the other side as "the enemy"

* America finds a way to shorten the campaign season, in both the general and midterm elections. 4-5 months is plenty of time for any candidate to get their message out.

* Americans begin to realize that our legislative process has functioned for over 200 years by both political party's working together to craft legislation...it's called compromise. Compromise is not a dirty word. Compromise is the only thing that will solve the government gridlock we now face today.

Now...I highly doubt any of these things will actually happen, but they are nice to think about.

The second action you listed will happen.

 

[Rustic]

* The Supreme Court overturns Citizens United and gets big money out of politics

I have some really bad news for you.

Brace yourself.




There was "big money in politics" for centuries before Citizens United.

No doubt, with career politicians there is always and will always be big money in politics…

 

[g5000]

More bad news:

Despite more than 40 years of "campaign finance reform" legislation and court decisions, the odds of winning for a Representative running for re-election has remained a rock steady 98 percent.

The odds of winning for a Senator running for re-election has hovered between 80 and 95 percent.

Once you get elected, you have that seat for as looooooooong as you wish.

The really cool part is you get to write the rules which affect your re-election chances! Woo hoo!

 

[Rustic]

More bad news:

Despite more than 40 years of "campaign finance reform" legislation and court decisions, the odds of winning for a Representative running for re-election has remained a rock steady 98 percent.

The odds of winning for a Senator running for re-election has hovered between 80 and 95 percent.

Once you get elected, you have that seat for as looooooooong as you wish.

The really cool part is you get to write the rules which affect your re-election chances! Woo hoo!

Career politicians and their federal government will always make things worse for the average Joe… LOL

 

[g5000]

98 percent re-election odds.

Single digit approval ratings.


If you want to know how the ever loving fuck that is possible, and who is responsible for that insane contradiction, take a good hard look in the mirror.



So go right ahead and reverse Citizens United. I only wish I could be there to see your face when you realize it didn't do fuck-all to change things.

 

[g5000]

This next bit of news is going to be particularly painful for liberals to hear:

The only way to achieve "meaningful campaign finance reform" is to take away the incentives to give incumbents money.

Now ask yourself, why exactly do special interests give money to politicians?

There is only one answer. Think really hard, and I bet you come up with the right one.

And then that should unlock a whole chain of thought which will ultimately bring you to the really bad news.