The biggest problem in American politics?

[Guns Guns Guns]

LOL at the rightwingers who want to throw the Founder's vision of government overboard because they can't legally kill Social Security and Medicare...

[Chapel The Evergreen]

I'm not for term limits. We all ready have them. They're called "elections".

Yeah, real big 'limit' there. That's how people like Thrumond and Levin haven't been able to make fucking careers as politicians. Clearly, that system that favors incumbants so heavily, obviously limits their ability to serve and be reelected.

[Superfreak]

In my view, it is that both sides want to have their cake and eat it, too. For the past 12 years, Democrats have gotten their way on social programs, and Republicans have gotten their way on taxes and the military. Bush was the grand architect of this scheme with his tax cuts and big spending, such as the prescription drug law. The result is the mess we're in now: out-of-control spending and low revenues.

Taxation is one area I sharply disagree with Romney (and Republicans in general). My hope is that if Obama is reelected, he will allow the Bush tax cuts to expire in their entirety - not only for the wealthiest Americans, but across the board.

Unfortunately, Democrats don't seem too willing to tackle entitlement reform.

Where will this ultimately lead? At what point with both sides be forced to come together and work out a compromise?

The shorter version...

The biggest problem in American politics... Republicans and Democrats.

[Don Quixote]

Yeah, real big 'limit' there. That's how people like Thrumond and Levin haven't been able to make fucking careers as politicians. Clearly, that system that favors incumbants so heavily, obviously limits their ability to serve and be reelected.

plus with unlimited campaign contributions once elected it is even harder to get rid of the trash

still i am not in favor or term limits, it is a solution that makes for more problems than it cures - at least for now

[Superfreak]

I think you're close to hitting on the real problem. I believe it's the primary system. I believe that it's polarized our political system into extremes. You've probably noticed that general elections don't mean shit anymore. That districts have been gerrymandered with such precision that the real elections are in the primaries. This gives party loyalist and partisans, those who are called the base, influence far disproportionate to their numbers. They are the ones who are really deciding elections and they tend towards the extremes. This is a real problem and I don't have a constructive alternative.

I agree, the House races are a joke in most cases as the two parties have made the bulk of their districts 'safe'. Which has led to extremists taking control. I think the other problem is that 'leadership' positions in DC tend to go to career politicians with seniority. That combination spells disaster.

It is time for the people to step up and end all the 'safe' districts. Divide each state up into squares. Each square gets 1/x of the population. So some may cover larger geographic areas, but the population representation will be about equal. No more crazy ass lines trying to make sure they have a guaranteed seat.

[Superfreak]

Yea right. What have the gen Xers ever done? Nothing. They're the most self absorbed, fat, lazy, unskilled, unproductive, entitled generation this nation has ever produced.

LMAO... wrong. The above describes the baby boomers perfectly. It is their sense of entitlement and profligate spending that has led us into the shit hole we now find ourselves in.

Gen xers are just now sliding into power. Soon we will kick your generation to the curb.

[Superfreak]

I'm not for term limits. We all ready have them. They're called "elections".

that is not true in safe districts. You pointed out the problem there. Once someone has won a few terms in the House from a safe district, barring a major scandal they become lifers.

The Senate too becomes to easy to repeat given name recognition and lack of funding for competition (especially in primaries). Add to that the fact that many states are now 'safe' for one party or the other and you end up with a bunch of worthless lifers there too.

The time has come for term limits. Put an end to the career politician.

[Darla]

LMAO... wrong. The above describes the baby boomers perfectly. It is their sense of entitlement and profligate spending that has led us into the shit hole we now find ourselves in.

Gen xers are just now sliding into power. Soon we will kick your generation to the curb.

I think both Gen X and the Baby boomer generations should unite in order to kick the asses of the Millennium "irony" generation. Their effing irony sucks and I am so sick of it! Isn't it ironic? Uh, no, it's not!

[Superfreak]

plus with unlimited campaign contributions once elected it is even harder to get rid of the trash

still i am not in favor or term limits, it is a solution that makes for more problems than it cures - at least for now

I am curious... what problems do you see coming from term limits. I ask, because I do not see any and think the topic is ripe for discussion. Thanks...

[Chapel The Evergreen]

plus with unlimited campaign contributions once elected it is even harder to get rid of the trash

still i am not in favor or term limits, it is a solution that makes for more problems than it cures - at least for now

Such as...?

[Chapel The Evergreen]

I think both Gen X and the Baby boomer generations should unite in order to kick the asses of the Millennium "irony" generation. Their effing irony sucks and I am so sick of it! Isn't it ironic? Uh, no, it's not!

Lulz.

[Don Quixote]

Such as...?

people just elected to office do not know how things work, only the lobbyist know how things work and exploit the ignorance of the newly elected

good grief it is late, time for some sleep - oh well g'night

[Chapel The Evergreen]

people just elected to office do not know how things work, only the lobbyist know how things work and exploit the ignorance of the newly elected

good grief it is late, time for some sleep - oh well g'night

Lobbyists work by building long term relationships. If you must ALWAYS build a new relationship, your influence is diminished.

[Thithicus]

Democratic voters like Mott and Don are only against term limits because they must toe the party line. There is no rational basis on which to oppose term limits. However, they should stop to consider the fact that there are just as many career politicians in the Republican Party as the Democratic Party. It's not like enacting term limits would harm their cause.

[Don Quixote]

Lobbyists work by building long term relationships. If you must ALWAYS build a new relationship, your influence is diminished.

while the lobbyists must build new relationships also, they have a knowledge of the way things work in the legislature that new legislators may find valuable and help to build those new relationships

ps ca has term limits so i have a fair idea of how well they work