How to Fix Our Dysfunctional Congress
This is the political season.
It is the time to think seriously about how and whether we are going to vote.
And particularly about our votes for the people in Congress.
Judging by its poll ratings (about 9% favorable), it is arguably one of the worst Congresses ever.
Yet, if we go by the current trend, close to 98% of them will be reelected! How to explain this? The reasons are simple and fundamental: 1.
The voters who want to vote for challengers never win, and so they stop voting.
2.
The voters who vote for incumbents always win, so they keep voting.
3.
As a result, only 45% of Americans vote, mostly for incumbents, so incumbents win 98% of the time.
How to fix this? Always vote, but never vote for incumbents.
In other words, NEVER REELECT ANYONE! Those good souls who are working to get a term limits amendment to put an end to corrupt Congresses should stop and realize that it is an impossible task.
Congress will not, repeat NOT, allow a bill for such an amendment to pass.
And, for the same reasons, they will NOT allow an Article V convention for amendments to happen.
Those are the only two ways allowed by the Constitution to propose amendments.
Therefore it is left to us, the people, to conduct our own de facto term limits, at the ballot box.
It is a very simple strategy, to wit: NEVER REELECT ANY OF THEM.
Starting now, in the 2008 election, make sure you vote, but do NOT vote for ANY incumbent, only for challengers, whether you like them or not, whether they are your party or not.
Always vote, but NEVER REELECT anyone.
If we do this for two or three elections, the whole character of Congress will begin to change for the better.
Budgets will get balanced, earmarks will end, problems will get solved, waste will be reduced, party loyalties will give way to "doing the right thing" for the country.
The longer we keep it up, the greater the power returned to we.
the people.
Compared to today, what have we got to lose? Start NEVER REELECT now.
Nelson Lee Walker of tenurecorrupts.
com, Saratoga, CA
It is the time to think seriously about how and whether we are going to vote.
And particularly about our votes for the people in Congress.
Judging by its poll ratings (about 9% favorable), it is arguably one of the worst Congresses ever.
Yet, if we go by the current trend, close to 98% of them will be reelected! How to explain this? The reasons are simple and fundamental: 1.
The voters who want to vote for challengers never win, and so they stop voting.
2.
The voters who vote for incumbents always win, so they keep voting.
3.
As a result, only 45% of Americans vote, mostly for incumbents, so incumbents win 98% of the time.
How to fix this? Always vote, but never vote for incumbents.
In other words, NEVER REELECT ANYONE! Those good souls who are working to get a term limits amendment to put an end to corrupt Congresses should stop and realize that it is an impossible task.
Congress will not, repeat NOT, allow a bill for such an amendment to pass.
And, for the same reasons, they will NOT allow an Article V convention for amendments to happen.
Those are the only two ways allowed by the Constitution to propose amendments.
Therefore it is left to us, the people, to conduct our own de facto term limits, at the ballot box.
It is a very simple strategy, to wit: NEVER REELECT ANY OF THEM.
Starting now, in the 2008 election, make sure you vote, but do NOT vote for ANY incumbent, only for challengers, whether you like them or not, whether they are your party or not.
Always vote, but NEVER REELECT anyone.
If we do this for two or three elections, the whole character of Congress will begin to change for the better.
Budgets will get balanced, earmarks will end, problems will get solved, waste will be reduced, party loyalties will give way to "doing the right thing" for the country.
The longer we keep it up, the greater the power returned to we.
the people.
Compared to today, what have we got to lose? Start NEVER REELECT now.
Nelson Lee Walker of tenurecorrupts.
com, Saratoga, CA
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