I feel you. But let's be brutally honest here. Congressional bills haven't been written by members of congress in a very very long time.
We all subconsciously know this. Today's congress members ask the Mars rover team if they can see where Neil Armstrong planted the American flag. They think overpopulated islands might flip over.
In all honesty, the last item of legislation written by congress was sometime around the mid 1990’s. Modern legislation is sub-contracted to K-Street. K-Street Lobbyists write the laws; congress sells the laws; lobbyists then pay congress commissions for passing their laws. That’s the modern legislative business in DC.
Problem is anyone that is up in that place (swamp) for so long gets corrupted. Regardless of how good you start out being. Two things that would fix it all instantly, prosecute corruption (we agree here for sure) and then they DO NOT GET PAID TO SERVE. This is how it use to be so no one wanted to stay longer than needed. No one should go up to Washington and leave several times richer.
Anyone who adds millions to their net worth while in Congress is highly suspect.
It 'can' happen honestly, but often times it does not.
Multiplying your net worth should be a huge red flag that triggers a mandatory investigation and detailed documentation available for transparent public review.
I would argue only one of your points... People should be paid to serve, but only a modest amount. If you make it a 'no pay' job, then the only people who can serve are those who are independently wealthy (or 'otherwise financially backed'). Modest salaries would work, and still allow 'common folk' to serve.
I agree with you that prosecution should be the correct course of action, but who will prosecute and when? Answer: it hasn't and wont happen. All DC institutions are corrupted beyond repair. The last line of non-violent defense if for honest state legislatures to force corrections onto the federal government for election integrity and to root out the corrupt actors in congress via term limits. The longer they stay in power, the further they are corrupted and represent special interest and not the people. Representing the people was never meant to be a career, it was meant to be a duty, a calling to serve the people, and then go back to their lives being a productive member of society, not a permanent fixture of the establishment. Once they force DC and PR to statehood, we will be further away from having the state legislatures to accomplish any meaningful change on the federal government.
Term limits are a band-aid. The proper fix is to prosecute corruption.
Plus, do you really want to term limit good people? (once they start getting elected)
If we had a few younger folks like Trump, would you want to kick them out?
We need to stop treating symptoms. Go after the root cause.
Prosecute corruption.
Yes, I want term limits on "good people". Good people can become corrupted. Every political position ought to be term-limited.
I feel you. But let's be brutally honest here. Congressional bills haven't been written by members of congress in a very very long time.
We all subconsciously know this. Today's congress members ask the Mars rover team if they can see where Neil Armstrong planted the American flag. They think overpopulated islands might flip over.
In all honesty, the last item of legislation written by congress was sometime around the mid 1990’s. Modern legislation is sub-contracted to K-Street. K-Street Lobbyists write the laws; congress sells the laws; lobbyists then pay congress commissions for passing their laws. That’s the modern legislative business in DC.
Term limits are cool. The system is still cancer.
Problem is anyone that is up in that place (swamp) for so long gets corrupted. Regardless of how good you start out being. Two things that would fix it all instantly, prosecute corruption (we agree here for sure) and then they DO NOT GET PAID TO SERVE. This is how it use to be so no one wanted to stay longer than needed. No one should go up to Washington and leave several times richer.
Anyone who adds millions to their net worth while in Congress is highly suspect.
It 'can' happen honestly, but often times it does not.
Multiplying your net worth should be a huge red flag that triggers a mandatory investigation and detailed documentation available for transparent public review.
I would argue only one of your points... People should be paid to serve, but only a modest amount. If you make it a 'no pay' job, then the only people who can serve are those who are independently wealthy (or 'otherwise financially backed'). Modest salaries would work, and still allow 'common folk' to serve.
I agree with you that prosecution should be the correct course of action, but who will prosecute and when? Answer: it hasn't and wont happen. All DC institutions are corrupted beyond repair. The last line of non-violent defense if for honest state legislatures to force corrections onto the federal government for election integrity and to root out the corrupt actors in congress via term limits. The longer they stay in power, the further they are corrupted and represent special interest and not the people. Representing the people was never meant to be a career, it was meant to be a duty, a calling to serve the people, and then go back to their lives being a productive member of society, not a permanent fixture of the establishment. Once they force DC and PR to statehood, we will be further away from having the state legislatures to accomplish any meaningful change on the federal government.
I completely agree with your points. We are in a tough position...but...
If we don't aim at the right targets, we won't get the right results.
The (ultimate) goal should be to restore law enforcement and prosecute corruption.