Isn't it great to have these positions of power! The easy way to enrich oneself and family!

[Eagle-Keeper]

This issue is one of the reasons I support term limits.

[Nemesis]

I have gone back and forth on term limits but now firmly in the camp for them. I would like to see the Presidents term changed to a single 6 year term. This way they can focus on the job without the distractions of re-election at the end of four years.

Six years is long enough for a President to work the agenda they were elected to office for. It will make them (in theory) more effective.

[BraveGear]

LOL, and I must subscribe to the NYT to read your story. And you people complain about the $20 to see how corrupt our election was.

[Rodeo]

@Jezcoe

If I had my way I would fire all of these people into the sun… but I do find ti funny that threads like this complain about only one side doing it and ignore their “team”

Is it your opinion that the Trump family did not undergo a 4-5 year long rectal exam during the time kushner’s father in law was president?

If there was anything other than smoke here I’m sure the genius level thinkers on the left would have found it.

Or is this simply a case of “Biden and family are a bunch of lying dirtbags and I voted for him so I must deflect to trump”?

[Jezcoe]

@BraveGear

LOL, and I must subscribe to the NYT to read your story. And you people complain about the $20 to see how corrupt our election was.

There are other sources.

[Jezcoe]

@Rodeo

@Jezcoe

If I had my way I would fire all of these people into the sun… but I do find ti funny that threads like this complain about only one side doing it and ignore their “team”

Is it your opinion that the Trump family did not undergo a 4-5 year long rectal exam during the time kushner’s father in law was president?

If there was anything other than smoke here I’m sure the genius level thinkers on the left would have found it.

Or is this simply a case of “Biden and family are a bunch of lying dirtbags and I voted for him so I must deflect to trump”?

Nope… I am saying that the Trump supporters don’t care about the same exact thing that they all of a sudden care about with Biden.

[zantax]

@Nemesis

I have gone back and forth on term limits but now firmly in the camp for them. I would like to see the Presidents term changed to a single 6 year term. This way they can focus on the job without the distractions of re-election at the end of four years.

Six years is long enough for a President to work the agenda they were elected to office for. It will make them (in theory) more effective.

Seems like a bad idea to give the most powerful position no reason to care about getting re-elected.

[Rodeo]

@Jezcoe

Nope… I am saying that the Trump supporters don’t care about the same exact thing that they all of a sudden care about with Biden.

This was all looked into…did you post a NY Times link. They don’t exactly have a stellar history of accuracy or honesty re: the Trump administration.

Now. You defended hiding hunter’s laptop from the voters in October of 2020…you and your fellow smartest guy in the room leftists were convinced it was all Rudy Rudy Rudy Russia Russia Russia…

Give us all a damn break. This is so transparent…I would expect better from the smartest guy on the board. Your boy Biden and his family are being exposed as the poster children for corruption that they truly are. How’d Joe get so rich on 147k a year?How’d Hunter get so rich without any marketable skills other than making really bad porn videos? How much did 10% held by H for the big guy add up to? How much influence do the Chinese and other foreign governments hunter was in bed with now hold over the Biden family? Since Hunter is trash how much potentially blackmailable material is being held in China? Since it’s obvious Joe lied about knowing nothing about hunters overseas business dealings what else has he lied about.

I guess if I had championed and voted for Biden I’d want to deflect to Trump too.

[Nemesis]

@zantax

@Nemesis

I have gone back and forth on term limits but now firmly in the camp for them. I would like to see the Presidents term changed to a single 6 year term. This way they can focus on the job without the distractions of re-election at the end of four years.

Six years is long enough for a President to work the agenda they were elected to office for. It will make them (in theory) more effective.

Seems like a bad idea to give the most powerful position no reason to care about getting re-elected.

That is definitely a fair point but how much time and money is wasted by presidents running for re-election.

[Rodeo]

@Nemesis

I have gone back and forth on term limits but now firmly in the camp for them. I would like to see the Presidents term changed to a single 6 year term. This way they can focus on the job without the distractions of re-election at the end of four years.

Six years is long enough for a President to work the agenda they were elected to office for. It will make them (in theory) more effective.

Me too…I’ve settled on yes we need to term limit these people. It would an interesting thread.

I’m good with president’s serving two terms…

The House and a senate definitely need to be term limited. This idea of the congressman who dies in office after 40 years isn’t doing us any good at all.

[Eagle-Keeper]

@Rodeo

@Nemesis

I have gone back and forth on term limits but now firmly in the camp for them. I would like to see the Presidents term changed to a single 6 year term. This way they can focus on the job without the distractions of re-election at the end of four years.

Six years is long enough for a President to work the agenda they were elected to office for. It will make them (in theory) more effective.

Me too…I’ve settled on yes we need to term limit these people. It would an interesting thread.

I’m good with president’s serving two terms…

The House and a senate definitely need to be term limited. This idea of the congressman who dies in office after 40 years isn’t doing us any good at all.

These need to be temporary positions! Do we really want to see and hear people like AOC or MTG, year after year after year?

[Rodeo]

@Eagle-Keeper

These need to be temporary positions! Do we really want to see and hear people like AOC or MTG, year after year after year?

Nope!

[margaretms2]

@WuWei

@margaretms2

My thesis is this: the public overwhelmingly supports legislation to stop this, both R and D; but because there’s such broad agreement, it won’t happen.

That seems contradictory.

I started thinking about this more (I explained my reasoning in another thread, I guess).

It reminded me of this Princeton study from 2014: It demonstrated that public opinion has almost zero (“little or no independent influence”) effect on US law. (I started a thread about it back then; it probably dropped like a rock).

The central point that emerges from our research is that economic elites and organized groups representing business interests have substantial independent impacts on U.S. government policy, while mass-based interest groups and average citizens have little or no independent influence. Our results provide substantial support for theories of Economic-Elite Domination and for theories of Biased Pluralism, but not for theories of Majoritarian Electoral Democracy or Majoritarian Pluralism.
LINK

Here’s an experiment. Think about the current political and media ecology, which is entirely partisan and polarized (or at least, perceived as such). Keep in mind: several bills that would ban Congressional stock trading (including spouses) floating around. Pelosi herself supported one back in February. I doubt any will be passed.

Let’s say you were an influential Democratic or a Republican legislator right now. Let’s say you had a really free hand as far as choosing an issue with 70%-80% public support to push. Pick any for a substantive piece of legislation—one that would be high profile and necessarily draw attention . Think about how hard it would be—again, in the current climate and the current state of our political institutions—to get it passed.

In contrast, here’s a list of entirely plausible legislative actions over the next few years that 1) have less public support and 2) a greater possibility of being enacted (assuming the GOP wins out):

1. Cuts to Medicare/Social Security

2. Strict Abortion Ban at he Federal Level

3. Full or partial Obamacare repeal

4. Corporate tax cuts

If I had more time to burn, I’d start a thread on this.

[BraveGear]

@Jezcoe

There are other sources.

Well then, go fetch them for me.

[Jezcoe]

@BraveGear

@Jezcoe

There are other sources.

Well then, go fetch them for me.

They are posted in this thread.

[FloridaYankee]

@Nemesis

I have gone back and forth on term limits but now firmly in the camp for them. I would like to see the Presidents term changed to a single 6 year term. This way they can focus on the job without the distractions of re-election at the end of four years.

Six years is long enough for a President to work the agenda they were elected to office for. It will make them (in theory) more effective.

Sounds like a good idea. Unless the president really sucks.

[Eagle-Keeper]

@Rodeo

@Nemesis

have gone back and forth on term limits but now firmly in the camp for them. I would like to see the Presidents term changed to a single 6 year term. This way they can focus on the job without the distractions of re-election at the end of four years.

Six years is long enough for a President to work the agenda they were elected to office for. It will make them (in theory) more effective.

Me too…I’ve settled on yes we need to term limit these people. It would an interesting thread.

I’m good with president’s serving two terms…

The House and a senate definitely need to be term limited. This idea of the congressman who dies in office after 40 years isn’t doing us any good at all.

Looks like some of the new faces agree:

One thing voters agree on: Fresh voices needed in politics

[zantax]

@margaretms2

@WuWei

@margaretms2

My thesis is this: the public overwhelmingly supports legislation to stop this, both R and D; but because there’s such broad agreement, it won’t happen.

That seems contradictory.

I started thinking about this more (I explained my reasoning in another thread, I guess).

It reminded me of this Princeton study from 2014: It demonstrated that public opinion has almost zero (“little or no independent influence”) effect on US law. (I started a thread about it back then; it probably dropped like a rock).

The central point that emerges from our research is that economic elites and organized groups representing business interests have substantial independent impacts on U.S. government policy, while mass-based interest groups and average citizens have little or no independent influence. Our results provide substantial support for theories of Economic-Elite Domination and for theories of Biased Pluralism, but not for theories of Majoritarian Electoral Democracy or Majoritarian Pluralism.
LINK

Here’s an experiment. Think about the current political and media ecology, which is entirely partisan and polarized (or at least, perceived as such). Keep in mind: several bills that would ban Congressional stock trading (including spouses) floating around. Pelosi herself supported one back in February. I doubt any will be passed.

Let’s say you were an influential Democratic or a Republican legislator right now. Let’s say you had a really free hand as far as choosing an issue with 70%-80% public support to push. Pick any for a substantive piece of legislation—one that would be high profile and necessarily draw attention . Think about how hard it would be—again, in the current climate and the current state of our political institutions—to get it passed.

In contrast, here’s a list of entirely plausible legislative actions over the next few years that 1) have less public support and 2) a greater possibility of being enacted (assuming the GOP wins out):

1. Cuts to Medicare/Social Security

2. Strict Abortion Ban at he Federal Level

3. Full or partial Obamacare repeal

4. Corporate tax cuts

If I had more time to burn, I’d start a thread on this.

Ahem

from https://www.politico.com/news/2021/02/13/biden-cuts-medicare-farm-aid-468895

Biden’s stimulus gamble: Massive cuts to Medicare, farm aid
The budget gambit Democrats are embracing to fast-track President Joe Biden’s $1.9T pandemic aid plan will trigger billions of dollars in reeducations to critical programs.

[SixFoot]

@FloridaYankee

@Nemesis

I have gone back and forth on term limits but now firmly in the camp for them. I would like to see the Presidents term changed to a single 6 year term. This way they can focus on the job without the distractions of re-election at the end of four years.

Six years is long enough for a President to work the agenda they were elected to office for. It will make them (in theory) more effective.

Sounds like a good idea. Unless the president really sucks.

Coincidentally, the President really sucks.

[WuWei]

Under the english-designed system, we would be 1/3 into the immiseration, not 1/2.