History teaches that incumbency usually guarantees reelection. A sad truth is that long tenures in congressional office invariably create a fertile environment for corruption. The notion that we should continue to reelect politicians based on their attentiveness to constituent services, their avoidance of public scandal or their familiar faces and personalities must be discarded. The essence of democracy is the participation in public office by as many citizens as possible. It is most desirable to have fresh people, fresh ideas and as little as possible of the crony baggage that infects the offices of perpetual officeholders.
The concentration of wealth in the US has resulted in the concentration of political power. This power, wielded by a minority of citizens, is what propels contemporary US governmental policy. These powerful entities achieve their goals by providing enormous resources to perpetual office holders. And, the Supreme Court by its ruling that held that money is the same as speech and their peculiar decision that bestowed personhood upon nonhuman entities has effectively ceded the control of the governmental apparatus to the wealthy, moving the nation even closer to oligarchical rule.
Income redistribution and class warfare have been going on in the US for some time, however, these are not instances of redistribution and class warfare waged by the poor and middle class upon the rich and powerful, a notion that is absurd on its face. Wealth redistribution and class warfare historically are waged against the poor and middle class by the powerful.
The concentration of wealth in the US has resulted in the concentration of political power. This power, wielded by a minority of citizens, is what propels contemporary US governmental policy. These powerful entities achieve their goals by providing enormous resources to perpetual office holders. And, the Supreme Court by its ruling that held that money is the same as speech and their peculiar decision that bestowed personhood upon nonhuman entities has effectively ceded the control of the governmental apparatus to the wealthy, moving the nation even closer to oligarchical rule.
Income redistribution and class warfare have been going on in the US for some time, however, these are not instances of redistribution and class warfare waged by the poor and middle class upon the rich and powerful, a notion that is absurd on its face. Wealth redistribution and class warfare historically are waged against the poor and middle class by the powerful.
Young American men and women are dying in unnecessary foreign wars, millions of Americans are suffering from the loss of livelihoods, retirement savings in many cases are gone, thefts and scandals are rampant and we are now presented with an ecological man-made disaster the likes of which has never been seen before. Not surprisingly, the ruling class is doing as well as ever. Their sons do not go to the wars, but they do profit immensely from war with lucrative investments in the instruments of death and destruction and such things as those notorious tax-cuts for the wealthy of 2001-2003. This is irrefutable evidence of class warfare upon the lower economic classes and wealth redistribution upward.
It is within the capabilities of the American people to regain control of the political process so that necessary democratic reforms can be instituted. I urge readers to take action, make the pledge for a better America. Six Years and Out requires no time or resources. There are no financial contributions to be made, no meetings to attend and no speeches to endure. A citizen need only make a pledge to himself, then spread the word to others. This is citizen imposed action and requires no legal or judicial concurrence.
A constitutional amendment for congressional term limits would be cumbersome and extremely difficult to achieve. Campaign finance reform would necessarily mean limiting the flow of the vast sums that corrupt the governmental processes. Any attempt to limit the corrupting influence of money to Washington would certainly be viewed by the Supreme Court as an attempt to limit speech.
Over time, Six Years and Out will progressively dilute the entrenched power of the permanent political class. The professional lobbies will thereby be hindered in their ability to influence governmental action. As the terms of members of Congress become shorter, the professional staffs will become more diversified. With each six-year cycle, the newly elected will establish their own political identity and promulgate their own ideas. They will will have six years, quite enough to introduce new ideas, but not long enough to be corrupted.
The Pledge:
With the recognition that there are huge numbers of intelligent, talented and qualified citizens who are prepared to limit their public service. I hereby pledge to my conscience and my fellow Six Year and Out compatriots that I will not vote a second term for any United States Senator and no more three terms for any United States Congressman. I shall keep to this commitment even if it means voting against my preferred political party.
It is within the capabilities of the American people to regain control of the political process so that necessary democratic reforms can be instituted. I urge readers to take action, make the pledge for a better America. Six Years and Out requires no time or resources. There are no financial contributions to be made, no meetings to attend and no speeches to endure. A citizen need only make a pledge to himself, then spread the word to others. This is citizen imposed action and requires no legal or judicial concurrence.
A constitutional amendment for congressional term limits would be cumbersome and extremely difficult to achieve. Campaign finance reform would necessarily mean limiting the flow of the vast sums that corrupt the governmental processes. Any attempt to limit the corrupting influence of money to Washington would certainly be viewed by the Supreme Court as an attempt to limit speech.
Over time, Six Years and Out will progressively dilute the entrenched power of the permanent political class. The professional lobbies will thereby be hindered in their ability to influence governmental action. As the terms of members of Congress become shorter, the professional staffs will become more diversified. With each six-year cycle, the newly elected will establish their own political identity and promulgate their own ideas. They will will have six years, quite enough to introduce new ideas, but not long enough to be corrupted.
The Pledge:
With the recognition that there are huge numbers of intelligent, talented and qualified citizens who are prepared to limit their public service. I hereby pledge to my conscience and my fellow Six Year and Out compatriots that I will not vote a second term for any United States Senator and no more three terms for any United States Congressman. I shall keep to this commitment even if it means voting against my preferred political party.
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Comments: 2
We know even from recent experience with journalists embedded in combat units in Iraq that they lose their objectivity. Once the 'peer' group in Washington, D.C., trumps the constituency at home? It is human nature to bond with those with whom you spend the majority of your time. Ask any first wife whose husband's second wife was his secretary or co-worker.
After a recent trip to Iraq, my congressman, Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA), grabbed the headlines for switching sides and is now backing the Bush administration's contention that the 'surge' (escalation) needs more 'time'.
Those of us who voted for him - he was fervently anti-war and supported bringing the troops home - rightly feel the man has grossly let his constituents and our country down. Perhaps it is naive of me to think that my Representative should represent me, but that's another long post.
It had to be something General P. put in the water as there is no other explanation for Baird's bizarre turnaround on the war. I have met and spoken personally with Brian on a number of occasions and have thought him to be a good, thoughtful man. As his constituents have been polled at 9-to-1 against what he is doing by his own office, I don't know what he is thinking.
That a psychologist by profession could be so easily manipulated, shows how 'great' the Bush administration is at just this kind of deceit. We are not just dealing with Bush, as you are aware. We are dealing with the biggest heist of dollars (the $12 billion of US Taxpayers' money that just disappeared in Iraq) and natural resources (Iraq's oil reserves) the world has ever seen.
Without this war and the continuation of the administration's chronic addition of fuel to the fire, some of us might come to our senses. Even Congressman Baird.
Term limits seem to be the only solution, as nothing else so far has been able to keep people honest.
I am not deluded enough to believe that anyone who disagrees with me is a fiend, stupid, ignorant, a devil or infidel, but on some issues there is only one morally right thing to do and it has nothing to do with any particular religion or culture. We should do no harm to others.
All we can do is to keep fighting the good fight.