Worst Congress ever?

[_CY_]

Worst Congress ever?

NORM ORNSTEIN of the American Enterprise Institute quite literally wrote the book on congressional dysfunction. So it is profoundly depressing to see that he has now labelled the 112th Congress the worst one ever. More discouraging still, this is not a temporary problem brought about by transient phenomena such as the recent recession and the advent of the tea-party movement. It is the culmination of a long period of realignment in American politics, encompassing sharper ideological conflict between the parties~

Partisan and ideological conflict is inherent in democratic political systems, of course, and governing is often a messy process. But this level of dysfunction is not typical. And it is not going away in the near future. The 2012 elections are sure to bring very close margins in both houses of Congress, and even more ideological polarization ~

the question of whether a country is governable turns on how much government you think it needs. America’s founders injected suspicion of government not only into the constitution but also into the political DNA of its people. And even in the teeth of today’s economic woes, at least as many Americans seem to think that what ails them is too much government, not too little.

http://www.economist.com/blogs/lexington/2011/07/governing-america

 

[Vamoose]

I'm 63. It's the worst I've ever seen. Ideology over common sense.

 

[Grendel]

Statesmanship is dead in American politics, and has been for the better part of the last 70 years. The days of compromise and working together are dead. This country was built on compromise and the Founding Fathers never intended for partisan politics and the false ideology of not budging on your own position to overtake compromise and cooperation. The only solution is to pass a Constitutional Amendment forcing every elected official out of office, and banning them from holding any office for the rest of their lives. Then we can start over fresh with normal people.

 

[CamaroMan]

I think if a congressman says he's going to do something to get elected then does the opposite he should be a felon for messing with our tax dollars and lying to get votes. I don't understand why its ok for them to lie cheat and steal from the hard workers that keep this country going. We need a system to get the crooks out of office faster so we can elect people who really love this country.

 

[Grendel]

I think if a congressman says he's going to do something to get elected then does the opposite he should be a felon for messing with our tax dollars and lying to get votes

You don't think it's acceptable for someone to change their mind on an issue when they have more experience, or learn more about that issue than they did previously? I.e. Someone gets elected to Congress, begins serving and starts serving on one of the Defense or Intelligence Committees and are now privy to information that they were not before, and now have a different perspective on those issues. Should they not now be free to change their position?

Your assessment of kicking everyone out based on the fact that the don't do what they promised during their campaign is exactly what is wrong with the system. What you want is what is happening now, people saying they will do something during their campaign, and then holding their ground so that they don't compromise once they get into a position where the People expect them to compromise. What you are proposing promotes gridlock and stalemate, not moving forward and actually working towards a better future.

 

[HMFIC]

... and worst POTUS ever?

I'd like to give the government an enema and replace every swingin' joe with a Davy Crockett.

 

[CamaroMan]

You don't think it's acceptable for someone to change their mind on an issue when they have more experience, or learn more about that issue than they did previously? I.e. Someone gets elected to Congress, begins serving and starts serving on one of the Defense or Intelligence Committees and are now privy to information that they were not before, and now have a different perspective on those issues. Should they not now be free to change their position?

Your assessment of kicking everyone out based on the fact that the don't do what they promised during their campaign is exactly what is wrong with the system. What you want is what is happening now, people saying they will do something during their campaign, and then holding their ground so that they don't compromise once they get into a position where the People expect them to compromise. What you are proposing promotes gridlock and stalemate, not moving forward and actually working towards a better future.

Well ya got me there, sure they can change their minds as new info arrises but alot of them had their minds set along time ago before they were elected under a false political position. I don't know how to fix it, I just know there is a problem and all I can do is vote. Seems alot of 'em don't really care about anyone else as long as they get paid.

 

[Mgarza_a]

Statesmanship is dead in American politics, and has been for the better part of the last 70 years. The days of compromise and working together are dead. This country was built on compromise and the Founding Fathers never intended for partisan politics and the false ideology of not budging on your own position to overtake compromise and cooperation. The only solution is to pass a Constitutional Amendment forcing every elected official out of office, and banning them from holding any office for the rest of their lives. Then we can start over fresh with normal people.

This country has practiced party line politics since its inception.... And this debate about wars, public debt, and taxes goes all the way back to the founding. These politics are nothing new. This particular set may seem worse but not by much.

 

[natgas]

I would have to agree; I'm 63 and I don't remember a more do nothing, argumentative political body as we have now.

I also agree that we have too much government interference in our daily lives---the problem is how do we change it??

 

[penman53]

Campain promises are made by a candidate to get elected period. Their eyes get opened wide when they show up for their freshman orientation. Then they have to sell their souls to simply get the money to get re-elected. It goes down from there. One thing that I think would help to cure this is to do away with all lobbiest, impose term limits on buth senators and representatives, not allow any former member of congress to become a lobbyist ever. Of course none of this would ever happen but if the american people really cared about what is happening, then we as a common voice would be able to envoke logical change in Washington DC.