ARE WE ENTITLED TO AN HONORABLE CONGRESS?

Are we? Entitled to honesty, to truth, to full transparency, to loyalty, to trustworthy people in office? To be free of deception, manipulation, evasion and all the common things that happen every day in the US Congress? Entitled to representatives that honor their oath of office and the primary standards of honor and integrity they are sworn to uphold? Honor their obligation to the American people?

IF we were ever entitled to anything- I think we are entitled to that. Today, our survival as a nation hinges on it. WHY are we accepting anything less? WHAT will you be willing to do to change it?

 

NO WE AREN'T.

 

I'd LOVE for you to explain your answer. Got something other than one liners to present for once?

 

We elected them.
We are entitled to what we elected.

 

When we're only given two choices, are we really entitled to just dumb vs dumb? Why don't we push for a law demanding what the OP is talking about?

 

You sir- are precisely on target. And- it can be done.

Honor is a very powerful quality. Imagine what a genuinely honorable congress might do- for example, look into the benefits of things like term limits, of campaign finance reform, of massive reduction in red tape, simplification of taxation, passing a balanced budget amendment, things like that.....

 

People aren't entitled to anything.

 

"Mr Smith goes to Washington" is a dreamy idea... when they end up like "Debbie does Dallas"...

 

The popular illusion has been that we can change this situation by changing representatives. I would say we've been doing that as long as you and I have been alive and it's not working- and that means the solution is not just whom we vote for.

That doesn't mean it can't be done.

 

It all starts with accountability.

1. Political appointments and those elected need to concede in writing to military tribunals before taking office for any illegal activities. That in itself would stop all the false accusations and the committees that follow wasting our money and directing our elected leaders to their task.

2. All media needs to be relicensed. If they run false stories and are caught knowingly falsifying a broadcast, they need to pay very heavy fines. And if they continue, their license needs to be revoked.

3. The powers of office are not negotiable and any elected official falsifying claims for impeachments at all levels should be held for treason. Like using hearsay witnesses to try and remove a sitting president or drum up never ending committees.

4. The CIA needs to be abolished. They offer nothing in the protection of the constitution or the rights of US citizens. In fact, they are counter productive to the progress of this country.

5. The IRS needs to be abolished. All citizens and corporations pay the same rate. 10% across the board and we would be the richest country in history. There is no need for tax laws or tax forms. 10% is deducted from every paycheck.

6. The election process needs to be cut down to 180 days. Not 2 years. You can not advertise or rally for votes until 180 days before elections.

7. Every bill for consideration must stand on its own two feet. No more stuffing bills with arbitrary money request to feed the corporations demanding their supported politicians do as they command.

8. The FBI needs a full house cleaning. Anyone caught in that level of law enforcement abusing their powers held for a military tribunal and if convicted, the maximum sentence applied in every case.

If you want to get this country back on its feet, these are the minimums you will have to employ to get real results.

 

We get what we the people vote in. Garbage in, garbage out. People vote in these lying c###s and then expect honesty, truth, full transparency and loyalty??? My lord, get real. What a F’ing joke…Hahahaha

 

Yes... I agree... but I see one thing that slipped through the cracks of what our founding tried to prevent....those representatives who vote party line "be damned".... they vote not for what is good for the people they represent, but so they can stay in power or be elected for committee's ..... they are voting for themselves... thus ""Mr Smith goes to Washington" is a dreamy idea.

Another thing I see that has turned sour..... our executive branch covering for the executive branch... the people responsible for upholding the law equally... don't....they pick and choice who, what, when, and where... and do not apply the same law to all and equally... and especially for those in the executive branch... and who is going to stop them, well, you have to go through the executive branch to do that...

And while I'm babbling.... they need to stop people funding candidates.... it should be character and ideas that gets them elected, not how much money mysteriously shows up in donations... but that will NEVER happen.... As they say "Follow the money"...

 

Well ya can't argue with that logic...

 

He along with every other person in politics.

 

The problem I see is that we need to hobble the very people who are charged with doing the hobbling... and none of them want to be hobbled.

If you were a congressman, would you support a bill that ends your employment after a period of time? Would you support a bill that contains a pay cut for you? Would you support legislation that limits your own power?

 

I agree there are a lot of good points here, and the list could of course become far larger.
The question all those points raise- is How? How do we make that happen?

I'd suggest we don't really have 500 problems- we have one problem, producing hundreds of undesirable effects.
If we focus on the one and can correct that, we also correct the rest or put ourselves on the path to do so.
Since Congress makes the laws and oversees (of fails to oversee) every thing else- including itself- that is the instrument behind it all.

 

Valid point. Under the right conditions, yes. But those things are options, things honorable members might consider. Until they are honorable, nothing like that gets any consideration. The right solution wouldn't make things worse for members of congress, but better. Most of us have had experience trying to work in unworkable situations. Imagine being a member of congress, where the only way to play the game was to dismiss your self-respect and join the people gaming the system. Honesty would get you shunned and shut out. They aren't voting for that environment any more than we are- but they don't know how to fix it, to clean their own house. What if they had no choice?

 

That was kind of the point. I really don't see it happening. Not that I'm not willing to try, but thats my list for getting the country back on its feet as per the constitution.

Getting elected officials in todays political environment to institute laws to govern themselves I fear is the long way around the barn.

 

No, we’re not. We’re entitled to the congress we elect. If we want an honorable congress, that would probably entail doing away with political parties. Electing individuals on their own and their own merits. We have approximately 2/3rd of all Americans who vote party and not individual candidates. We also have super, mega individual donors who donate millions, tens of millions and some even hundreds of millions. George Soros comes to mind immediately with his 128.5 million giving to democrats this election cycle and he isn’t done with the Georgia senate runoff coming us this Tuesday. You know those who received his millions owe him. Then there’s corporations, lobbyist, special interests, Wall Street firms, all who also buy, er, donate their tens of millions.


Honorable, only if you equate honorable to having the best congress money can buy or political party reigns over honorable people.

 

That sounds about right actually

 

I fully agree that what we have now isn't getting the job done, and increasing the pressure without changing how it's applied is useless.
What these arguments tell us is that an entirely new approach must be developed.

I've never seen corruption listed on the ballot, never heard any person wanting to vote for it, nor heard any candidate promise the problems we have. So we aren't voting for what were getting- and we aren't getting what we think we voted for, unless one says this is what we get for being gullible.

But we are entitled to honesty and integrity in office, no matter whom we vote for. The principle of leadership is to guide safely- not run around greasing the loudest squeak and serving the deepest pockets.
I certainly agree they do that, but I don't know anyone who believes we asked for that, or that they have a right to do that.

Actually, you don't see people fighting against that. A post goes up over some political comment and a hundred people are jump in- but only four have replied here.
I am fully confident Congress can be made honorable- but also know that only the power of the people can make it happen. Lots of apathy among the people, the belief we have to settle for what we're getting.
I'm not one of them.

 

Lol...it's the American people who have an obligation not to elect seditious scumbags and corrupt, defective individuals.
Stop playing the victim card.

 

Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard.

h l menkin

 

Dreaming and having fantasies can be good for people. People go to movies, sports, and other entertainment venues to escape reality. I'm afraid that that's the best we are ever going to achieve in this regard, escaping reality. Unfortunately, the reality is we've got what we've got and even though many of us aspire to more and better, the reality is that that is just fantasy. The reality is I see no way to change the status quo. Some people believe that if you just vote for other instead of R's and D's we will achieve this goal but I'm skeptical. In fact, even if it were true, which I highly doubt, that itself is pure fantasy anyway because people aren't going to band together and vote other to the degree that other will actually win. Maybe a race or two here and there but not enough to make a difference. The only way for it to change would be to have the R's and D's make legislation in this direction, which would not be in their best interest so they would never do it. So, back to the fantasy and wishful thinking by making posts on discussion boards for what could be.

 

Nothing in the US Constitution says that. Remember, even in the first Congress, they passed an estate tax that lasted for about 6 months.

But every politician does two things, kiss the baby and steal their lollipop at the same time.