Our politicians are supposed to represent the people that vote them into office. Is this happening in today's politics? From what I've seen this is not happening. The politicians are voting from their own personal agenda, or allowing outside groups to influence their decisions. Sometimes it works out that and agenda piece is in line with the voters' wishes, but not always. The dollar drives the vote these days. Can anyone give an example where a politician voted purely with their constituents, even though he/she would have voted differently if they went with their heart?
I think initially, an elected official goes into office with the intention of representing the people who put him there. However, once their human weaknesses takes hold and they become intoxicated by their new found power they simply do what they need to do in order maintain that power. Term limits would solve that.
I don't think that anybody making less than ten figures a year is getting any kind of representation at all.
I would agree that politicians become more disconnected the longer they're in office, but don't most people support term limits? I haven't seen a poll from this year but as recently as last year about 75% of Americans supported the idea. If that's the case why do we have an incumbency rate well over 80% [in most years]? Term limits treat a symptom, not the cause of poor representation and lack of accountability. I think we'd get more bang for our buck by changing the voting system from plurality to either a ranking or scoring system. Although I happily "throw my vote" away almost every election I still balance my choices based on who I think "has a chance" to win. With ranking or scoring systems there's little to no disadvantages to voting on someone lesser known because you get to vote on more than one person in a single race. This doesn't mean candidates won't, as usual, lie their $%@# off during the campaign and follow-up on none of their promises after the election. It's not a silver bullet idea.
When politicans have to spend billions of dollars to get reelected, that is a problem on a grand scale. We need to reform the system.
Considering lying while running for office happens often, and one's words no longer binds their actions. I'd say no. One needs honor to represent. Our politicians lack honor and conviction.
Not necessarily term limits, just the people paying more attention to what's really going on on capital hill and voting accordingly
It would be ridiculous to think they would. The system is BROKEN! We do not have a democracy. What we have is a plutocracy. Term limits will do nothing. How campaigns are financed is the answer, but trusting politicians to actually write real campaign reform is liking expecting foxes to run the hen house. We need to limit the influence of PACS and other lobbyists, but quite honestly, there is no way that will happen until a really big scandal rocks the foundation of America. There are too many people still buying the parties BS on both sides of the aisle.
