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Name:	Barneget -	Reply
Subject:	Temptations of elected office.......
Date:	10/10/2010 11:20:47 AM

Read yet another shicken chit pdavis column in today’s OA News, this one about the poor politicians indicted just weeks before they faced voters at the polls. I know, innocent until proven guilty. I know that these folks should not reflect on all the dedicated, hard working public servants surrounding them, BUT, they do. That said, I think it is time we remove some of the temptations associated with public office, and along with it, some of the advantages of incumbency. Reform of campaign finance laws could, and would, produce de facto term limits. Here are my thoughts, feel free to add to add yours – 1) First time candidates for a particular office are free to accept money from any US citizen, or US based Corporation, union, PAC, etc. Win or lose, ALL campaign funds on hand 90 days following the election, are forwarded to the state, if a state race, or if a candidate for Federal office, to the US Treasury. If to the US, funds must be applied toward the deficit. 2) Candidates seeking re-election to their seat can accept monies ONLY from individual citizens within the district they are currently representing. Groups such as PAC’s, Corporations, Councils, Unions, etc can provide volunteers, maybe even space and phones, but not direct cash. Again, all excess funds are to be forwarded to the state, if a state race, or if a candidate for Federal office, to the US Treasury. Finally, as it relates to DC, our Reps and Senators spend 8 months each year removed from the people they are elected to serve. I think we should apply widely available inexpensive technology such as video conferencing, and keep these folks in their home districts where they are readily accessible to their electorate. Send them to DC for 3 days each calendar quarter where they can gather on the “major issues”. This too limits the influence of lobbyists other than the people they are elected to represent. Is this too simple? Too complicated? What do you think?

Name:	muddauber -	Reply
Subject:	Temptations of elected office.......
Date:	10/10/2010 12:07:48 PM

I'd go for that. I've always believed representatives spending more that 30 days at the legislature are a threat to the rest of us. Too much time to forget the people they should represent and too much time to get into mischief. Likewise, their salaries ought to be very, very small. They all should Have to have a job at home and not a political career.

Name:	MAJ USA RET -	Reply
Subject:	Royally Scrod
Date:	10/10/2010 6:04:04 PM

I am almost certain that our founding fathers did not intend for there to become a “professional” or “career” class of people, politicians. I am equally certain that this condition was created by the “profession” of law. That is to say, “ Never trust your life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness to a plurality whose education, experience, and expertise consist of making money out of chaos.” Please note that Congress is over populated by lawyers. Thus, we are underrepresented by folks (whom WE elected) whose ilk is to obfuscate and dissemble.

Most of us, despite its archaic language, can readily understand the Constitution as it was written. Very few of us can understand any legislation passed (on our behalf?) by contemporary Congress. We have seen a perfect document authored for the good of mankind, chummed into an unintelligible morass by self-serving, self-important obstructionists and revisionists. Out of clarity in the past, comes the fog of disarray and discontent.

Rush is correct. Heaped onto our demise, and surely to hasten it, we have his Imperial Hiney (Highness), the Arrogant and Clueless Pretender, Organizer in Chief, Imam Barrack Hussein Obama… who has no clothes.

Name:	Talullahhound -	Reply
Subject:	Temptations of elected office.......
Date:	10/10/2010 7:31:27 PM

I think this is a great idea.   Not only should they be in their home district, they should have to spend one day a week actually meeting with the folks that elected them.

One of the premises of the Congressional pay issue, is how much it costs them having to have two residences, and the cost of travel back and forth.  By having them stay in their home districts and use readily available technology to communic ate would certainly take away that argument.

They would likely make an argument that they have to be in DC to do their committee work, but in fact, most of it is done by staffers. I'd like to see the job of permanent staffer abolished too.  Some of the senior staffers have almost as much power and influence as the elected officials -- and when they do leave their govt jobs, they usually go to work for lobbyists.

Name:	Lifer -	Reply
Subject:	My pet peeve is....
Date:	10/11/2010 11:25:38 AM

... RETIREMENT for elected officials. In my opinion, no ELECTED office should ever have a 'retirement plan' other than SS. The Framers intent was a CITIZEN legislature, no a professional politician.

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