America Needs “Citizen” Government

To change Washinton and the way this country does business thus controlling spending, knowing how the economy is working in every state, our leaders must give up being career politicians. For “the people ” to run America we need “citizen” government. The November 2010 elections were a good start in putting the public in charge. The Tea Party will continue to try and move out Washinton elites but the most efficent way to do this is with term limits.

Why should votes cast by long entrenched POLS  like Lahey,Schumer, Boxer and people of their ilk hurt this country with 20 to 30 year careers. By continuing to vote these same people into Washington we negate any progress by way of new ideas.  The reality of life on main street never enters Congress.

The only way to change Washington is to change who is governing in Washington.Change by employing citizen government by way of term limits.If individual states year after year send the same people to DC the results will be the same.SHAW 

Below is part of an article on this subject by David Coughlin, of CFP.

In the 18^th century our Founding Fathers were forced into crafting a new republic after rejecting over a century as colonies of England. This republic was an experiment in governance design to support a vibrant free market economy, a growing country with an active frontier, and the need for a common defense.

 Ben Franklin wrote that “in free governments the rulers are the servants and the people their superiors and sovereigns.” The original intent envisioned a lawmaking branch of citizen legislators, who served for a short time prior to returning to their original vocation. Service to the country was viewed as a privilege and not a vocation. Since the creation of our republic, we have certainly moved away from that original design ideal.

The question is whether this country can return to the original design of a “public servant.” There are things we can do to return to this idea. Voters have the power today to replace career politicians at each election, but frequently we send the same career politicians back to Washington. The first step in this re-transformation should be term limits capped at no more than 12 years for federal offices (two six year Senate terms, six two year House terms, or three House terms and one Senate term).

Politicians should be paid a salary while in office, with no pension. Politicians must participate in Social Security like all Americans, purchase their own health care like all Americans, and must abide by all laws they impose on the American people. There should be a lifetime ban on any elected official at the state or federal level from ever being a professional lobbyist. Serving in Congress is an honor, a temporary duty, not a career.

With today’s technology there is little reason for politicians to spend a majority of their time in Washington anyway. Remote governance can be enabled by wide area networks for conversation, collaboration, and actual voting. Teleconferences can avoid the need to face to face meetings. C-SPAN broadcasts speeches today but fails to show that the chamber is virtually empty, so speeches could also be remotely presented. With adequate security, electronic voting could easily be recorded over the internet. Electronic voting would also discourage the production of mega-bills that are unreadable and not understandable. Convening physically in Washington would only be required for large meetings and ceremonial occasions. Power must be decentralized back to the home districts or home states, allowing ready access to the people Who serve by the people They serve.

There is no reason for politicians to become corrupted by the bureaucracy. Investments in information technology would enable legislators to serve from their home district and maintain their connection back with their disillusioned constituents.

 The culture of government must be reset back to the original design of citizen legislators who serve for a short period prior to returning to their original vocations. Maybe we can finally put the public back in the republic!

MORE…..canadafreepress.com/

Tagged: TERM LIMITS

Posted in: NEWS SOURCES