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Forum Post: A simple idea for change:

Posted 12 years ago on Feb. 13, 2012, 10:39 a.m. EST by annewimsey (2) from Waterford, CT
This content is user submitted and not an official statement

How about if we randomly [lottery?] appointed ordinary people to fill the Senate and House? There's ONE term of 4 years, you earn only your everyday salary [ the gov. makes up the shortfall so you can live in Washington.]
At the end of your term, you go back to your ordinary life and face your friends & family! Yes, we would get some drunks, sexual deviants, lazy/corrupt people, but HOW WOULD THAT BE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE HAVE NOW????? And we would save a ton of $$$ on campaigns, and gain some normal people, who know about using money properly, making decisions for a change.

22 Comments

22 Comments


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[-] 2 points by annewimsey (2) from Waterford, CT 12 years ago

Think about this idea & pass it one! i beIieve any one of us would do better! Most members of Congress have no idea what minimum wage is, let alone have any idea how one could live on it. Putting average people with no vested interest in anything except looking good to the home folks upon their return....how could it do anything but improve the way the country runs? Yes, mistakes would be made...I repeat, HOW WOULD THAT BE ANY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE HAVE NOW????? Think about it!

[-] 1 points by MattLHolck (16833) from San Diego, CA 12 years ago

we should pay everyone $50 a day for keeping out of trouble

that will provide a replenishing supply of money for inventors and organizers

but they will have to work for it

[-] 1 points by April (3196) 12 years ago

This would be like jury duty. But with jury duty, there are strict rules that must be followed which helps the jury come to a fair and honest conclusion. Also, the judge helps to make sure the jury is following those rules and can even override if necessary.

This same concept would not work for Congress. At least the Representatives we elect now are somewhat intelligent and educated for the most part. This doesn't mean they always come to the right answers.

But I don't want a bunch of random dummies affecting legislation. This would essentially be the same thing as Direct Democracy. I no more want to leave legislation to random idiots voting through Direct Democracy than I do to random idiots serving in Congress.

[-] 2 points by epa1nter (4650) from Rutherford, NJ 12 years ago

Absolutely.

Proposition 13, passed by referendum, crippled California's education system.

Proposition 8, also passed by referendum in California, made same sex marriage illegal, and it took the courts to overturn that discriminatory law.

Direct democracy in action!

(Lynch mobs were acts of direct democracy, too.)

[-] 1 points by April (3196) 12 years ago

I'm tellin' ya! I hate to be mean, but people are dumb. There's no nice way to say it.

Jon Stewart did a segment on the absurdity of the Proposition process in CA. It is absolutely hysterical! Lynch mobs are not funny. But this sure is. You have to watch the video to believe it.

http://sfist.com/2011/12/06/daily_show_makes_fun_of_californias.php

[-] 0 points by kingscrossection (1203) 12 years ago

And get idiots like you in office? No thank you.

[-] 0 points by foreeverLeft (-264) 12 years ago

That's called the "Phone Book" congress and I wholeheartedly agree. Get the elite out of the government.

The elite triumvirate of evil, government, media and business don't train their children to believe they can't make it in America, ever wonder why you've been trained to think that?

[-] 0 points by JIFFYSQUID92 (-994) from Portland, OR 12 years ago

Athenians beat you to it about 2000 years ago. When will we ever catch up???

[-] 0 points by FreeDiscussion4 (70) 12 years ago

A simple idea for Change,,,, was the heading for this topic. I thought "CHANGE" was the reason we elected obama. Why do you need another idea? Something wrong with electing obama?

[-] 0 points by BradB (2693) from Washington, DC 12 years ago

Obama has made CHANGE ... he has you Obama hater's all in a tissy ... quite fun to watch .. ;)

[-] 1 points by asauti (-113) from Port Orchard, WA 12 years ago

Can you please explain to me what changes he has made to the following:

  • Federal Reserve Policies
  • Pentagon Policies
  • Illegal Drug Policies
  • IRS Policies
[-] 0 points by BradB (2693) from Washington, DC 12 years ago

not much ... but he is doing the best he can to salvage the economy ... imo.... with absolutely ZERO help from congress .... could you do better ... if you were labeled Dem in these f*cked up times ?

[-] 0 points by asauti (-113) from Port Orchard, WA 12 years ago

I think Ron Paul would do better.

To my four areas above, he would change them in this way:

  • End the Federal Reserve system and return the "ability to coin money" to Congress, as it was originally designed in the Constitution.
  • Reduce the "Military-Industrial Complex" by going back to a strict adherence that "only Congress can declare war".
  • Illegal Drugs would be decriminalized. The laws surrounding their use and sale would be regulated in ways very similar to alcohol and tobacco.
  • There would be no more Federal Income Tax, therefore, the IRS would shut its doors.
[-] 0 points by BradB (2693) from Washington, DC 12 years ago

I like RP... but his reverting back to the gold standard makes him look nutty ? I really don't understand why he thinks that would change anything ?

and the states can coin money right now... what's stopping them ?

[-] 1 points by asauti (-113) from Port Orchard, WA 12 years ago

Oh, and by the way, the States cannot "create money" - only Congress is supposed to do that. But then, that was how it was in the original Constitution. Now it's not Congress anymore, rather The Federal Reserve - a private, central bank.

[-] 1 points by BradB (2693) from Washington, DC 12 years ago

hehehe ... yeah I don't where that came from... need sleep I guess

[-] 0 points by asauti (-113) from Port Orchard, WA 12 years ago

I have a long-time friend in Washington D.C., by the way. That is a fun city to visit. I have been there twice.

[-] 0 points by asauti (-113) from Port Orchard, WA 12 years ago

If done correctly and slowly, the world will be just fine. We do not need the Federal Reserve to function as a society. We will actually be much better off. We will be economically FREE.

http://occupywallst.org/forum/printing-presses/

[-] 0 points by asauti (-113) from Port Orchard, WA 12 years ago

Yes, he probably should not have approached the problem in that way, by calling for a return to the "gold standard"

However, his intentions are still very valid in the attempt to put the "power to coin money" back into the hands of Congress.

As it is now, the Federal Reserve is the only entity authorized to "create money". When they create this money, it is done on loan to the federal government. And because the government then needs to pay that loan back, they devised a source: the productive members of society. That source is Federal Income Tax.

Both the Federal Reserve Act and the 16th Amendment (power to tax income) were installed in the same year - 1913.

So the reality is: "We the people" pay someone, just for the ability to "use" our own money.

Why cannot we come together as a people to regulate our own currency, just like the players in a game of Monopoly can?

When a Monopoly game goes long.... Those players can ask the person "administrating the bank" to create more money out of scrap paper. And in doing so, they do not get charged interest. Because where would that "interest" go after all?

[-] 0 points by FreeDiscussion4 (70) 12 years ago

In a tissy???? you say???? You have to ask the question,,,,,, why is there an OWS with so many people protesting,,,,, if he was doing such a great job? I would think there would be no need for protest and everyone would be happy with everything. And,,,,, OWS did not start during Bush,,,, it started late in obama's term. I'm voting for four more years of Obama because I enjoy seeing what you people are getting for your liberal vote. Four more years should be just enough to completely destroy liberalism. FOUR MORE YEARS!!!!!

[-] 1 points by BradB (2693) from Washington, DC 12 years ago

FD, look ... Im not that happy with Obama either.... but, I believe he is doing the best he can ... considering the opposition he is getting from those whose only concern is not for the betterment of America's economy ... but simply to make him fail ... regardless of how it impacts our lives.... that is one of the primary reasons why OWS began....

personally I would have considered voting for Buddy Roemer (a conservative) .... he knows what going on .... it's not a party issue ...it is a survival issue at this point

[-] -1 points by asauti (-113) from Port Orchard, WA 12 years ago

Funny post. :)