Wouldn't it be nice with all the new that we have a new attitude about governing. The old doesn't seem to be getting any traction.
I don't mean a new form of governing, I mean an attitude that gets things done. I know it's idealistic, but so was the constitution and the Declaration of Independence, the 19th Amendment, the 13th Amendment, 18th Amendment (all but one mentioned actually turned out to be good.) The people should hold the elected accountable. The elected are not to rule over the people but for the people.To do that takes skills of listening and conferring in order to make decisions for the people who elected them, for whom they represent. What a novel idea!
There are 235 seats in the House of Representatives. 215 are taken by Democrats and 219 are taken by Republicans, one is currently vacant. The thought is that the Republicans are in control, and that would be logical. However, not all Republicans can agree on all things, hence, the term bipartisan, meaning some from the Democrats agree with some of the Republicans. Now, that can get messy.
My idealistic mind wants to do it much more simplistic than the current method of pandering. Take one thing that needs done, vote on it, move it to the Senate (that's the other part of congress that has to agree on the idea (law) in order to send it to the President to be signed and made official.) But, nooooo, they offer a bunch of other stuff so they can count (bribe) other representatives to vote for it. It comes down to counting votes. What can they put in a bill (that's what it's called before it become law) in order to get the most votes. Sometimes it's insane what goes in a bill.
If the bills were clean and simple, the people would know, clearly, how our elected were positioned and could have a better idea of who needs to be replaced. Are you getting the picture? Nothing is getting done. The job appointed to them is being ignored for tenure and reelection. If you didn't do your job at work you would probably get fired or not get paid. The House of Representatives has power of the purse (our tax money) and should come up with a way to spend that money (a budget) and get it approved by the Senate and then signed by the President. The last a full budget was approved by congress before the start of the fiscal year was 1996. A balanced budget is another story.
Let's start simple. If congress doesn't come up with a balanced budget, bring down the national debt and protect the American people, then they don't get paid. They aren't doing they're job. I know it's hard not getting your way, but it's not that hard to find common ground if you just put aside the bickering and consider why you were sent there in the first place.
It would be much easier if there were term limits. I think they would be quicker at getting thing done. But that would have to become a law and that bill would never see the light of day in congress.
