tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12897315.post143489178359602418..comments2024-03-28T09:54:55.115-05:00Comments on Dad29: Republicans Screwing Taxpayers. Surprised?Dad29http://www.blogger.com/profile/08554276286736923821noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12897315.post-18179496377791216662010-09-01T08:27:39.673-05:002010-09-01T08:27:39.673-05:00You don't like Republicans, Dad29? Care to sh...You don't like Republicans, Dad29? Care to share with us your votes in the last twenty year Presidents, Congresscritters or Senators? Republican or Democrat?Or another party?Display Namehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15842340986220388709noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12897315.post-53290462755425736482010-08-31T17:41:38.802-05:002010-08-31T17:41:38.802-05:00I despair of our political system. Politicians see...I despair of our political system. Politicians see their elections as ‘jobs for life’ and their primary concern is to ensure that happens. The two-party system has a lot to answer for also.<br /><br />So a good guy gets elected (Ron Johnson, for example), what can he achieve? Once in Congress he is a prisoner of the party system. Toe the party line or you won’t get any influential appointments. Without influential appointments you can’t effect meaningful change. Earmarks? You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours - otherwise forget about getting anything for your state. Lobbyists? Special Interests? Deep pockets? All part and parcel of the current system.<br /><br />So even someone going into politics with high ideals and a down to earth attitude will soon be subsumed by the party system and when ideals clash with political reality, reality usually wins. So, what to do – throw the bums out? Yes, so long as we don’t replace them with another flavor of bum. And how do we avoid that? Term limits might be a solution. If politics is not seen as a lifetime career, and people have to actually go back home and work for a living, perhaps they will have more perspective. And cut back on the perks of public life. They’re supposed to <i>serve</i> – not be served.<br /><br />But as the system is currently constituted I see little hope for optimism – whether Republicans or Democrats are in power.GORhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14313101159848740722noreply@blogger.com