A Modest Proposal from the WaPo

[The Brain]

The People elected Carter over Ford.  Fuck them.

To be fair to the people, they were given a terrible choice that year.

And they voted for him. 

[Agelastus]

The idea that checks and balances are 'insulting to the electorate' is inherently foolish.

Really? I never realised you were as inherently foolish as to make such a comment; since when is a sign of unearned distrust not an insult?

A "check and balance" is a constitution, or a supreme court, or a division of powers. Not a "this was the best man for the job the last time you voted for him, there's no better candidate this time, but you still can't vote for the best man anyway."

[garbon]

Not a "this was the best man for the job the last time you voted for him, there's no better candidate this time, but you still can't vote for the best man anyway."

I doubt that hypothetical applies to most elections.

[Valmy]

A "check and balance" is a constitution, or a supreme court, or a division of powers. Not a "this was the best man for the job the last time you voted for him, there's no better candidate this time, but you still can't vote for the best man anyway."

I guess I would just feel fortunate that there was one time in my life I actually got to vote for the very best person for an elected office.

[Agelastus]

Well, I could have made the phrase longer by making it "the person that you, the voter, perceive as being the best choice among the pool of potentially available candidates should term limits not apply."

But then I didn't think that was as catchy.

Or that I had to be that specific.

[Valmy]

Well, I could have made the phrase longer by making it "the person that you, the voter, perceive as being the best choice among the pool of potentially available candidates should term limits not apply."

Heck when I vote for my Congressional Representatives I am lucky if I get a pool of two potentially available candidates.  It is usually just the incumbent and the libertarian guy.  If we had term limits maybe the corrupt power of incumbency would be lessened and I would actually get a pool of candidates to choose from.  Whenever we do get an actual pool people get excited about it, it is pretty sad.

That is the reason people consider term-limits because our system has built into it massive amounts of advantages to incumbents, not because we all love dictators and think people are stupid or whatever.  I do not think term limits are the answer but I sure see why people are in favor of them.

[garbon]

Think what a term limit would have done to Pelosi. :pray:

[jimmy olsen]

If I could rewrite the constitution as I wish I'd give term limits to everyone.

A max of 12 years in the House, 18 in the Senate and 12 in the White House.

Amendment 28 - The terms of office of members of the House Repsentative will last four years. Elections will be staggered with half of the House going up for election every two years.

No person shall be elected to a position as a member of the House of Representatives more than thrice, and no person who has held a position as a member of the House of a Representatives for more than two years of a term, to which some other person was elected as a Representative, shall be elected to the position of Representative more than twice.

Amendment 29 - No person shall be elected to the position of Senator more than thrice, and no person who has held the position of Senator for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected Senator, shall be elected to the position of Senator more than twice.

Amendment 30 - No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than thrice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice.

[Ideologue]

If could rewrite the Constitution, it would skip having an Article I.

[DGuller]

I would make Obama President for Life. 

[garbon]

I would make Obama President for Life. 

Yay for mediocrity?

[Admiral Yi]

I would make Obama President for Life. 

It shouldn't take that long to fix the Obamacare exchanges.

[Valmy]

If could rewrite the Constitution, it would skip having an Article I.

All legislative power to the Soviets?