Fix Congress First

Jagos · 07-31-2010, 01:44 AM

I've been reading up on what Lessig has been doing for a while and I stumbled upon his site.

http://act.fixcongressfirst.org/viewall

Basically, he wants to try to reform some of the money that goes (disgustingly) from the lobbyists to members of Congress to legislation.

He supports a bill that should reform some of this spending. I truly think it's a good act.

Looks like it's high time to begin whipping my Senator about this. Fact remains he just tried to support legislation supporting AT&T. I'm already mad at him.

Magus · 07-31-2010, 12:59 PM

My straight-party vote in November will surely cure all of these ills!

Seriously, man, you can barely get the average person to vote, let alone call their senator. "Fixing congress" would require people to put in a modicum of effort at this politics business.

Kurosen · 07-31-2010, 01:13 PM

It would also require a majority of the politicians getting millions of free dollars who got into politics to get millions of free dollars to vote for them to stop getting millions of free dollars.

AHAHAHA

The Sevenshot Kid · 07-31-2010, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kurosen

It would also require a majority of the politicians getting millions of free dollars who got into politics to get millions of free dollars to vote for them to stop getting millions of free dollars.

AHAHAHA

That's unfair. There have to be a couple of idealists floating around in there.

Aerozord · 07-31-2010, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Gunslinger

That's unfair. There have to be a couple of idealists floating around in there.

yea but its a "majority rules" system. Long as the majority likes their free money they will continue to get it. This will never pass and nothing short of another american revolution will ever change it.

Bob The Mercenary · 07-31-2010, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aerozord

yea but its a "majority rules" system. Long as the majority likes their free money they will continue to get it. This will never pass and nothing short of another american revolution will ever change it.

Investor's Business Daily agrees!

[Edit] The hell? Did I just ninja post #3?

Professor Smarmiarty · 07-31-2010, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Gunslinger

That's unfair. There have to be a couple of idealists floating around in there.

To get into Congress you have to play by the rules, become part of the system so most idealists would be weeded out long before then/have already had to compromise somewhat.

**McTahr** · 07-31-2010, 12:01 PM

Yeah, idealists would wind up with the shit gigs and nowhere to go but down, unless they suddenly lost their ideals, of course.

Edit - Woah forum bug. This post should be after SMB's post about idealists getting weeded out.

Viridis · 07-31-2010, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smarty McBarrelpants

To get into Congress you have to play by the rules, become part of the system so most idealists would be weeded out long before then/have already had to compromise somewhat.

This is why we need to go a few steps farther with our idealists.

Yeah... lobbying is pretty stupid when you see people with half their funding coming from AT&T voting against Net Neutrality

Edit: THE FORUM IS UNSTUCK IN TIME
[Posted 5:23 PM CST, 7/31]

Ryanderman · 07-31-2010, 02:21 PM

So what would it take give Congress the incentive to pass the law?

There are 535 members of Congress, right? What if as part of a comprehensive bill that would eliminate lobbying, Congress added a provision to give themselves a pay raise of $1,000,000 a year each? Would that be enough? I mean, I think it would be disgusting to pay Congress even more than what they make now with how corrupt and ineffective they are, but perhaps it'd be worth it. For an additional cost of $535 million a year, peanuts compared to the budget, we could theoretically eliminate corporate lobbying. And possibly, the money that'd save in eliminated pork and grafts and bloated contracts could easily and quickly pay for giving each member of Congress an obscene paycheck.

Would such a thing even work in theory?

07-31-2010, 01:44 AM	#1
Jagos FRONT KICK OF DOOM! Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Howdy pardner... Posts: 6,399	Fix Congress First I've been reading up on what Lessig has been doing for a while and I stumbled upon his site. http://act.fixcongressfirst.org/viewall Basically, he wants to try to reform some of the money that goes (disgustingly) from the lobbyists to members of Congress to legislation. He supports a bill that should reform some of this spending. I truly think it's a good act. Looks like it's high time to begin whipping my Senator about this. Fact remains he just tried to support legislation supporting AT&T. I'm already mad at him. __________________ Copyright musings World ramblings Scifi stories

07-31-2010, 12:01 PM	#8
McTahr For the right price... Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 1,268	Yeah, idealists would wind up with the shit gigs and nowhere to go but down, unless they suddenly lost their ideals, of course. Edit - Woah forum bug. This post should be after SMB's post about idealists getting weeded out. __________________ Gone.

07-31-2010, 02:21 PM	#10
Ryanderman Beard of Leadership Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 827	So what would it take give Congress the incentive to pass the law? There are 535 members of Congress, right? What if as part of a comprehensive bill that would eliminate lobbying, Congress added a provision to give themselves a pay raise of $1,000,000 a year each? Would that be enough? I mean, I think it would be disgusting to pay Congress even more than what they make now with how corrupt and ineffective they are, but perhaps it'd be worth it. For an additional cost of $535 million a year, peanuts compared to the budget, we could theoretically eliminate corporate lobbying. And possibly, the money that'd save in eliminated pork and grafts and bloated contracts could easily and quickly pay for giving each member of Congress an obscene paycheck. Would such a thing even work in theory? __________________ ~Your robot reminds me of you. You tell it to stop, it turns. You tell it to turn, it stops. You tell it to take out the trash, it watches reruns of Firefly.~

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Switch to Linear Mode Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

07-31-2010, 12:59 PM	#2
Magus Archer and Armstrong vs. the World Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 7,164	My straight-party vote in November will surely cure all of these ills! Seriously, man, you can barely get the average person to vote, let alone call their senator. "Fixing congress" would require people to put in a modicum of effort at this politics business.