Under A Texas Moon

Thoughts and Writings of THE Txpoet.
5/3/07

IT'S TIME TO CHANGE CONGRESS

Big surprise, another scandal in DC. This one involves fantasy sex. Oh heck why not most people inside the Beltway are living in a fantasy world anyway. This is yet another example of the problems we have created by not moving forward with the times.

 

When the Thirteen Original States were formed and Congressional rules were established this country was totally different. To the best of my knowledge there weren’t lobbyists, PACs, or terrorists. They met at a centralized location because there was not adequate communications and travel was very time consuming. The time has come to revise our government and the way it conducts day to day business.

 

Decentralize Congress now! Why must meetings be held in DC? Why do we have to provide easy targets for every special interest group?  DC is the barrel and we the people provide the fish.  We, the people elect the politicians to serve us. Let’s make Our government more transparent and open. Bring all Congressmen home. Make them work from the area that elected them. I realize there are local political scandals but I also realize that a great majority of them are discovered by investigative reporters, or watchdog groups. I don’t believe anyone knows the extent of the corruption in DC, on both sides of the aisle!

 

With today’s technology, Congressional offices could be established in the represented locale. The locale that voted in the politicians and expects them to represent it.  Remember when you were younger? Do you remember how hard it was getting away with anything with your parents looking over your shoulder? Why should we the people have to pay for politicians to maintain multiple offices, dual homes, multiple office staffs, airline fares and all the other expenses they rack up by being in DC? 

 

Bring them home and make them communicate via secure Internet. With today’s technology and biometrics there is no reason for them to be in DC making backroom deals, holding secret meetings with lobbyists, and generally enriching themselves at Our expense!  Why should our money be used to support the economy of the Metro-DC area? Bring it home. Let the political staffs spend Our money here at home in the district area that is paying their salaries. In other words put the politicians on a short leash!

 

Politics has become a for profit industry. How else can you explain people spending millions of dollars on a campaign to work for a pittance?  They sure aren’t doing it because they are altruistic (which is a pity because that’s what we need). According to C-SPAN we the people currently have employed the following staff in DC:

  • Personal Staff--who work for individual Members of Congress--11,692
  • Committee Staff--who work for either the majority or minority on congressional committees--2,492
  • Leadership Staff--who work for the Speaker, Majority Leader, Minority Leader, Majority Whip or Minority Whip--274
  • Institutional Staff-- majority or minority party floor staff, and non-partisan staff: police, legislative clerks, building, janitorial--5034
  • Support Agency non-partisan Staff—Congressional Research Service [747], Congressional Budget Office [232], and General Accounting Office [3,500].

We, the people are paying for this!

Most of the trappings and procedures currently used in Congress are archaic. They are simply traditional and outdated.  Major corporations daily use the Internet and video conferences to conduct their business. There is no real reason to continue Our current methods except to provide easy access to Congress by every lobbyist and special interest group.

An additional advantage to decentralizing Congress is that as they currently meet they are sitting ducks for a terrorist attack. By disbursing them back to the people who elected them we are also providing a lower profile and a much more secure government. Terrorism will not go away. It is here to stay, until someone figures out how to remove all greed, envy, insanity, and hate from the world. We might as well get used to it and take steps now to protect this great nation and the principles it was founded on.

Imagine a politician working where he can be watched.  Imagine a Congress that could actually cost us less money to operate! Imagine a Government that actually works and is really responsible to the electorate!
 

Comments (2)

  • 5/7/07 - Ron GoodwyneThat's an interesting idea. I'll have to think about it a little but off the top of my head I'd...  Show Full Comment
  • 5/6/07 - DesertRose (DiggiCon)Bringing our legislators back to their respective districts to work is an excellent idea, TxPoet....  Show Full Comment
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