A root cause for Congressional ineffectiveness will be found in the simple fact that the exercise of good governmental judgment cannot possibly compete with re-election pressures. This is why term limits are ABSOLUTELY MANDATORY if we ever hope to have a reasonable government. There is a substantial conflict between good government and corrupt ineffective government. Congress has merely been transformed into a school how to be corrupt and get away with it.
Congress has only at best a 31% approval rating against Trump at 41%. Democrats in Congress are at 29% with Republicans at 36%. Nancy Pelosi is at 35% and Chuck Summer is at 23%. Yet CNN and the New York Times bash Trump as being so unpopular while they ignore Congress’ approval rating.
What is amazing is that people criticized Trump for lacking experience in government. Yet, politicians lack any skill set whatsoever to understand the real world. There is no advantage to the nation from lengthy political office holding for there is no empirical evidence that it has increased the knowledge or skill to run the nation. Unfortunately, the only skill or increased knowledge is confined to re-election techniques and how to raise money. This is always counter-trend to the public interest of running the nation. So much governmental expenditure is pressured by the re-election fervor that the real Federal deficit cannot be closed and the Federal debt will continue to skyrocket without end. These debt ceiling increases are a joke because they all just want to spend money so they get re-elected. That is using public funds for personal gain at the expense of our future.
From 1789 to 1855, members of Congress received only a per diem (daily payment) of $6.00 while in session, except for a period from December 1815 to March 1817, when they received $1,500 a year. Members began receiving an annual salary in 1855, when they were paid $3,000 per year.
1780s–1820s was the formative era when the good of the nation tended to be at least on the agenda when they earned just $6 per day when they showed up. The 1830s–1900s was known as the partisan era. This was followed by the 1910s–1960s known as the committee era which was a system of seniority that handed long-time Members of Congress more and more power and encouraged politicians of both parties to serve for long terms which has continued into the present time. This was augmented by the 1970s–present, known as the contemporary era, which is all about spending money to create socialism and buying the votes of groups to maintain the lifetime jobs in Congress.
All of this should be changed to one-term and out. Then we can get back to the formative age where the good of country returns to the top of the list of important consideration.
