TreasureKY
Posts: 3032
Joined: 4/10/2007 From: Kentucky Status: offline
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First, please take this thread with a bit of an irreverent attitude, as is intended. Often when I read of the problems that plague our society, my mind immediately leaps to some "no-nonsense" (or maybe nonsense) answer; one that appears to address the problem, though might not be well thought out or realistically workable. For example, a thread was started this morning about gang shootings in Chicago. I thought, so what? If a bunch of thugs want to mow each other down with gunfire, more power to 'em. Less thugs everyone else has to worry about. Less thugs, less thug related crime, less police work to investigate, less clogging of the court system, less money needed to imprison. Where's the problem? Heck, round 'em up and let them duke it out to the death somewhere. Problem solved. Yeah... I know. Not very compassionate. Not politically correct. Nevertheless, I thought it might be interesting to introduce a brainstorming thread for suggestions to some of the problems we love to discuss here. I emphasize suggestions for solutions, mind you... not retribution. We all know that Bush needs to be drawn and quartered... BP execs should be tarred and feathered... and people who pollute should be required to live in a dump. Save that type of thing for a thread on payback. Here I'm asking for possible actions to solve the underlying problems. Not fully formed and thought out plans, but ideas that might hold some kernel of common sense or truth. I'll start... I loathe politicians and I believe our political system is designed in such a way that it attracts some of the smarmiest, self-serving people who congregate in DC and quickly get caught up in the celebrity of being legislators. My solution is to only allow federal legislators to serve two terms, maximum. Basic pay and benefits only. No lifelong pensions. No more voting on their own pay and benefits. They must live and work in their respective districts, around and with their constituents for ten months out of the year. Congress can meet quarterly for two weeks at a time to vote on pre-determined agendas under a strict timetable. Agendas would be set by a quorum of state legislators... they will determine what they want to be handled on a national basis. They would also decide on pay and benefits at the federal level. Your turn.
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