HTRN wrote:I don't think there's ever been a elected official who's outside of the big two, that has been elected higher than state senate, excluding ones that were also running as one of the big two parties candidate...
Jesse Ventura got elected governor of Minnesota as an independant, IIRC.
Lisa Murkowski successfully defended her seat in the US Senate as a write-in. Of course, being Alaska, the Democrat came in third.
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HTRN wrote:I don't think there's ever been a elected official who's outside of the big two, that has been elected higher than state senate, excluding ones that were also running as one of the big two parties candidate...
Jesse Ventura got elected governor of Minnesota as an independant, IIRC.
Lisa Murkowski successfully defended her seat in the US Senate as a write-in. Of course, being Alaska, the Democrat came in third.
And that's a DAMNED GOOD THING!!!!
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blackeagle603 wrote:make it 100 days or 140 max and we'd all be better off.
But not paying the legislature is a splendid idea, second only to eliminating publicly-paid staff members.
Careful what you wish for. That just eliminates anyone from serving who isn't independently wealthy and able to work unpaid.
Not if you limit the number of days actually spent legislating, in which case it's like jury duty.
Elected office isn't SUPPOSED to be a full-time job.
Not just the number of days, but which days - say the month of August for the State reps in the South, with it written into the constitution that there shall be no climate control in chambers or in reps spaces during the time their in session. Should motivate them not to spend anymore time than needed.
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Not if you limit the number of days actually spent legislating, in which case it's like jury duty.
Don't know many people who can afford to sit on a jury for 100 days.
No, but most people who would wish to hold elected office for the "proper" reasons could manage a two weeks off a few times a year.
If you're trying to get the job of deciding how MY tax dollars are to be spent, you should be sacrificing to do so.
Couple this with a law stating that any elected official who takes bribes or otherwise breaches the public trust for his own benefit shall be subject to corporal punishment on the front lawn of the town/city hall. Administered by the grouchhiest old SOB that can be found in the town (in my town, that would probably be me. I'd offer my services free of charge and would expense only the cost of laundering my clothes afterward, they'd need it).
Not if you limit the number of days actually spent legislating, in which case it's like jury duty.
Don't know many people who can afford to sit on a jury for 100 days.
No, but most people who would wish to hold elected office for the "proper" reasons could manage a two weeks off a few times a year.
If you're trying to get the job of deciding how MY tax dollars are to be spent, you should be sacrificing to do so.
The problem with that is it limits the available pool of office holders to people who are more or less self employed with flexible hours who can get a professional advantage through a connection with the legislature. That is another way of saying lawyers.
Or retired. Or business owners past a certain level.
If you think about what a "Representative" should be. - you essentially want a proven executive/accounting or legal mind - perhaps an engineer or two as well.
But, it doesn't really ever call for a "working stiff."
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Aglifter wrote:Or retired. Or business owners past a certain level.
If you think about what a "Representative" should be. - you essentially want a proven executive/accounting or legal mind - perhaps an engineer or two as well.
But, it doesn't really ever call for a "working stiff."
I am not in favor of a full time legislature (even at the federal level). I'm just saying that there is not an easy answer to this question and their are trade offs.
If you want a government to reflect middle class values, then you need to make sure that someone middle class can actually serve in government. My take on that would be to limit the length of the legislature meeting and also pay them enough that someone who is not a rent seeker could justify the time.
Last edited by Vonz90 on Wed Jun 11, 2014 4:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
