Stop the politics here...

[SKYCHENEY]

I have figured out a solution to this partisanship. We need to divide the country into two new nations. The blue state nation and the red state nation. This will only be temporary, however, since the red states have all of the people that actually work and since the red states have virtually all of the natural resources, the blue state people will be begging to have reunification in less than 5 years.

[Sparky1]

Well Sky, it was bound to happen sooner or later. I totally agree with your statement.

[SKYCHENEY]

Well Sky, it was bound to happen sooner or later. I totally agree with your statement.

I'll bet we agree more than you think. Now I'm going to have to move. Michigan is one of those unionized blue states. Are there any slips available in Tennessee? Oh wait, Al Gore is from Tennessee. Maybe Texas is a better bet.

[Sparky1]

I'll bet we agree more than you think. Now I'm going to have to move. Michigan is one of those unionized blue states. Are there any slips available in Tennessee? Oh wait, Al Gore is from Tennessee. Maybe Texas is a better bet.

Yeah, Al Gore is from Tennessee and has a 100' houseboat on a landlocked lake. If there was any doubt how Tennesseans felt about Al Gore, it was removed when he ran for POTUS.

You guys in Michigan need to elect Ted Nugent into office and really bring about some change.

[Sparky1]

Speaking of Ted Nugent, you liberals may want to pass on this tune.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u33kbOjt7ZY

[thoward]

Sunday, October 05, 2008

Congress was front and center in the national news last week and the American people were far from impressed. If they could vote to keep or replace the entire Congress, 59% of voters would like to throw them all out and start over again. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that just 17% would vote to keep the current legislators in office.

Today, just 23% have even a little confidence in the ability of Congress to deal with the nation’s economic problems and only 24% believe most Members of Congress understand legislation before they vote on it.

Last week, the House of Representatives initially rejected a financial bailout bill proposed by the Bush Administration. Later, after the Senate added a number of items that some call “pork” and others call “sweeteners,” the measure eventually passed. While the bill survived Washington, it did so at a time when just 30% of voters favored it and 45% were opposed.

Only half (49%) believe that the current Congress is better than individuals selected at random from the phone book. Thirty-three percent (33%) believe a randomly selected group of Americans could do a better job and 19% are not sure.

A separate survey found that just 11% of voters say Congress is doing a good or an excellent job.

Despite these reviews, more than 90% of Congress is likely to be elected this November due to an electoral system designed to benefit incumbents. The biggest advantage offered those in the House of Representatives is a process known as Gerrymandering where Congressional Districts are loaded with friendly voters from Representative’s own party. In effect, Members of Congress—working through their state legislature--get to choose their voters rather than letting voters choose their Congressman.

Also aiding incumbents is high name recognition from news coverage, large staffs funded by taxpayers, and other perks. While the staff positions are technically excluded from politics, the constituent services they provide in a Congressman’s name are among the most effective of all campaign techniques.

Forty-nine percent (49%) of all voters believe Members of Congress are paid too much while just 5% believe they are paid too little. Thirty-seven percent (37%) say Congressional pay is about right.

While unhappiness with Congress cuts across partisan and demographic lines, Democrats are a bit less unhappy than other voters. Seventy-four percent (74%) of Republicans would vote to throw out the entire Congress as would 62% of unaffiliated voters. Only 43% of Democrats go along. Still, just 25% of those in Barack Obama’s party would vote to keep the entire Congress even though it’s controlled by Democrats.

However, there is agreement across party lines when it comes to whether or not most Members of Congress understand legislation before they vote on it—25% of Democrats say yes along with 24% of Republicans and 24% of unaffiliated voters.

Democrats currently enjoy a nine-point advantage in the Generic Congressional Ballot.

When the Constitution was written, the nation’s founders expected that there would be a 50% turnover in the House of Representatives every election cycle. That was the experience they witnessed in state legislatures at the time (and most of the state legislatures offered just one-year terms). For well over 100 years after the Constitution was adopted, the turnover averaged in the 50% range as expected.

In the twentieth century, turnover began to decline. As power and prestige flowed to Washington during the New Deal era, fewer and fewer Members of Congress wanted to leave. In 1968, Congressional turnover fell to single digits for the first time ever and it has remained very low ever since

[Jaxfishgyd]

Sky,
I started this thread 100% "just for fun".

But think we did try to divide the country into two nations in the late 1800's.

But unfortunatly the wrong side won.....

[jim rosenthal]

Brian, I don't expect that people will necessarily agree with me. I do hope they will read what I write with an open mind, but maybe hoping for that is optimistic and unrealistic. I continue to hope, though.
You are welcome to roll your eyes if you wish; I certainly roll mine on occasion. What I DO try to do is avoid personal attacks and ridiculing other people, although I have had my moments in the past when I was not as civil as I later wished I had been. I'm learning, at any rate. Being a moderator on this site has taught me a few things about not interfering with others expressing themselves.

[Sparky1]

[Brian Degulis]

IS drivel, but those of you who know me also know that I am a strong supporter of freedom of expression. Even when what's freely expressed makes roll my eyes in despair...(roll eyes) (quote Jim)

Jim Basically what you said above is. Although a lot of this is drivel and makes me roll my eyes because I'm so far above it so much more intelligent and so superior. I'm going to let you say it because that's just the kind of guy I am.

If you really want folks to have an open mind you would be wise to drop the condescending tone.

Brian