I believe that we may now have the opportunity to achieve by change the notion that political representation should be a fluid process and not impeded by self-serving personal and political interests. I’m starting to back away from the “term limit” idea as the method to correct the representation injustice. Not because the “term limit” result is bad, but because I believe the desired result can be made elsewhere with less effort, but requiring patience. As Glen Beck, conservative commentator, says on TV each evening, “Here’s how I got there.”
My thought is that in about 8 years, two national election cycles, the Republican and Democrat party will now longer dominate politics. For decades, NBC, CBS, and ABC were the primary source of television news and content. Enter the Cable Network, and each “over the air” network is fighting for survival. People, now given a choice to select TV channels for themselves, no longer walk in TV lockstep. For decades, the print media was the primary source of print news and content. Enter the Internet, and the print media is fighting for survival. People, now given a choice on what to view about news and opinion on the Internet, no longer walk in “print” lockstep.
Today, now that news, content, and opinion, is no longer “filtered” by the national and local media because it can be obtained “where, what, and when” by personal choice, the divergent political views of our voters will become segmented along the same lines as the way the public chooses media has become segmented. And because the voters will be segmented, they now longer can be controlled through media “filtration.” Example. When cable started, one channel was the Food Network. Generally, media was indifferent to this channel because in the Media mind the amount of content they were providing about food in bits and pieces was enough. That’s filtration. Trouble was, the public wanted 24/7 food content.
Here is how, in my opinion, it is going to impact politics soon. Voters are becoming strongly politically segmented because the voter is adhering to the same knowledge pattern “unfiltered.” Means this. Political third parties will no longer assemble prior to national elections, then fall apart after the election. They will no longer be protest parties, but political parties representing the advocacy of the segmented group from which they rose. And like the Food Network, the new parties are not going to fade away.
So, Gallo, “What does all of this have to do with term limits?”
Envision a Congress ten years into the future. I believe you will see a Congress made up of many parties, none of which dominate the legislative landscape. I believe that all the “bad” which we believe can be corrected by term limits, can be corrected by simple legislative action. Not constitutional amendments, but Acts of Congress. So, what should a new political party like the Conservative Party USA of which I am a member advocate at this time? I believe we should advocate new legislative law, because new laws can be passed given the complexion of the future Congress.
My suggestions for new acts of law;
1. Shifting the “pay” of Congress to the district level. Article I, Sect 6., of the U.S. Constitution says, “The senators and representatives shall receive a compensation for their services, to be ascertained by law, and paid out of the Treasury of the United States.” Consequently, this “pay” change is a change of law, not a constitutional amendment.
2. No retention of campaign funds. Elections should be level playing fields. Therefore, residual campaign funds of both the successful and unsuccessful candidates should be transmitted to the United States Treasury for deposit in the “pay” account for the respective election district. A law, not a constitutional amendment.
3. Rotation Of Committee Chairpersons. Article I, Sect. 5., of the U.S. Constitution says, “Each house may determine the rules of its proceedings, … The American Conservative Party should move to effect change of the rules of the respective body to provide that the chairmanship of committees is term limited to 4 years.
4. Bills must be germane. We must stop the ability of a legislator to introduce a pet project into a non-germane act in exchange for a vote.
These 4 items, and others that may and should be added, will begin to halt the sense of political superiority of Congress. I believe, with what is my vision of the future Congress, legislators will act to serve the will of the people. What is exciting to me is that it all can be achieved “drop by drop” by a Congress truly made up in membership that mirrors the “real” United States.