Lets VOTE for a different party... ANTI-INCUMBANT!!!

[steelish]

The other option is to put Term Limits in, if a President is limited to 8 years in Office, then why not limit Representatives or Senators to say 2 Terms in office?
Many States have Term Limits for Governors, California is one I think of right off hand
Most are lawyers, let them go back to the Practice they left or get involved in their Communities and see Real LIfe from there

Just a thought

There used to be term limits for all of the elected positions. Over the years, states who were happy with their Representatives, Senators, Governors, extended limits or discontinued them. There was a reason limits were in place. Once the term was served, the elected officials had to then step down and live amongst the very people they represented. They had to live according to the taxes they set, the bills they passed, any changes they made to the way of life then applied to them as well. It made them think hard before passing bills/laws or making changes.

Elected officials do not live by the same "code" as the citizens. They have lifetime benefits which preclude them from any worries of health care, life insurance, dental, or even income! So why should they second guess a bill that will heavily tax citizens, or put them under a restrictive healthcare plan, or even cause more unemployment?

Canada has no term limits period. Not even for Prime-Minister. And it works very well. We've had good politicians have LONG runs. Lots of people disagree with the party in charge at any specific time, but at least they have their best and brightest leading them.

If you look at any of the recent 12-16 year spans of one party having the presidency, the 2nd guy is usually a LOT worse than the first, and you'd be a lot happier if the 1st guy was in for the whole time.

How lovely for Canada. It doesn't matter. We need to go back to our old system of one term for elected officials, along with doing away with their lifetime benefits.

I also think a lot of the problem is the way your media covers your politics. It's become a sideshow, and people keep their jobs by scoring points against the other team rather than by passing good policy. Not sure there is any real solution to this one, its not like you can get the average voters to read the entire bills that people voted for/against along with their reasons for why.

The media mostly covers what they are shown. The politicians turn it into a sideshow. Unfortunately, getting elected into politics has turned more into pointing out how bad the other guy is than showing how virtuous and honest a you are.

Also, most politicians don't read the bills they vote for! The ones that vote against a bill usually have a team of lawyers read it.