Quick fixes to make American government better.

[lucas80]

This will most likely turn into an open sewer, but I'll try.
1. POTUS should be a single 6 year term. Eliminate the need to campaign and run for re-election. Concentrate on the job and then leave town.
2. Congress should be term limited to 18 years, 24 years if you split between both chambers. So, no more than 18 in one chamber.
3. Take partisanship out of most cabinet level positions, starting with all positions related to national defense and Intel. Sober, career minded folks Senate confirmed, and limited to a max of two 5 year terms at the head of an agency.
4 SCOTUS limited to 18-24 years, and expand the court to 13 members total, but 9 members per case. They must adhere to the same standards of recusal as federal judges at lower levels, and no gift of over $50 may be accepted.
5. Dormitories for Congress. They live in the same buildings as each other with communal bathrooms.
6. Government shutdowns result in members of Congress, and all of their staffers having their pay held. Currently they are deemed essential, and keep getting paid.

 

[NorthernHawkeye]

This will most likely turn into an open sewer, but I'll try.
1. POTUS should be a single 6 year term. Eliminate the need to campaign and run for re-election. Concentrate on the job and then leave town.
2. Congress should be term limited to 18 years, 24 years if you split between both chambers. So, no more than 18 in one chamber.
3. Take partisanship out of most cabinet level positions, starting with all positions related to national defense and Intel. Sober, career minded folks Senate confirmed, and limited to a max of two 5 year terms at the head of an agency.
4 SCOTUS limited to 18-24 years, and expand the court to 13 members total, but 9 members per case. They must adhere to the same standards of recusal as federal judges at lower levels, and no gift of over $50 may be accepted.
5. Dormitories for Congress. They live in the same buildings as each other with communal bathrooms.
6. Government shutdowns result in members of Congress, and all of their staffers having their pay held. Currently they are deemed essential, and keep getting paid.

4. 9 justices is just fine.

5. Why make them live in a dorm?

6. I don't believe they are paid until the shutdown ends. Then all back pay is paid.

 

[jamesvanderwulf]

1, B. No spouse of a former president may serve as president.
7. Cardinal replaces the Eagle as the national symbol.
8. Bears ( included Cubs ) to be hunted into extinction.
9. 6 weeks max TV campaign ads.

 

[RileyHawk]

This will most likely turn into an open sewer, but I'll try.
1. POTUS should be a single 6 year term. Eliminate the need to campaign and run for re-election. Concentrate on the job and then leave town.
2. Congress should be term limited to 18 years, 24 years if you split between both chambers. So, no more than 18 in one chamber.
3. Take partisanship out of most cabinet level positions, starting with all positions related to national defense and Intel. Sober, career minded folks Senate confirmed, and limited to a max of two 5 year terms at the head of an agency.
4 SCOTUS limited to 18-24 years, and expand the court to 13 members total, but 9 members per case. They must adhere to the same standards of recusal as federal judges at lower levels, and no gift of over $50 may be accepted.
5. Dormitories for Congress. They live in the same buildings as each other with communal bathrooms.
6. Government shutdowns result in members of Congress, and all of their staffers having their pay held. Currently they are deemed essential, and keep getting paid.

Agree with 2, 4 and 6. Those choosing to push cases to the SC will not know the leanings of the court they will get.

If the republicans would agree to this I would advocate for each party getting two more choices from where we are now rather than all being appointed by the President. Not sure how to work that out.

I think Congress should get benefits commensurate with what is offered by the ACA.

 

[win1forthe]

I like a single 5-year term for president and I like that no immediate family member could be president.

 

[nelly02]

I agree with everything OP said and the fact Northern had objections made me feel even stronger about the 2 options he didn't like...I think he is correct on 6 I think there pay is held and back paid once it's over but I'm not 100% sure on that. The other 2 though I believe strongly 13 justices should be how many we have and like you said they should be rotated and held to same recusal requirements of lower courts.

And I think the dormitory thing would be great... they bitch they have to pay for 2 homes well fine here's some free housing in DC. And if you require them to live there it will probably chase away those just looking to get rich off the position and attract those that truly want to make a difference and don't care about the accommodations that come along with it.

 

[Hawki97]

7. Roll back Citizens United. Put a cap on campaign spending. Enforce it rigorously. Violators are burnt at the stake in the public square. Reimburse Iowans $69/political commercial they’ve been subjected to over their lifetimes.

 

[NorthernHawkeye]

I agree with everything OP said and the fact Northern had objections made me feel even stronger about the 2 options he didn't like...

Hatred blinds people to the beauty of the world.

 

[nelly02]

Hatred blinds people to the beauty of the world.

Lol no hate here I just know you are wrong on everything so I felt more confident in my feelings. You aren't worth the time to hate there little buddy.

 

[markfromj]

This is the problem: We need slow fixes.

 

[binsfeldcyhawk2]

This will most likely turn into an open sewer, but I'll try.
1. POTUS should be a single 6 year term. Eliminate the need to campaign and run for re-election. Concentrate on the job and then leave town.
2. Congress should be term limited to 18 years, 24 years if you split between both chambers. So, no more than 18 in one chamber.
3. Take partisanship out of most cabinet level positions, starting with all positions related to national defense and Intel. Sober, career minded folks Senate confirmed, and limited to a max of two 5 year terms at the head of an agency.
4 SCOTUS limited to 18-24 years, and expand the court to 13 members total, but 9 members per case. They must adhere to the same standards of recusal as federal judges at lower levels, and no gift of over $50 may be accepted.
5. Dormitories for Congress. They live in the same buildings as each other with communal bathrooms.
6. Government shutdowns result in members of Congress, and all of their staffers having their pay held. Currently they are deemed essential, and keep getting paid.

I'm down with 1,2,6

3 is problematic as the President should be able to appoint their cabinet.
4. I'd just leave it at 9 members and implement a 18 yr term limit.
5. Ridiculous IMO

 

[Hoosierhawkeye]

This will most likely turn into an open sewer, but I'll try.
1. POTUS should be a single 6 year term. Eliminate the need to campaign and run for re-election. Concentrate on the job and then leave town.
2. Congress should be term limited to 18 years, 24 years if you split between both chambers. So, no more than 18 in one chamber.
3. Take partisanship out of most cabinet level positions, starting with all positions related to national defense and Intel. Sober, career minded folks Senate confirmed, and limited to a max of two 5 year terms at the head of an agency.
4 SCOTUS limited to 18-24 years, and expand the court to 13 members total, but 9 members per case. They must adhere to the same standards of recusal as federal judges at lower levels, and no gift of over $50 may be accepted.
5. Dormitories for Congress. They live in the same buildings as each other with communal bathrooms.
6. Government shutdowns result in members of Congress, and all of their staffers having their pay held. Currently they are deemed essential, and keep getting paid.

1. I disagree with that.
2. This won't change anything. Unless you change how we vote we will still just get hyper partisans in congress. The names and faces might change a bit more often. But that is it.
3. Most cabinet positions don't stay any longer than the president stays which right now is limited to 2 4 year terms. I don't see what this accomplishes.
4. Don't like having 13 and then having the luck of the draw determine the outcome of a case. I would advocate the 18 year terms though with each president getting to nominate 2 per term. We would also need a rule that the senate has to hold an up or down vote on every nomination within a certain period of time.
5. I don't think you need to go with communal bathrooms. You could set up apartment buildings though with apartments of various sizes depending on the size of the nuclear family of the congress person. These are adults and while they don't need to be living in luxury while working in congress, we don't need to make them live like a college student either.
6. I agree and this should be obvious. I would also start taking away luxuries from them as well. Start with under penalty of law you arn't allowed to leave DC until the shutdown is dealt with. Then maybe not allow them to leave the capitol complex til the deal gets done. Allow no outside food brought in and the congressional cafeteria starts to serve more and more bland food. Start off with offering a selection of soups and crackers for food for them. Then work your way down to bread and water.

The Catholic church actually does something similar to this if their cardinals can't agree on a pope. They essentially make their living conditions more and more spartan which makes them more apt to compromise to end it. We should absolutely do that to congress if they can't fund the government.

 

[theiacowtipper]

This will most likely turn into an open sewer, but I'll try.
1. POTUS should be a single 6 year term. Eliminate the need to campaign and run for re-election. Concentrate on the job and then leave town.
2. Congress should be term limited to 18 years, 24 years if you split between both chambers. So, no more than 18 in one chamber.
3. Take partisanship out of most cabinet level positions, starting with all positions related to national defense and Intel. Sober, career minded folks Senate confirmed, and limited to a max of two 5 year terms at the head of an agency.
4 SCOTUS limited to 18-24 years, and expand the court to 13 members total, but 9 members per case. They must adhere to the same standards of recusal as federal judges at lower levels, and no gift of over $50 may be accepted.
5. Dormitories for Congress. They live in the same buildings as each other with communal bathrooms.
6. Government shutdowns result in members of Congress, and all of their staffers having their pay held. Currently they are deemed essential, and keep getting paid.

I like your shot at this. To remove partisanship you need to remove gerrymandering. It simply results in the loudest most extreme people being elected.

They need to increase the pay for Congress. Attract someone with some talent and pay for that talent.

Instead of term limits I’d like to see a rotating reconfirmation process for SCOTUS and maybe the Courts of Appeals. Say every congressional term one justice is up for reconfirmation.

I really like the idea of non partisan cabinet members. Really like that.

 

[alaskanseminole]

This will most likely turn into an open sewer, but I'll try.
1. POTUS should be a single 6 year term. Eliminate the need to campaign and run for re-election. Concentrate on the job and then leave town.
2. Congress should be term limited to 18 years, 24 years if you split between both chambers. So, no more than 18 in one chamber.
3. Take partisanship out of most cabinet level positions, starting with all positions related to national defense and Intel. Sober, career minded folks Senate confirmed, and limited to a max of two 5 year terms at the head of an agency.
4 SCOTUS limited to 18-24 years, and expand the court to 13 members total, but 9 members per case. They must adhere to the same standards of recusal as federal judges at lower levels, and no gift of over $50 may be accepted.
5. Dormitories for Congress. They live in the same buildings as each other with communal bathrooms.
6. Government shutdowns result in members of Congress, and all of their staffers having their pay held. Currently they are deemed essential, and keep getting paid.

#6

 

[Whiskeydeltadeltatango]

There needs to be some rule for elected officials making money in the markets and on the backside of trade deals.

We cannot say they can't have portfolios but I think they need to have some form of standardized one.

This alone would remove a shit ton of bad actors.

 

[TJ8869]

5. Dormitories for Congress. They live in the same buildings as each other with communal bathrooms.

“I’m listening…”

— Lauren B.,
Windsor, CO

 

[B1GDeal]

I like to court idea with a rotating panel or randomly chosen panel so you do not know who you will see. End campaign donations... Congress and President's all get the same fixed amount provided by the Fed. They are all on a even playing field so will need to actually have a platform and campaign vs buying ads. End gerrymandering in all states.

 

[theiacowtipper]

#6

Congressional staffers aren’t paid during shutdowns. They may or may not have to work depending but they don’t get paid during the shutdown.

 

[Finance85]

This will most likely turn into an open sewer, but I'll try.
1. POTUS should be a single 6 year term. Eliminate the need to campaign and run for re-election. Concentrate on the job and then leave town.
2. Congress should be term limited to 18 years, 24 years if you split between both chambers. So, no more than 18 in one chamber.
3. Take partisanship out of most cabinet level positions, starting with all positions related to national defense and Intel. Sober, career minded folks Senate confirmed, and limited to a max of two 5 year terms at the head of an agency.
4 SCOTUS limited to 18-24 years, and expand the court to 13 members total, but 9 members per case. They must adhere to the same standards of recusal as federal judges at lower levels, and no gift of over $50 may be accepted.
5. Dormitories for Congress. They live in the same buildings as each other with communal bathrooms.
6. Government shutdowns result in members of Congress, and all of their staffers having their pay held. Currently they are deemed essential, and keep getting paid.

I agree with most of those. We might have to negotiate the SCOTUS terms.

Constitutional Amendment to have a balanced budget, plus a 5% surplus earmarked to pay off federal debt. No Continuing Budget Resolutions allowed.

Constitutional Amendment to limit federal spending to 18% of GDP.

Constitutional Amendment to limit defense spending to 3% of GDP, and shall include all defense related foreign aid.

Disallow members of Congress and their immediate family members from trading in equity markets.

Discontinue budget appropriations for any unspecified purpose that allows the executive agency or department to decide on the handout in the future.

Unused campaign contributions must be given to the US Treasury at the end of each campaign cycle.

Congress will be subject to every law that a citizen is subject to. Congressional income tax rates will be based on the highest effective tax rate for income and capital gains.

 

[Randy Marsh]

Eliminate or significantly reduce political commentary shows on television and radio media.

 

[lucas80]

I'm down with 1,2,6

3 is problematic as the President should be able to appoint their cabinet.
4. I'd just leave it at 9 members and implement a 18 yr term limit.
5. Ridiculous IMO

DC is too comfy for them. Too much incentive to accept things in order to have better houses in cozier surroundings, and if they have to look at each other's wrinkly old butts in the shower stalls they'll get their business done quicker and go home to their districts / states.
I'm not joking. They spend too much time in DC doing too little. Make it tougher on them.

 

[binsfeldcyhawk2]

DC is too comfy for them. Too much incentive to accept things in order to have better houses in cozier surroundings, and if they have to look at each other's wrinkly old butts in the shower stalls they'll get their business done quicker and go home to their districts / states.
I'm not joking. They spend too much time in DC doing too little. Make it tougher on them.

I get where you're coming from but throwing them into dorms with communal bathrooms isn't the answer.

Been there. Done that. F that.

 

[alaskanseminole]

I get where you're coming from but throwing them into dorms with communal bathrooms isn't the answer.

Been there. Done that. F that.

Exactly!

There has to be some incentive to run for office. We'd have zero Congress if that was the case OR we'd have the worst Congress ever because we'd only have elected officials who felt communal bathrooms in a dorm room was a step UP from their current living conditions.

This would be our Senate:

 

[markfromj]

Term limits take power from voters.

 

[RileyHawk]

Term limits take power from those who have power.

FIFY

 

[lucas80]

Exactly!

There has to be some incentive to run for office. We'd have zero Congress if that was the case OR we'd have the worst Congress ever because we'd only have elected officials who felt communal bathrooms in a dorm room was a step UP from their current living conditions.

This would be our Senate:

Looks like the current senators from Alabama. We can do better.

 

[lucas80]

I like to court idea with a rotating panel or randomly chosen panel so you do not know who you will see. End campaign donations... Congress and President's all get the same fixed amount provided by the Fed. They are all on a even playing field so will need to actually have a platform and campaign vs buying ads. End gerrymandering in all states.

There are 13 district courts. Rotate the SCOTUS between a judge from each district on term limits, and assign each case randomly to 9 justices in order to break up voting blocks.
We've done okay with justices from Harvard and Yale and the DC circuit, but it would be nice to spread out the justices.

 

[TNHAWK79]

National budget should come within 2% of GDP otherwise those up for reelection are automatically disqualified
-Warren Buffet

 

[ButtersHawk]

This will most likely turn into an open sewer, but I'll try.
1. POTUS should be a single 6 year term. Eliminate the need to campaign and run for re-election. Concentrate on the job and then leave town.
2. Congress should be term limited to 18 years, 24 years if you split between both chambers. So, no more than 18 in one chamber.
3. Take partisanship out of most cabinet level positions, starting with all positions related to national defense and Intel. Sober, career minded folks Senate confirmed, and limited to a max of two 5 year terms at the head of an agency.
4 SCOTUS limited to 18-24 years, and expand the court to 13 members total, but 9 members per case. They must adhere to the same standards of recusal as federal judges at lower levels, and no gift of over $50 may be accepted.
5. Dormitories for Congress. They live in the same buildings as each other with communal bathrooms.
6. Government shutdowns result in members of Congress, and all of their staffers having their pay held. Currently they are deemed essential, and keep getting paid.

#6 is beautiful.
May I also add no acting member of Congress should be allowed to be in the stock market.