There are many incumbent Senators and Representatives whom we do not like and whom we wish to send them off soon. Leaders Harry Reid and Speaker Nancy Pelosi are classic examples of people that have been there for too long to be effective.

For one, I think that the job of being a Congressperson is a sacred one. They are part and parcel of the balance of powers in the our country that makes our political system the best in the whole world. A Senator or a Representative hold tremendous powers and are temples of authority.

However, I do feel that once in a while, there should be some fresh ideas injected. Just like many sports, the length of time would affect an individual’s performance. That is one of the reasons why our President cans serve a maximum of 2 terms and serve a maximum of 10 years.

I think that we should make similar term limits for our Congress as well. My suggestion is to have a 6 year term for both the House and the Senate and to limit it to 3 terms and allow people to serve a maximum of 20 years in Congress.

Here is my first reason. I think it is absolutely ridiculous that elections for Representatives take place every 2 years. Not only is it irritating, but I really do not see what one can accomplish in merely 2 years? There is nothing really much that can happen. To me, it is just a waste of the state’s treasury to hold elections ever so frequently. I agree with Governor Jesse Ventura’s idea of only having elections on even numbered years to save money. I am also open to Representatives serving a maximum 5 four year terms instead.

Another reason is that with young blood, there comes a new approach to getting things to work. For example, even a wing nut like Senator Al Franken has done some good work when he wrote the “rape bill.” Do you think he would be as productive as he is in his first year? I highly doubt so.

The most important reason though is that this could help stop some corruption. If Senators or Representatives are serving their last terms, they do not need lobbyists help for re-elections. They can serve their terms the way they want it. Also, this removes any complacency amongst some Congresspeople who enjoy safe seats, like Representatives Michelle Bachmann and Barney Frank.

I would like to state that this is just a proposal. I am not in any Tea Party like manner trying to call for a revolution on this topic. I think it is an interesting idea. If you find any cons to this, please highlight it. I want to hear what the thoughts of Americans on this topic. Please comment.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is now being bombarded with attacks from the Republicans on his comment “linking” slavery and the health care bill. What I would like to see, is the mettle of the Leader of the Democrats in the Senate, a good indicator for the future.

This is the exact phrase he used. “When this country belatedly recognized the wrongs of slavery, there were those who dug in their heels and said slow down, it’s too early, let’s wait, things aren’t bad enough.” Now this phrase has brought about a tirade of Republican opposition to it. RNC Chairman Michael Steele has demanded an apology. Others have gone down a path of bashing, with even CNN’s David Gergen, one of television’s most respected pundits, slamming this statement.

This exposes a media double standard. When Republicans do something rough, everybody expects it to be so. When Republicans say that this Health care deal would pull the plug out of grandma, everybody was okay with it. When Governor Sarah Palin and company still has the cheek to come out and question the citizenship of President Obama, it is okay.

But when Leader Reid comes about and say that delaying health care reform is the same as delaying the abolishment of slavery, it becomes a big deal. I think this saga, along with the fact that the Tea Baggers who represent 5%pf our population gets a ton more coverage than the Public Option which is supported by 60% of the population; should shut the Conservative myth of a liberal media up.

Now, I am an Independent. I am a person that would love to see the discussion being about substance and details. I would prefer to see the discussion being set in Maine where it is more sane rather than the backdrop of the rest of the country.

But that is not how American politics work. If there are drawbacks of having a democratic system, this is it. Of course it is also fun to watch! It is the reason we are doing sites like this, to showcase our point of view in a sea of mess.

In this case, it is very interesting to see how Leader Reid is going to react to the barrage of Republican criticism. So far, he has stuck to his statement, but appear to be hushing it. This to me is the significance of Democratic weakness. Democrats shy away from a fight, Republicans take it up by its horns no matter how stupid it sounds.

To save his election next year, this is what he should do. Focus the media attention on himself. Reiterate the statement that not doing anything about this is the same as not doing anything about slavery. He is not entirely wrong, as health care would bankrupt our country by 2016 if nothing is done about it as soon as possible. The urgency is there. He should declare that. He should expose the Republican’s plan and the fact that it only covers 2 million uninsured Americans.

That is how the game should be played. But do you think he would do that? No. the reason is that Democrats are dumb! The only Democrat that knows how to fight back is Senator Alan Grayson. A good example is the “rape” bill. That is the most obvious thing for the Democrats to have pounced on, say that the Republicans voted for “rape” while Democrats voted to protect rape victims. Sounds unfair, but that is how the game is played.

Too bad for the Democrats, they do not know how to do it. Anyway, Leader Reid is an ass of a lawmaker anyway. He is way too far left and is not fit to lead a body in the Senate. His loss next year, and I predict that he will, may be devastating to the Democrats, but is inconsequential to the rest of us.

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He came up firing with his rhetoric. He played defense on the economy and counter attacked the right wing critics on health-care. Yet, on the same day, the Senate came out saying that the public option would be removed from the bill. So is this just an attempt to cajole the left wing? I say yes.

Unions have always been a base for the Democrats. They are by far the most loyal Democrats there can be out there. From the moment we know President Obama, you always knew that he was a big union guy. Yesterday (September 7th), he turned to them, to what I feel is going to be his make or break week of his first term Presidency.

The crowd was friendly and they were having a picnic. He delivered a fiery speech. However, I felt that bar a few punches here and there, this speech lacked a lot of substance and had a lot of just rhetoric. I am comparing this to the speech President Obama made in Cairo or the famous “VP Cheney vs President Obama” torture “debate”. This speech was no where near those standards. In fact the President showed nerves in the beginning.

While his stories are good to listen to for the fun of it, I am not bothered how an old lady got him “fired up” and “ready to go.” Neither am I bothered about what the Unions and union leaders did for America. Those kinds of feel-good messages dominated this speech.

The 2 points that really shone would be the President talking about the stimulus package and his challenge to the Republicans when it comes to health care. On the stimulus package he mentions that his recovery plan is working. I bet you a million bucks that this would be coming up in the GOP ads in the future.

In my opinion, the wheels of the economy are turning, but not at a pace that is going down well with the American people. To be fair though, President Obama is looking at it from a right angle: manufacturing. That is the key long term goal that would pop America up again. Is he doing well enough? Let me put it this way, with all the depressing lack of spine from the Democrats, President Obama’s biggest chance of winning the next election is to ensure that the unemployment figure never does beyond 10% and and would be around 6% in 2012.

His counter attack on the Republicans on health care is a rather interesting one. To some it up the President asked the Republicans : “What are you gonna do? What’s your answer? What’s your solution? And you know what? They (Republicans) don’t have one! Their answer is to do nothing.” That is a sharp line that could back fire on the President if he does not play it well.

However, there was nothing where he stressed that the Public option would stay. There was nothing where he gave a substantive arguments. Nothing. Should the President want to get any kind of health reform on Wednesday, he better be getting a better speech that this.

I do not think that his goal of quieting down the wing nuts of his party is also met, yet. The firing of Van Jones, which I as an Independent is also furious about, and the Senate’s move to take the public option out is going to make them mad more than this speech can make them happy.

In all I think that this was basically a waste of time, just like his speech to the school kids. Nice to hear, but it is not going to make an impact on anybody or anything.

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Vice President Dick Cheney ordered the CIA not to inform the US Congress, as per US Law, over a secret program just days after 9/11. However, the CIA is to obey direct orders that come from the Executive Branch of office as well according to the law and should be faulted.

By the Constitution of the United States, the Vice President of the United States has only major duties. He or she should be able to step in and become the President should the President not be able to carry on his duty. The second duty is to cast a vote in the Senate in the event of a deadlock in the Senate making his vote the tie breaking vote in the Senate.

To be fair, there is no law that states that the Vice President cannot authorize such actions. But it has been taken for granted that Vice Presidents generally do nothing much. Vice President Cheney has shattered all that.

I never believed in a lot of things that the liberals said before, but in this case at least, I agree that Vice President Cheney crossed the line. He should not have done this when he was not authorized to use it. There is a reason why the Congress has oversight over the CIA and other bodies. It is absolutely ridiculous that Congress is being shut out of the process. There need to be check and balances over every matter and the President and Vice President should never have too much power.

I feel that the American system of government has got some flaws or loopholes that some people may take advantage of. For example, there is no term limits for Senators and Representatives. I may not like it but some people might find it necessary. I also do not like it that America is virtually run by two parties only.

But American system of governance is still the best in the world. It is the most check and balanced government in the world. The House of Representatives, the Senate and the Executive branch perfectly balance one another out.

For Vice President Cheney to order such an audacious order, I feel that he is spitting in the face of the best part of the US system of governance. By taking out the check and balance of something today and it go unchecked, would lead to a path of dictatorship in the future. It must not be allowed at all! I feel that VP Cheney should pay the price for this.

But you know what the Democrats would do? They would state that this is a proof that the CIA lied. I would not be surprised at all should they cut a deal with the Republicans that they back off Leader Pelosi and the Democrats would return the favor for VP Cheney. That is sad. Both individuals should pay for what they did if they are proved guilty.

I feel that the Democrats are just covering Leader Nancy Pelosi’s behind. I think it is very obvious. That does not mean that what Vice President Dick Cheney did is right at all.

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Senator Norm Coleman has finally conceded. Al Franken is now going to be a Senator from the state of Minnesota. Though this has been label as the magic 60th vote on the Senate, I really doubt that the severity of this event.

How do Minnesotans vote? I really do not know. First there was a over-pumped wrestler in Governor Jesse Ventura (I declare that I am a fan though). Then there is a seriously messed up person in Representative Michelle Bachman and now a clown by the name of Al Franken is becoming a Senator. All courtesy from Minnesota. Fran Drescher must have tried to be a Senator in the wrong state!
(Relax Minnesotans, I am just kidding!)

In a serious note, with Al Franken being sworn in, the Democrats would have 58 Senators and 40 Republicans in the Senate. Independent Senators Bernie Sanders and Joe Liebermann caucus with the Democrats. It is with the assumption that there would be a filibuster proof majority in the Senate.

I do not buy this for a minute. Even if we assume that all Democrats and Republicans are machine morons that vote by party lines, I really do not see Senator Liebermann kow-towing to Democrats. Remember how many Liberals hated this guy? He was very much with the right with regards to matters such as the Iraq war. That alone should take the magic out of the number 60.

Secondly, I think that there are many Democrats and Republicans that would vote….according to what they feel is right or what is better for them politically. For example, if there is legislation to ban M16s and AK-47s on the streets, I do not think that a Democrat with a lot of M16 owners would be for it. Similarly if there is a legislation to legalize weed, I think that Republicans with a lot of marijuana addicts would vote for it even if his/her party is against it.

This may even be a stumbling block for the Democrats more than a celebratory cause. Right now, they would have to get things done. They cannot blame the Republicans in the Senate at all. Everything is fair game right now. Any wrong move that the Democrats make, would be pounced on so hard by the Republicans. Knowing the backbone of the Democrats, I do not think that they would hold this majority till next year at all.

If I were a Republican, I would right now get my notepad ready and begin to jot down all the failures where I can attack Democrats on. It is time to hunt for the Republicans!

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