Of legislative responsibility
An issue has crossed my mind recently. I've lightly debated a few people on it, and I seem to be in a minority opinion about it. The issue concerns the voting responsibility of an elected legislator.
Somehow, it seems to me that if lawmakers weren't politicians more concerned with reelection we'd be better off. Last year, I batted around the idea that if any of the 537 federally elected officials were not allowed to run for another federally elected office for at least two years after then end of their term, there would be less concern for reelection anxiety. You would be able to serve a whole term as a legislator or executive without concern for campaigning in the last eighteen months. This is 75% of a term for a House member, who has to raise $10,000 a week for his full two years just to stay in the race. How much lawmaking is going on then?
This would be a massive change, almost rewriting two articles of the Constitution. It would also create a huge revolution every two years, when no less than 86% of the federal government gets replaced. Perhaps this isn't the best idea in practical terms, but it makes for a nice thought exercise, and it neatly emphasizes my original point: legislators are held hostage by elections.
That doesn't seem right.
they thin my heart with little things and my life with change in so many ways
- Does a legislator have a responsibility to vote on policy the way he feels his constituency would want him to vote on that issue?
- Alternatively, does a legislator receive a mandate from his constituency upon his election to vote on policy however he would like?
Somehow, it seems to me that if lawmakers weren't politicians more concerned with reelection we'd be better off. Last year, I batted around the idea that if any of the 537 federally elected officials were not allowed to run for another federally elected office for at least two years after then end of their term, there would be less concern for reelection anxiety. You would be able to serve a whole term as a legislator or executive without concern for campaigning in the last eighteen months. This is 75% of a term for a House member, who has to raise $10,000 a week for his full two years just to stay in the race. How much lawmaking is going on then?
This would be a massive change, almost rewriting two articles of the Constitution. It would also create a huge revolution every two years, when no less than 86% of the federal government gets replaced. Perhaps this isn't the best idea in practical terms, but it makes for a nice thought exercise, and it neatly emphasizes my original point: legislators are held hostage by elections.
That doesn't seem right.
they thin my heart with little things and my life with change in so many ways