chickenhead
05-05-2006, 09:36 AM
First Observation/Argument:
Just about every opinion poll ever taken when it comes to credibility of different professions lists Lawyers at or very near the bottom.
So why do we elect so many lawyers to Congress? This is the predominant profession of many of them. So we think they are scumbags going in...and then we elect them...and then we are surprised they act like scumbags?
Why don't we view lawyers as underlays....sure one or two of them might make good candidates, but taken as a whole they have been demonstrably proven to suck ass, why don't we throw them out? They are not a wise bet.
The "Well they need to have a law degree to write law" is a load of bunk, each Congressman has a very well appointed staff, the staff write the laws, the staff interpret the laws and give synopsis to the congresspeoples. Anyone that is half way intelligent can do the job, no law degree required.
Second Observation/Argument:
Incumbents win around 90-95% of the time in congressional elections. Holy shit! They get an estimated 15% boost at the polls from name recognition, which makes them almost unbeatable. What effect does this have on their behavior? Well, since they are almost guarenteed of victory, is it any wonder they feel absolutely free to shit on us and this country, bankrupt us, and basically do whatever else they want (including lining their own pockets)? Of course that is what they do, they have no fear!
Since so many people are unhappy with the way things are run in Washington, specifically with regards to pork and fiscal restraint, why do we keep voting in the very same assholes who have been pissing us off? Why can't we realize that we must hold them accountable, that there must be consequences for us to have any power? If 15% are going to vote for them because they are the a name they recognize, how might we counteract that?
In all polls for all time, we show a very low opinion of congress as a whole, and a much higher relative opinion of our own representative. Someone is wrong. And it's you! Trust your brother, your representative really does suck ass, you just don't want to admit it.
Conclusion:
Many people like to pick Derby horses with some kind of checklist. Dosage of 16.47? Throwout. Buckpasser influence -- Gets a point. Lost 47 lengths in the stretch - Toss.
I propose the following simple checklist throwout that will guarentee a better democracy for us all. It lacks nuance, but at least it would give us results that are different. The definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing hoping for different results, eh? Well, look at your voting habits, look at the effects, and check yourself into the asylum.
Here is the checklist:
Incumbent? -- Toss him
Lawyer? -- Throw that f'er out.
Whatever is left -- that is your bet.
Forget about parties, forget about speeches -- that is all b.s., not a good indicator of form. Stick with the above checklist, and there might be some hope for us all.
Just about every opinion poll ever taken when it comes to credibility of different professions lists Lawyers at or very near the bottom.
So why do we elect so many lawyers to Congress? This is the predominant profession of many of them. So we think they are scumbags going in...and then we elect them...and then we are surprised they act like scumbags?
Why don't we view lawyers as underlays....sure one or two of them might make good candidates, but taken as a whole they have been demonstrably proven to suck ass, why don't we throw them out? They are not a wise bet.
The "Well they need to have a law degree to write law" is a load of bunk, each Congressman has a very well appointed staff, the staff write the laws, the staff interpret the laws and give synopsis to the congresspeoples. Anyone that is half way intelligent can do the job, no law degree required.
Second Observation/Argument:
Incumbents win around 90-95% of the time in congressional elections. Holy shit! They get an estimated 15% boost at the polls from name recognition, which makes them almost unbeatable. What effect does this have on their behavior? Well, since they are almost guarenteed of victory, is it any wonder they feel absolutely free to shit on us and this country, bankrupt us, and basically do whatever else they want (including lining their own pockets)? Of course that is what they do, they have no fear!
Since so many people are unhappy with the way things are run in Washington, specifically with regards to pork and fiscal restraint, why do we keep voting in the very same assholes who have been pissing us off? Why can't we realize that we must hold them accountable, that there must be consequences for us to have any power? If 15% are going to vote for them because they are the a name they recognize, how might we counteract that?
In all polls for all time, we show a very low opinion of congress as a whole, and a much higher relative opinion of our own representative. Someone is wrong. And it's you! Trust your brother, your representative really does suck ass, you just don't want to admit it.
Conclusion:
Many people like to pick Derby horses with some kind of checklist. Dosage of 16.47? Throwout. Buckpasser influence -- Gets a point. Lost 47 lengths in the stretch - Toss.
I propose the following simple checklist throwout that will guarentee a better democracy for us all. It lacks nuance, but at least it would give us results that are different. The definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing hoping for different results, eh? Well, look at your voting habits, look at the effects, and check yourself into the asylum.
Here is the checklist:
Incumbent? -- Toss him
Lawyer? -- Throw that f'er out.
Whatever is left -- that is your bet.
Forget about parties, forget about speeches -- that is all b.s., not a good indicator of form. Stick with the above checklist, and there might be some hope for us all.