Forum Post: Start at the Source

This is what I believe would help your issues at least have a chance of becoming reality: Term limits in Congress. There are congressmen who have been serving for 40 years, who have not had a job other than 'public service'. These people can't possibly be in touch with what the country needs or even wants. I'm not saying congressmen are bad, like everyone else they probably came with high hopes and dreams about bettering their country. But when they reached their position, they were suddenly almost guaranteed an easy life in which they decide their own pay and the laws that will effect them, and live in the luxury and prestige that elected officials are given. Half of this is our fault, for not voting people out. The turnover rate for men and women in congress is extremely low. But if a congressmen could no longer serve for the rest of his life, it would force newcomers with new ideas and tactics to replace them, as well as giving those new people a much better chance of being elected to begin with. It would force people to pay more attention to the congressional elections - which are basically the only check against the power of the legislation. This would not be an easy task. You're asking the people who make the laws to make a law that would take away their power and the wealth and prestige that comes with it. This is the same problem that you have with corporations and CEO's: power corrupts. Speaking of those corporations, they are the ones that fund these congressmen, that almost decide who will and will not run. If a company is paying for your election, then you as a congressmen would probably help them out with legislature that could make them richer. I don't know how to make this happen. It would not be a law congress would pass willingly. But imagine the uses for movements such as this one: when the laws are not in your favor, you vote in new men and women who could change the laws and try to fix the problems. I am not a political expert, but I know that there is too much power in the hands of congressmen while the public attention focuses on things such as presidential elections. Think of other things congress is allowed to do, like insider trading (which is illegal for corporations), and think of the sheer number of ethical investigations on congressmen, and scandals they commit. But somehow these people aren't immediately replaced, to someone with a stronger moral compass or fresh views. The checks and balances that are supposed to protect us from our government are not working on the people representing us - and that needs to change.