Centerfield

The problem seems to be that while people realize that Congress as a whole is doing a terrible job, I think a majority also think *their* representatives are doing a good job. Obviously, that's ludicrous, but while it's the case, we aren't going to see the wholesale ousting of incumbents we need. That's why I'm just going to vote against incumbents for the foreseeable future, regardless of party.

What do you think about term limits?

The problem that we have found with term limits here in California is that the legislature ends up with minimal experience. Which turns out to give the various lobbists even more influence than they had before.

You could get around that with longer limits, but then you end up only addressing the guys (and they all seem to be guys) who stay on in Congress for half a century. Which may be worth doing, but isn't the problem we are trying to address here.

Yeah, the biggest fear I've come up with is that it will actually make corruption worse, because people would only have X terms to get as much for themselves as possible. When they can stay as long as they don't get caught, they tend to be less greedy. In theory at least...

It all comes down to the voters. If they would only pay 10% of the attention they gave to the Presidential race to other races they vote for at all levels of the ballot, we might end up with a better quality of politician.

Voter attention is an upside pyramid of what it should be. Everyone sees the national as so important when local and state is where a massively higher level of scrutiny should be. This is the level where most of the bad government and corruption starts. Try to smash it out early and you may get better people floating up.

I'm afraid we'll lose several seats in '10 when the GOP's out of power, and Congress' still unpopular if we don't get better leadership. I'd also like, well, better leadership on the issues affecting the country.

Gee, do you think those two things might be related? :-)

The Dems hope to repeal the term limits on committee chairmanships, and return to the thoroughly entrenched chairs who completely control their committees. Joy.

With regard for coach John McKay, what do I think of Congress' execution? I'm in favor of it.

Gotta be one of the all-time great quotes.