Red Mosquito

What I don't get is that they usually come from solidly red or blue areas, so it's not like voters have to worry about the other team winning a seat if they vote for another candidate in primaries.

On the other hand, as I understand it, Congressional power is based on seniority, so constituents would have something to lose by voting them out. Don't know how you fix that.

But I don't think that's what voters are worried about. It's likely mindless habit.

On the other, other hand, democracy is a quantity game and mostly these people are a yay or nay vote for the two parties. It doesn't really matter who they are or what they think.

i think most people just naively just vote incumbency

Chris_H_2 wrote:i think most people just naively just vote incumbency

This

BurtReynolds wrote: On the other hand, as I understand it, Congressional power is based on seniority, so constituents would have something to lose by voting them out. Don't know how you fix that.

And this. I agree most people don't actually think about this, but it's rational for Kentucky Republicans to vote for the dying corpse of McConnell because he'll likely be able to get more stuff for the state than a junior Republican Senator who votes identically to Mitch on everything.

I know people are for term limits but this should also be combined with age limits

you are allowed two terms only (no pension no healthcare). you are not allowed to run if your second term will put you over the age of 55

Ageist!

55 way too low

but 75 feels about right

plenty of high performers in their low 70s

i dont care if someone is ‘old’ but i do care if they are senile

what about at the age of retirement? 65?

too low

life expectancies extending

need that age 68 wisdom

my firm changed the mandatory de-equitization age from 67 to 63 and the old losers lost their motherfucking minds. it was quite the spectacle to behold.

If you can win an election at 79, you can serve out the term. But you can't run for office in your eighties. Lifetime appointments for judges should be abolished. Same thing, no mandatory retirement age, you just can't get appointed if you're over 67 or something.
But we'd be better off if there were only a few old people in government, and none in formal leadership.

What if we keep the old farts there and just put more people in the chamber?

Feinstein can keep doing her thing, but until she croaks California gets a 3rd Senator, specially appointed by the results of a trial by combat between champions named by the chamber heads of each party.

Should work great.

4/5 wrote:

Chris_H_2 wrote:i think most people just naively just vote incumbency

This

BurtReynolds wrote: On the other hand, as I understand it, Congressional power is based on seniority, so constituents would have something to lose by voting them out. Don't know how you fix that.

And this. I agree most people don't actually think about this, but it's rational for Kentucky Republicans to vote for the dying corpse of McConnell because he'll likely be able to get more stuff for the state than a junior Republican Senator who votes identically to Mitch on everything.

Term limits would be as much about limiting accumulation of power/influence over time as they would age.

spike wrote:

4/5 wrote:

Chris_H_2 wrote:i think most people just naively just vote incumbency

This

BurtReynolds wrote: On the other hand, as I understand it, Congressional power is based on seniority, so constituents would have something to lose by voting them out. Don't know how you fix that.

And this. I agree most people don't actually think about this, but it's rational for Kentucky Republicans to vote for the dying corpse of McConnell because he'll likely be able to get more stuff for the state than a junior Republican Senator who votes identically to Mitch on everything.

Term limits would be as much about limiting accumulation of power/influence over time as they would age.

Wouldn't term limits just create an even more powerful (than it currently is) unelected lobby class?

Not looking good for old Mitch.

i feel bad for the guy

he looks like he's moments away from death

basically walking around while on his deathbed

96583UP wrote:i feel bad for the guy

he looks like he's moments away from death

basically walking around while on his deathbed

how bad?

Goddamn. How many strokes does the guy have to have at the podium?