Government Reform

[barfbag]

Sexual orientation not a factor in qualification for judges.
Judges shouldn't invent laws or impose their political views.
Limit federal judges to 4 year terms subject to another senate vote.
Overturn federal court decisions with 2/3 congressional vote.
Keep line-item veto.
I've stated before that we need a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced budget annually.
No activist judges who oppose Under God in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Establish House Office of Integrity.
Establish Senate Office of Integrity.
Congress must identify constitutionality of every single bill before it is voted on and passed.
Audit every single federal agency.
Ban all earmarks until we have a balanced budget.
No congressional pay raises until we have a balanced budget.
Respect states' rights to select electors.
Ban all PAC contributions.
Require all federal candidates to disclose all campaign donations.
Require all federal candidates to disclose all independent campaign expenditures.
Washington D.C. should be allowed to keep their congressional house seat.

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

Sexual orientation not a factor in qualification for judges.
Agree.

Judges shouldn't invent laws or impose their political views.
Depends.  I believe judicial activism is justified in certain cases.

Limit federal judges to 4 year terms subject to another senate vote.
Undecided.  Lean in favor because I don't really agree with giving people life terms for any office.

Overturn federal court decisions with 2/3 congressional vote.
If you mean by Constitutional amendment, yes.  Otherwise, I don't think court decisions should be very politicized.

Keep line-item veto.
The line-item veto was ruled unconstitutional, though I agree with it in concept.

I've stated before that we need a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced budget annually.
Disagree.

No activist judges who oppose Under God in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Personally, I support keeping "Under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance, but I wouldn't use it as a litmus test.

Establish House Office of Integrity.
What's that?

Establish Senate Office of Integrity.
What's that?

Congress must identify constitutionality of every single bill before it is voted on and passed.
That's kind of in the job description.

Audit every single federal agency.
No.

Ban all earmarks until we have a balanced budget.
Yes, or at least until a better system is put in place.

No congressional pay raises until we have a balanced budget.
Yes.

Respect states' rights to select electors.
No, I prefer the NPV.

Ban all PAC contributions.
Undecided, though I think there should be restrictions.

Require all federal candidates to disclose all campaign donations.
Agree.

Require all federal candidates to disclose all independent campaign expenditures.
Agree.

Washington D.C. should be allowed to keep their congressional house seat.
Agree, and extend voting rights to it.

[PJ]

Sexual orientation not a factor in qualification for judges. Yes
Judges shouldn't invent laws or impose their political views. Yes
Limit federal judges to 4 year terms subject to another senate vote. Undecided
Overturn federal court decisions with 2/3 congressional vote. Yes
Keep line-item veto. Undecided
I've stated before that we need a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced budget annually. No
No activist judges who oppose Under God in the Pledge of Allegiance. NO
Establish House Office of Integrity. Undecided
Establish Senate Office of Integrity. Undecided
Congress must identify constitutionality of every single bill before it is voted on and passed. No
Audit every single federal agency. Undecided
Ban all earmarks until we have a balanced budget. No
No congressional pay raises until we have a balanced budget. Undecided
Respect states' rights to select electors. No
Ban all PAC contributions. Yes
Require all federal candidates to disclose all campaign donations. Yes
Require all federal candidates to disclose all independent campaign expenditures. Yes
Washington D.C. should be allowed to keep their congressional house seat. No

DC should be allowed to have a rep that can vote. I'm leaning against the balanced budget stuff, I'm all for one, but it seems that it would back things up too much with all those regulations.

[bedstuy]

Wow.  What's with all these one-liners?  It's like Henny Youngman meets Newt Gingrich. 

Some of these I don't really understand. But, a few comments. 

Overturn federal court decisions with 2/3 congressional vote.

Not a good idea.  Congress can always change or clarify the law if it's a statutory matter.  If it's a Constitutional matter, the Supreme Court is the decider.   

I've stated before that we need a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced budget annually.

Absolutely horrible idea.  The government needs to deficit spend in certain circumstances.  What would have happened if we didn't have the flexibility to pass the stimulus package?  Or even worse, what would happen if the government couldn't do the bank bailout?  I can't even imagine how terrible that would have been, it certainly would not have been fiscally responsible.   

[barfbag]

Wow.  What's with all these one-liners?  It's like Henny Youngman meets Newt Gingrich. 

Some of these I don't really understand. But, a few comments. 

Overturn federal court decisions with 2/3 congressional vote.

Not a good idea.  Congress can always change or clarify the law if it's a statutory matter.  If it's a Constitutional matter, the Supreme Court is the decider.   

I've stated before that we need a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced budget annually.

Absolutely horrible idea.  The government needs to deficit spend in certain circumstances.  What would have happened if we didn't have the flexibility to pass the stimulus package?  Or even worse, what would happen if the government couldn't do the bank bailout?  I can't even imagine how terrible that would have been, it certainly would not have been fiscally responsible.   

We would have to cautiously monitor our money and spend much less in the case of an emergency such as Dodd-Frank or a few years ago, funding for Iraq.

[bedstuy]

Wow.  What's with all these one-liners?  It's like Henny Youngman meets Newt Gingrich. 

Some of these I don't really understand. But, a few comments. 

Overturn federal court decisions with 2/3 congressional vote.

Not a good idea.  Congress can always change or clarify the law if it's a statutory matter.  If it's a Constitutional matter, the Supreme Court is the decider.   

I've stated before that we need a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced budget annually.

Absolutely horrible idea.  The government needs to deficit spend in certain circumstances.  What would have happened if we didn't have the flexibility to pass the stimulus package?  Or even worse, what would happen if the government couldn't do the bank bailout?  I can't even imagine how terrible that would have been, it certainly would not have been fiscally responsible.   

We would have to cautiously monitor our money and spend much less in the case of an emergency such as Dodd-Frank or a few years ago, funding for Iraq.

So, during the Great Depression, instead of investing in projects to get ourselves out of the depression, we should have anticipated the unprecedented cost of WW2 and ran a WW2 sized surplus?

The other point is that a national debt isn't really a huge problem and has several major benefits.  It's crackpot economics to assume that we need to run a surplus every year.

[SUSAN CRUSHBONE]

Mr barfbag, it is exactly the opposite of a good idea to mandate a balanced budget when half your major parties are composed of screaming Norquistian loons.

[TNF]

Sexual orientation not a factor in qualification for judges.
Is it now? I don't think an openly gay judge would have a problem being confirmed by a Democratic Congress.

Judges shouldn't invent laws or impose their political views.
Agreed. Judicial review is blatantly unconstitutional.

Limit federal judges to 4 year terms subject to another senate vote.
Sounds good, but I say just elect them all and be done with it.

Overturn federal court decisions with 2/3 congressional vote.
Sure, but a simple majority vote would be better.

Keep line-item veto.
No. The veto itself should be abolished in all its forms.

I've stated before that we need a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced budget annually.
Terrible idea.

No activist judges who oppose Under God in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Terrible idea. The Pledge of Allegiance is un-American and should be done away with.

Establish House Office of Integrity.
Elaborate.

Establish Senate Office of Integrity.
See above.

Congress must identify constitutionality of every single bill before it is voted on and passed.
No.

Audit every single federal agency.
No.

Ban all earmarks until we have a balanced budget.
No.

No congressional pay raises until we have a balanced budget.
No.

Respect states' rights to select electors.
No. Abolish electoral college, abolish the Senate.

Ban all PAC contributions.
Yes. Abolish all contributions to parties by individuals and corporations.

Require all federal candidates to disclose all campaign donations.
Yes.

Require all federal candidates to disclose all independent campaign expenditures.
Yes.

Washington D.C. should be allowed to keep their congressional house seat.
Yes.

[barfbag]

Sexual orientation not a factor in qualification for judges.
Is it now? I don't think an openly gay judge would have a problem being confirmed by a Democratic Congress.

What does it matter which party controls congress when analyzing the qualifications of a judge? I'm saying orientation shouldn't matter for judges and we all agree.

Judges shouldn't invent laws or impose their political views.
Agreed. Judicial review is blatantly unconstitutional.

Limit federal judges to 4 year terms subject to another senate vote.
Sounds good, but I say just elect them all and be done with it.

Overturn federal court decisions with 2/3 congressional vote.
Sure, but a simple majority vote would be better.

A simple majority doesn't even pass a law in our nation let alone overrule a decision by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court needs to be the highest court in the land.

Keep line-item veto.
No. The veto itself should be abolished in all its forms.

I've stated before that we need a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced budget annually.
Terrible idea.

We're so far in debt many things need to be done.

No activist judges who oppose Under God in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Terrible idea. The Pledge of Allegiance is un-American and should be done away with.

Don't run for president with that idea.

Establish House Office of Integrity.
Elaborate.

Establish Senate Office of Integrity.
See above.

I'm just saying to make sure our politicians are ethical.

Congress must identify constitutionality of every single bill before it is voted on and passed.
No.

I like our constitution.

Audit every single federal agency.
No.

Why not? They audit people like you and me.

Ban all earmarks until we have a balanced budget.
No.

Earmarks = bribery

No congressional pay raises until we have a balanced budget.
No.

I want you and me to get pay raises before the ruling class in Washington D.C.

Respect states' rights to select electors.
No. Abolish electoral college, abolish the Senate.

The Electoral College protects us from the majority.

Ban all PAC contributions.
Yes. Abolish all contributions to parties by individuals and corporations.

Require all federal candidates to disclose all campaign donations.
Yes.

Require all federal candidates to disclose all independent campaign expenditures.
Yes.

Washington D.C. should be allowed to keep their congressional house seat.
Yes.

[Downnice]

Government reform must start with the elimination of Super Pacs and Citizens United

[barfbag]

Government reform must start with the elimination of Super Pacs and Citizens United

That's one place to start. Super PAC's are destroying our sovereignty.