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Washington needs to become a virtual government not concentrated in DC

Posted on 10/11/23 at 12:09 pm
Posted by Auburn1968
NYC
Member since Mar 2019
25189 posts
Posted on 10/11/23 at 12:09 pm
With the world going crazy and seeming to have forgotten the horrors of war, having so much government concentrated in one place has become high risk. Given the number of unstable states acquiring nuclear weapons among other things, the risk of government decapitation has risen dramatically.

Having Congress meet via teleconferencing while remaining in their home districts would have an added benefit. Keeping representatives and senators away from drinking the swamp water would keep them more under the social influence of the people they represent.
Posted by cadillacattack
the ATL
Member since May 2020
9627 posts
Posted on 10/11/23 at 1:21 pm to
They are nearly immune to prosecution in The District ….
Posted by Lynxrufus2012
Central Kentucky
Member since Mar 2020
18429 posts
Posted on 10/11/23 at 1:27 pm to
Puppet President In a virtual government. Don't we have that now?
Posted by Powerman
Member since Jan 2004
170709 posts
Posted on 10/11/23 at 1:41 pm to
I don't think this would have any meaningful difference like you think it would

Posted by RogerTheShrubber
Juneau, AK
Member since Jan 2009
297207 posts
Posted on 10/11/23 at 1:44 pm to
It should.

Lawmakers voting from their home district, not constantly in the viper Pit surrounded by lobby and other influence.

Spread that shite around. Technology has made it possible, would save money.
Posted by Tmo Sabe
GA
Member since Mar 2022
978 posts
Posted on 10/11/23 at 1:46 pm to
I think House and Senate positions should be unpaid. It should really be a part-time job and take maybe a month out of the year to do. The rest of their time they should be gainfully employed and at work in their home districts.
Posted by tigerfoot
Alexandria
Member since Sep 2006
60729 posts
Posted on 10/11/23 at 1:48 pm to
They couldnt get rich if they worked from home. You gotta be there so you can get that good lobbiest cash. Hell, if you were in your home state your constituents may actually ask you to vote in their interest, not your own.
Posted by ChEgrad
Member since Nov 2012
3777 posts
Posted on 10/11/23 at 1:49 pm to
quote:

I think House and Senate positions should be unpaid. It should really be a part-time job and take maybe a month out of the year to do. The rest of their time they should be gainfully employed and at work in their home districts.


Accidentally fat thumb downvoted, but meant to upvote as I agree with most of this.

Got it fixed.
This post was edited on 10/11/23 at 1:50 pm
Posted by Maybe Maybe Not
Member since Oct 2023
72 posts
Posted on 10/11/23 at 1:52 pm to
The problem with a centralized location like DC that the founders didn't think of is that it effectively becomes similar to any older European Monarchy.

The monarchs in their central locations taxed the entire countryside and then rewarded everyone immediately around them in their central location.

DC has effectively become the same thing. An entire community that has become the wealthiest in the nation by taxing everyone else.
Posted by Lima Whiskey
Member since Apr 2013
22594 posts
Posted on 10/11/23 at 1:57 pm to
That’s a good comparison
Posted by POTUS2024
Member since Nov 2022
20943 posts
Posted on 10/11/23 at 2:08 pm to
quote:

Given the number of unstable states acquiring nuclear weapons among other things, the risk of government decapitation has risen dramatically.


Most Americans would see this as an improvement. That says a lot about the people in government, not so much their proximity to one another.
Posted by Maybe Maybe Not
Member since Oct 2023
72 posts
Posted on 10/11/23 at 4:20 pm to
quote:

That’s a good comparison
Thanks.

As I've looked at it, it's become obvious to me that regardless of structure, all governments tend towards similar behavior.

Wherever the power resides, people gather to do some version of paying homage to those in charge and somehow benefit from the available largess. And then, it eventually becomes a symbiotic mutually leeching environment.

It doesn't even have to be sinister. It's just the natural order of what happens. To run the show, leaders needs "help" whether they're a King, Junta, President, Congress etc etc.

And, eventually, that cabal of people becomes most interested in its own perpetuation than actually serving the people. In fact, they likely confuse the two as basically the same thing. And, anyone who doesn't like how they're doing it effectively becomes their enemy.
Posted by brad8504
Member since Jul 2004
11707 posts
Posted on 10/11/23 at 5:07 pm to
And we’ll never have another “deadly insurrection” if this happens.
Posted by trinidadtiger
Member since Jun 2017
18816 posts
Posted on 10/11/23 at 5:25 pm to
quote:

I think House and Senate positions should be unpaid. It should really be a part-time job and take maybe a month out of the year to do. The rest of their time they should be gainfully employed and at work in their home districts.


Founding fathers thought so too.

Nah, lets elect nothing but lawyers and put them to work full time.....making endless laws and regulations which require money to initiate and institute...what could go wrong.

And when one business man is elected to run the largest corporation in the world, the US govt, like a business, lets impeach him, disparage him, and try to ruin him....so we can make more laws and spend more money....
Posted by Lima Whiskey
Member since Apr 2013
22594 posts
Posted on 10/11/23 at 5:37 pm to
That’s fair, and I agree. If you look at France, they have the same issue.
Posted by tigeraddict
Baton Rouge
Member since Mar 2007
14422 posts
Posted on 10/11/23 at 6:07 pm to
Term limits:

House 2 terms - 4 years
Senate 1 term - 6 years
President 2 terms - 8 years

20 year no lobbyist policy post federal office

Also, since this requires an amendment, add in age limits on positions to 70 and I limit on family

One generation above and one generation below plus spouse inelegance to hold office.

Posted by Auburn1968
NYC
Member since Mar 2019
25189 posts
Posted on 10/11/23 at 6:28 pm to
quote:

It should.

Lawmakers voting from their home district, not constantly in the viper Pit surrounded by lobby and other influence.

Spread that shite around. Technology has made it possible, would save money.


Aside from the very real security of not having government heads in one spot, the swamp water influence would be diminished. It's a very powerful force that causes a lot of candidates to get elected on one thing and then go to the swamp and start representing the swamp under the influence of the swamp moon.

Posted by Auburn1968
NYC
Member since Mar 2019
25189 posts
Posted on 10/11/23 at 6:30 pm to
quote:

I think House and Senate positions should be unpaid. It should really be a part-time job and take maybe a month out of the year to do. The rest of their time they should be gainfully employed and at work in their home districts.


There are a number of state legislatures that work that way. They get a small stipend for a couple of weeks in the legislature and then back to work like normal people.

Interestingly, states like that have a higher level of citizen satisfaction with their state government.
Posted by BigBinBR
Baton Rouge
Member since Mar 2023
9329 posts
Posted on 10/11/23 at 6:32 pm to
Just set term limits and that will fix a lot of the problems.


Edit: I see someone already mentioned the same thing. But I think the terms need to be a little more reasonable.

Senate: 2 Terms
House: 3 Terms
This post was edited on 10/11/23 at 6:36 pm
Posted by Auburn1968
NYC
Member since Mar 2019
25189 posts
Posted on 10/11/23 at 6:34 pm to
quote:

It doesn't even have to be sinister. It's just the natural order of what happens. To run the show, leaders needs "help" whether they're a King, Junta, President, Congress etc etc.


I notice one thing years ago playing games like Sim City. Where ever I was located in the game as the virtual leader, the place would get most of the growth. I notice that when I drive down through Washington too.
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