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Message
The Professionalization of Congress is killing America. They do not serve the people.
Posted on 2/4/26 at 5:44 pm
Posted on 2/4/26 at 5:44 pm
In the era between the founding of the U.S. Congress (1789) and the turn of the 20th century (1900), congressional service was fundamentally different than it is today. For most of the 19th century, being a "Congressman" was often a temporary stint rather than a career.
Average Tenure (1789–1900)
Representatives - 2 to 3 years Most members served only one or two terms.
Senate - 3 to 5 years Often less than a single full six-year term.
The "Professionalization" of Congress: Throughout the 20th century, tenure began to climb steadily. This shift is often attributed to the rise of seniority-based committee assignments and the increased "incumbency advantage"
Now, through (2025)
Representatives - 8.6 years (4.3 terms)
Senators - 11.2 years (1.9 terms)
They no longer serve the interests of the people.
(Gemini AI contributed to the above.)
Average Tenure (1789–1900)
Representatives - 2 to 3 years Most members served only one or two terms.
Senate - 3 to 5 years Often less than a single full six-year term.
The "Professionalization" of Congress: Throughout the 20th century, tenure began to climb steadily. This shift is often attributed to the rise of seniority-based committee assignments and the increased "incumbency advantage"
Now, through (2025)
Representatives - 8.6 years (4.3 terms)
Senators - 11.2 years (1.9 terms)
They no longer serve the interests of the people.
(Gemini AI contributed to the above.)
14
Posted on 2/4/26 at 5:46 pm to Timeoday
quote:
Gemini AI contributed to the above
Even Skynet understands the problem.
Lord help us.
This post was edited on 2/4/26 at 5:47 pm
Posted on 2/4/26 at 5:46 pm to Timeoday
They represent the folks that provided the cash to get them in office. Then once in office they represent the ones that continue to provide cash for them to stay in office.
Posted on 2/4/26 at 5:47 pm to Timeoday
It doesnt matter how professional congress is, the parties control the primary process and prevent MAGA candidates on the right and traditional liberals on the left from getting a chance to be elected because both parties are completely captured by lobbyists, globalists and donors.
Posted on 2/4/26 at 5:50 pm to Timeoday
I say again...... we the people need to elect better congressional representation. This is we, the voters problem.
We can complain all day about the state of our Congress, and those complaints are legit......
We also must understand that it's our votes which elect Congress.
We can complain all day about the state of our Congress, and those complaints are legit......
We also must understand that it's our votes which elect Congress.
Posted on 2/4/26 at 5:50 pm to tide06
quote:
both parties are completely captured by lobbyists, globalists and donors
Term limits help mitigate this problem. Reenforces the OP and its point.
Posted on 2/4/26 at 5:53 pm to Timeoday
quote:If only there were something we could do about it.
The Professionalization of Congress is killing America. They do not serve the people.
Posted on 2/4/26 at 5:58 pm to kilo
quote:
Term limits help mitigate this problem. Reenforces the OP and its point.
You cannot get MAGA candidates through your state GOP.
Unless theyre self financed theyre attacked early and hard to keep them from becoming threats to the establishment later.
Posted on 2/4/26 at 6:02 pm to kilo
quote:We have them. Voters don't want them.
Term limits help mitigate this problem.
Posted on 2/4/26 at 6:06 pm to lake chuck fan
quote:I really do understand the sentiment. However, I have voted for the MOST conservative constitutionally minded candidate every single time. At least, that is what they represented themselves to be. Every one of those guys are worth tens of millions of dollars now. The occasional tax-cut ‘crumbs’ are about the only thing to show for it.
we the people need to elect better congressional representation
Posted on 2/4/26 at 6:15 pm to Pragmatist2025
quote:
quote:
we the people need to elect better congressional representation
I really do understand the sentiment. However, I have voted for the MOST conservative constitutionally minded candidate every single time. At least, that is what they represented themselves to be. Every one of those guys are worth tens of millions of dollars now. The occasional tax-cut ‘crumbs’ are about the only thing to show for it.
Brother, I get it.... but our votes are the best we can do, short of civil war....
My personal belief and hope is if we vote for different folks(regardless of their qualifications) we will see change.
Our votes do matter, Trumps victory proves this. This is a process, and will take time. We the people can't give up and begin thinking like losers. That's what the evil Marxist Dems are counting on.
There are more of us than them, regardless what the MSM propaganda machine tells us.
Posted on 2/4/26 at 6:17 pm to Timeoday
If someone told Jefferson, Adams and the rest that an entire swath of the population would publicly aspire to being career politicians, they likely would've strung them up.
At best they would've run them out of town and never take a single one of them seriously.
At best they would've run them out of town and never take a single one of them seriously.
This post was edited on 2/4/26 at 6:55 pm
Posted on 2/4/26 at 6:24 pm to lake chuck fan
quote:I haven’t given up FWIW. But reality bites like a rabid dog. I have personally known a couple of state reps that were nearly incorruptible (both were businessmen not lawyers). They served a couple of terms and stepped down. Both of them had the same story. They couldn’t make much of a difference because everyone was on the take.
We the people can't give up and begin thinking like losers.
Posted on 2/4/26 at 6:27 pm to Taxing Authority
quote:
If only there were something we could do about it.
Get rid of the 17th Amendment to return the election of US Senators back to the State House and get the states necessary for a Constitutional Convention.
At that point, limit terms and end lobbying. If a company wishes to do business with the US government, it must make sure the people who vote are very happy first.
Posted on 2/4/26 at 6:49 pm to Timeoday
quote:
The "Professionalization" of Congress: Throughout the 20th century, tenure began to climb steadily. This shift is often attributed to the rise of seniority-based committee assignments and the increased "incumbency advantage"
This is wrong. Tenure grew because the US became the richest, most powerful nation in the history of the world and could give the States a shite ton of $$.
Posted on 2/4/26 at 6:54 pm to Timeoday
i hear what you are saying, but they ain't exactly electing themselves...
personally i've been in favor of term limits for all elected officials since i've been able to vote...
personally i've been in favor of term limits for all elected officials since i've been able to vote...
Posted on 2/4/26 at 7:13 pm to lake chuck fan
quote:
we the people need to elect better congressional representation.
Maybe we could get free and fair elections first? Without that we are all just playing pretend.
Posted on 2/4/26 at 7:17 pm to Timeoday
quote:
The Professionalization of Congress is killing America. They do not serve the people.
This, in a nutshell, is the problem.
Posted on 2/4/26 at 7:21 pm to W2NOMO
quote:
They represent the folks that provided the cash to get them in office. Then once in office they represent the ones that continue to provide cash for them to stay in office.
This is exactly why K Street in DC should be shuttered to corporate lobbyists and congress should pass strict corporate lobby reform legislation.
This post was edited on 2/4/26 at 10:25 pm
Posted on 2/4/26 at 8:01 pm to Timeoday
Credit to Gumbopot, who posted an excellent set of tweets a couple of years ago I found worthy of saving. In this series of interview snippets on a Tim Poole episode, Matt Gaetz discusses the issue of Congress being captured by special interests.
old poliboard thread
Looks like the thread is locked now otherwise I'd just bump it.
Regardless of how anyone feels about Gaetz' personal behavior, which regrettably played no small part in his exit from Congress and his being unable to take a Senate confirmation level role with Trump's admin, I think he's precise and concise in describing how the sausage is made and some of the major issues Congress faces.
All 12 main parts (each being 30 seconds to 2 minutes) are worth a listen, with a bonus 13th part I did not listen to yet that was added on later.
I'll link part 8 in particular as it reminds me how the machine increasingly went after Gaetz.
part 8 of 12
old poliboard thread
Looks like the thread is locked now otherwise I'd just bump it.
Regardless of how anyone feels about Gaetz' personal behavior, which regrettably played no small part in his exit from Congress and his being unable to take a Senate confirmation level role with Trump's admin, I think he's precise and concise in describing how the sausage is made and some of the major issues Congress faces.
All 12 main parts (each being 30 seconds to 2 minutes) are worth a listen, with a bonus 13th part I did not listen to yet that was added on later.
Loading Twitter/X Embed...
If tweet fails to load, click here. I'll link part 8 in particular as it reminds me how the machine increasingly went after Gaetz.
part 8 of 12
This post was edited on 2/4/26 at 8:30 pm
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