tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282587.post3513069397270126176..comments2024-03-19T01:48:39.709+00:00Comments on Power and Control: What Is Wrong With Massachusetts?M. Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09508934110558197375noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282587.post-26950061241173253912010-01-24T20:59:24.244+00:002010-01-24T20:59:24.244+00:00How about limiting the ability of the 'critter...<i>How about limiting the ability of the 'critters to wield power in a way that benefits others...</i><br /><br />Not possible. Any power the government has can be made to benefit somebody who's willing to pay. The obvious answer is to make sure that it's the nation that's the high bidder. My bid might actually be too high. Have you ever noticed how SMALL the actual bribes are? These clowns are willing to put in an earmark worth nine figures, for a payoff to the Congressman of five figures.<br /><br />I forgot one other wrinkle--if the Congressman is ever convicted of a felony, the pension goes away. That ought to help reduce the criminalization of normal behavior.Neilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01039999711990701720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282587.post-89942206110305108152010-01-24T20:26:27.764+00:002010-01-24T20:26:27.764+00:00Neil,
letting the government try to out-pay busin...Neil,<br /><br />letting the government try to out-pay businesses will of course only benefit the congress- and senate-critters. Graft and corruption is an eternal effect of having power to influence government policy.<br /><br />How about limiting the ability of the 'critters to wield power in a way that benefits others, thereby limiting the others' incentives to purchase the 'critters?<br /><br />This of course would render government fairly ineffective by the standards of today, and may be closer to what the original writers of the constitution intended.<br /><br />If this would be a <i>good thing</i> or not is of course debatable.<br /><br />Yours,<br />-SUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02161314263975554730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282587.post-87033415784104745802010-01-24T06:50:59.909+00:002010-01-24T06:50:59.909+00:00I came up with an idea that might help prevent thi...I came up with an idea that might help prevent this sort of back-tracking on campaign promises.<br /><br />The first component is a two-term limit for any office. It seems to work well enough for the Presidency, but there is a reasonable fear that Congressmen, particularly, would be eagerly searching for bribes if their political career were likely to be so short.<br /><br />Therefore, the second component is a massive pension, indexed for inflation, awarded on completion of the second term. I do mean massive, too--let's say $500K per year. If you don't win the second term, then no pension.<br /><br />In other words, I want it set up such that anybody who gets elected to Congress is absolutely set for life--so long as a) the government remains solvent and b) they please the voters well enough to get elected twice. If our Congress-critters are going to be bribed anyway, let's make sure that it's we the people doing the bribery.Neilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01039999711990701720noreply@blogger.com