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Ex-lawmakers scold Congress
Posted: Mon Oct 04, 2010 11:56 am
by Col Hogan
Is it possibe that some sanity could come to our political system...or are these folks " tilting at windmills"
In an unprecedented letter to all congressional candidates in both parties, more than 130 former members of Congress said it’s time to halt “this sorry state of affairs” and start to “focus on problem solving.”
Congress “appears gripped by zero-sum game partisanship,” in which the goal often seems to be more to devastate the other side ... than to find common ground to solve problems,” they wrote.
It is a pointed message from experts who know the territory and want everybody to get along better.
They urge current members to show “decency and respect toward opponents,” to engage in truthfulness and good-faith debate and to end personal attacks — in both campaigns and their legislative work.
The cry of “enough” was organized by the new group Former Members of Congress for Common Ground, led by former Reps. John Porter (R-Ill.) and David Skaggs (D-Colo.). Each served on the House Appropriations Committee and was known for his bipartisan approach. And each remains professionally active on Capitol Hill as a lawyer with a large firm.
Read more:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/10 ... z11Py6K9ci" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I say good luck...but right now, it's probably like trying to bail out the ocean with a thimble...
Re: Ex-lawmakers scold Congress
Posted: Mon Oct 04, 2010 12:05 pm
by Cap'n Cat
Good post, Hoagie.
Re: Ex-lawmakers scold Congress
Posted: Mon Oct 04, 2010 12:29 pm
by Ivytalk
Col Hogan wrote:Is it possibe that some sanity could come to our political system...or are these folks " tilting at windmills"
In an unprecedented letter to all congressional candidates in both parties, more than 130 former members of Congress said it’s time to halt “this sorry state of affairs” and start to “focus on problem solving.”
Congress “appears gripped by zero-sum game partisanship,” in which the goal often seems to be more to devastate the other side ... than to find common ground to solve problems,” they wrote.
It is a pointed message from experts who know the territory and want everybody to get along better.
They urge current members to show “decency and respect toward opponents,” to engage in truthfulness and good-faith debate and to end personal attacks — in both campaigns and their legislative work.
The cry of “enough” was organized by the new group Former Members of Congress for Common Ground, led by former Reps. John Porter (R-Ill.) and David Skaggs (D-Colo.). Each served on the House Appropriations Committee and was known for his bipartisan approach.
And each remains professionally active on Capitol Hill as a lawyer with a large firm.
Read more:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/10 ... z11Py6K9ci" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I say good luck...but right now, it's probably like trying to bail out the ocean with a thimble...
Omigawd! They're...they're .. they're... LOBBYISTS!!!

Re: Ex-lawmakers scold Congress
Posted: Mon Oct 04, 2010 3:07 pm
by kalm
Ivytalk wrote:Col Hogan wrote:Is it possibe that some sanity could come to our political system...or are these folks " tilting at windmills"
I say good luck...but right now, it's probably like trying to bail out the ocean with a thimble...
Omigawd! They're...they're .. they're... LOBBYISTS!!!

Exactly, which makes them still part of the problem.
Re: Ex-lawmakers scold Congress
Posted: Mon Oct 04, 2010 3:18 pm
by OL FU
kalm wrote:
Exactly, which makes them still part of the problem.
And my guess is they are congressman who got the things done that got us into this friggin' mess

Re: Ex-lawmakers scold Congress
Posted: Mon Oct 04, 2010 3:26 pm
by Grizalltheway
kalm wrote:
Exactly, which makes them still part of the problem.
And by "solve problems" they mean "get the money flowing our way again".

Re: Ex-lawmakers scold Congress
Posted: Mon Oct 04, 2010 3:51 pm
by kalm
Grizalltheway wrote:kalm wrote:
Exactly, which makes them still part of the problem.
And by "solve problems" they mean "get the money flowing our way again".

The more I think about it the more this pisses me off. If they really gave a shit about the state of things they should spend every last moment campaigning for election finance reform and a repeal of citizens united.

Re: Ex-lawmakers scold Congress
Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 7:04 am
by Cap'n Cat
Re: Ex-lawmakers scold Congress
Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 7:59 am
by Ivytalk
So sez the biggest bitcher, name-caller and whiner on the board.

Re: Ex-lawmakers scold Congress
Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 8:33 am
by Col Hogan
Ivytalk wrote:
So sez the biggest bitcher, name-caller and whiner on the board.

I agree...with both of you...
Just because someone is a lobbyist does not make them part of the problem...
And Cap...you live in a glass house...watch out about that stone throwing...

Re: Ex-lawmakers scold Congress
Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 10:16 am
by Cap'n Cat
Col Hogan wrote:Ivytalk wrote:
So sez the biggest bitcher, name-caller and whiner on the board.

I agree...with both of you...
Just because someone is a lobbyist does not make them part of the problem...
And Cap...you live in a glass house...watch out about that stone throwing...

Hey, Cap'n Cat says what He says in the full knowledge of same.
Re: Ex-lawmakers scold Congress
Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 5:13 am
by OL FU
Cap'n Cat wrote:Col Hogan wrote:
I agree...with both of you...
Just because someone is a lobbyist does not make them part of the problem...
And Cap...you live in a glass house...watch out about that stone throwing...

Hey, Cap'n Cat says what He says in the full knowledge of same.
Cap'n should learn a little discretion or quit criticizing people when they don't use it

Re: Ex-lawmakers scold Congress
Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 5:27 am
by Cap'n Cat
OL FU wrote:Cap'n Cat wrote:
Hey, Cap'n Cat says what He says in the full knowledge of same.
Cap'n should learn a little discretion or quit criticizing people when they don't use it

Hey, FU, use a little discretion on this, will ya'?

Re: Ex-lawmakers scold Congress
Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 5:45 am
by kalm
The two party system makes partisanship and bickering neccessary. They all have to pretend they're not working for the same objectives.

Re: Ex-lawmakers scold Congress
Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 9:15 am
by OL FU
Cap'n Cat wrote:OL FU wrote:
Cap'n should learn a little discretion or quit criticizing people when they don't use it

Hey, FU, use a little discretion on this, will ya'?

A shot of you in your playing days

Re: Ex-lawmakers scold Congress
Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2010 12:49 pm
by native
kalm wrote:Grizalltheway wrote:
And by "solve problems" they mean "get the money flowing our way again".

The more I think about it the more this pisses me off. If they really gave a **** about the state of things they should spend every last moment campaigning for
free speech, smaller government, reduced taxes, less spending and a repeal of
Obamacare.

FIFY, kalm!

Re: Ex-lawmakers scold Congress
Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2010 12:54 pm
by blueballs
OL FU wrote:Cap'n Cat wrote:
Hey, FU, use a little discretion on this, will ya'?

A shot of you in your playing days

That's a picture of him hiding the grapefruit he ate during film study...
... of course he had to pick the hair off it first.