Pinta & the Santa Maria
Has Achieved Nirvana
| quote: Originally posted by jodi:
I’m with Mik (Even though I think the current President is a disgusting disaster). Secret ballots are a mistake. We should know how people we voted into office would vote on this.
But we already *know* how they would vote if it were public--straight party line. I think there's some validity to wtg's point, even though her thought process was apparently quite flawed.  The current batch of Senators aren't accountable to their constituents for anything. They're all power-hungry sycophants. OK, maybe "all" is excessive. Let's say 99.8% are. That's what I learned in stats class.  Yes, I agree that the pure way to do this is with a public vote. But I think we're already so deep in the mud that to suddenly get all concerned about purity and the process is misguided. But pushing the envelope - let's say the decision is secret voting, and that becomes the process moving forward for any impeachment hearing. Then what? secret ballots on the senate floor for anything? It's a slippery slope, but I don't see it as black and white. |
| | | Posts: 35428 | Location: West: North and South! | Registered: 20 April 2005 | 
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Minor Deity
| quote: Originally posted by wtg:
I totally get where you guys are coming from, and I respect your view that the accountability is to the voters.
Unfortunately I no longer believe that individual voters' interests are the ones represented by Congresscritters. With a few exceptions, I think they are largely working in their own interests which are defined and controlled by the people who fund their campaigns. As the saying goes, follow the money.
There has been much reported about what members of the GOP are saying in private versus what they're willing to say publicly. The disconnect is stark.
I'm looking for a way to reduce the power of the money and how it affects the Congresscritters' decision making; you are looking for a way to preserve the power of the people to vote out those who are not representing their interests. I'm thinking that ship is long out of the harbor.
Mitch McConnell's approval rating in Kentucky is 18 percent right now. I'm guessing he'll be re-elected, and I don't think it's going to be because he suddenly changed what he's doing. It's going to be because people with enough money figured out ways to keep him in power.
Like I said, I truly respect what y'all are saying. I wish I had your optimism.
So with secrecy they will be free to vote their consciences and that morality will take over? I think it would be exactly the opposite. They would be free to sell their souls and not have to hide it. I mean, c'mon...were talking about swampy Congresscritters here. We need more transparency not less.
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"A mob is a place where people go to get away from their conscience" Atticus Finch
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Has Achieved Nirvana
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