dawsonct
Rich, yes, the whole Republican freshman class of ’94 ran on The Contract On America, and one of the primary points in it was term limits. Those promises, much like the ones the tea bag friendly freshman Republicans are currently distancing themselves from, were quickly discarded.
In fact, I challenge you to find more than one campaign promise of the national Republicans, that they have ever followed up on.
Tax breaks? Whatever, they mostly go to the wealthy, who are currently falling all over themselves stimulating the economies of high-end jewelers, auction houses, and foreign bankers.
Smaller, less intrusive government? Fail!
Government supervision of a woman’s reproductive decisions? Fail!
Imposing Judeo-Christian (without the Jewish stuff, of course) sharia law on all of America? Fail!
Keeping liberals from takin’ yer guns! Well, none I know have ever really tried to do that, so I guess their propaganda campaign was a success.
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Most R-&-F Republicans I know are either libertarians, or fundamentalist Xians who want everyone to conform to their views of morality, and their leadership does NOTHING but pay lip-service to their sycophants.
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DP, I think, again, you are running up against problems with the way we FINANCE our elections. Remove the incentive to respond to the money, and you return the power to the electorate. If an American wants to devote their talent and ability to the altruistic pursuit of representing their fellow citizens in government, they shouldn’t be prevented from doing so, for however long they and their constituents deem appropriate.
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I’m rather suspicious of any politician/political party that allies themselves too closely with the capitalists, as that has never seemed to work out well for the rest of us.
We need FULL public financing of elections, right now.
Some electoral reform, like instant run-off or top two voting would also help break the grip of the entrenched status quo.