.

@RJM posted:

Are you trying to change congressmen’s job description? They don’t just work legislation. They spend half their day every day raising funds for re-election. The average congressman raises 18K per day. Wow! You want them to actually work all day at making the country a better place. 😀

I have a better idea. The country should be run like the New Hampshire Senate. They’re paid $200 per year plus travel expenses. Meet for three days once a month plus emergency sessions.

I forgot Term limits too.  A must do.

I love the community of the HSBBW.  I love learning about baseball from everyone on this site.  What is amazing is the diversity of people here, all of whom are interested in baseball.  If you ask a question about high school or college baseball at any level, in any part of the country, people will write in with advice from their own experiences.

A big reason that is possible is that there is an understanding here that there are to be no discussions about politics (or religion):
https://community.hsbaseballwe...eb-manners-and-mores

You don't need to know about anyone's politics to learn about baseball from them. That is the beauty of this site, and of baseball in general.

The system isn't broken due to filibuster - that's protecting the system from party pettiness when the American people aren't "sold" that one party is better than the other. In this community we can argue and build consensus - not everyone agrees with everything, but if you participate sometimes your mind can be changed. The challenge for Chuck should have been let's get work together, but no he spent years "aligning" people and probably promising them certain assignments, pork, and donations... so now he pays the price.  And no, I do not believe Mitch is any better - I see them as glowing examples of your time has passed, let someone else lead.  Still, like in baseball not everyone wants to lead the team, some just want to play the game, some are willing to be role players. Power is intoxicating and not everyone can control themselves once they have it.

In order to start to fix the problem I believe we have to get rid of lobbyists, have term limits, create an age peak (we have a floor), reduce the size of bills, remove pork, have a balanced budget amendment, don't allow large donors to manipulate things (there's examples on both sides), etc. etc.  I disagree about the salary thing, but certainly understand where the thought comes from (I used to live in NH and my father was a state Rep for a few years). Anyone who was in an office collaborating for years and now has to be at home via video platform knows how hard that is, so governing completely remote is not an answer, but I see solid logic behind shorter sessions in Washington. Everyone knows nothing gets done until the deadline anyway ;-)...

John … it’s an awesome list of things that will never happen. I don’t believe anyone should serve in Congress for more than twelve years. If your twelve years comes up mid term, resign. The problem in Washington is no one ever leaves. Elected politicians are just lobbyists in training. When they leave office they go on to become million dollar a year lobbyists.

But ultimately respect the rules, they work, they work for the long term. they work for the minority to be protected vs a wave of unreasonable majority...ultimately if the wave is big enough and sustainable enough it happens. Our most severe issue is wanting to fundamentally change the operating method to get short term results deemed to be gratifying.

Changing the operation method is suicide. That includes the 60 votes for a bill, the filibuster, reversing confirmation process etc. it works!!

@JohnF posted:

The system isn't broken due to filibuster - that's protecting the system from party pettiness when the American people aren't "sold" that one party is better than the other. In this community we can argue and build consensus - not everyone agrees with everything, but if you participate sometimes your mind can be changed. The challenge for Chuck should have been let's get work together, but no he spent years "aligning" people and probably promising them certain assignments, pork, and donations... so now he pays the price.  And no, I do not believe Mitch is any better - I see them as glowing examples of your time has passed, let someone else lead.  Still, like in baseball not everyone wants to lead the team, some just want to play the game, some are willing to be role players. Power is intoxicating and not everyone can control themselves once they have it.

In order to start to fix the problem I believe we have to get rid of lobbyists, have term limits, create an age peak (we have a floor), reduce the size of bills, remove pork, have a balanced budget amendment, don't allow large donors to manipulate things (there's examples on both sides), etc. etc.  I disagree about the salary thing, but certainly understand where the thought comes from (I used to live in NH and my father was a state Rep for a few years). Anyone who was in an office collaborating for years and now has to be at home via video platform knows how hard that is, so governing completely remote is not an answer, but I see solid logic behind shorter sessions in Washington. Everyone knows nothing gets done until the deadline anyway ;-)...

One persons pork is another persons steak.

As for the fillibuster, the Senate has become lazy as for they can just mention the word fillibuster and everything stops.

They should have to put in the work and go to the floor.

As for the minority, they have too much power.

2 Senators per state where it is understood the composition of the state impedes progress.

Now that is where we will find Porky.

As for term limits, IMHO it will not have significant impact because it will be just the next person up in a gerrymander district or red/blue state.

There are very few purple states.

Majority of the people will vote there historical colors (red or blue)

@CollegebaseballInsights posted:

Majority of the people will vote there historical colors (red or blue)

Unfortunately, I don't think we'll see another moderate make it through a primary in a major election. By the time the primaries are done you are stuck with far left and right candidates who made bad campaign promises to make it to the bigger stage.

Exactly TBPT.  I think the only thing that gets us to a moderate place is a cataclysmic event.  But consider that COVID is not enough of an event.   Instead of uniting us in a battle, it divided us further.   

Civil war?  Maybe?   What happens when the government can no longer keep up its "obligations" to the masses dependent upon them.  $29 trillion in federal debt with a need to raise interest rates to fight inflation puts a country at significant risk of not being able to service its debt; not to mention crash the economy.  Joe Manchin may be the only politician with a brain.  We never truly unwound the 2008-2009 financial crisis.  We just printed our way out.  The idea that stock markets are at all time highs when we have this kind of turmoil is a huge disconnect.  Maybe baseball will really be an afterthought for our kids in a few years.  If so, it is our fault.   

The purpose of the filibuster is a small majority can’t dominate. Quality legislation with support from both sides is required.

The art of negotiation is knowing the minimum you require and the maximum you will concede. If you don’t fall within this area you continue to negotiate. Unfortunately, most major legislation now is we want it all and you get nothing.

When people talk about the potential for civil war it will only be in the mind and on cable news. With the exception of a handful of states the balance is 55-45 at the worst. Unfortunately I live in one of those very slanted states. I’m a registered Independent. Since the one party is going to win I vote in their primary. I vote for the primary candidate likely to do the least amount of damage.

@TerribleBPthrower posted:

Unfortunately, I don't think we'll see another moderate make it through a primary in a major election. By the time the primaries are done you are stuck with far left and right candidates who made bad campaign promises to make it to the bigger stage.

Agreed.

@Dadbelly2023 posted:

Exactly TBPT.  I think the only thing that gets us to a moderate place is a cataclysmic event.  But consider that COVID is not enough of an event.   Instead of uniting us in a battle, it divided us further.   

Civil war?  Maybe?   What happens when the government can no longer keep up its "obligations" to the masses dependent upon them.  $29 trillion in federal debt with a need to raise interest rates to fight inflation puts a country at significant risk of not being able to service its debt; not to mention crash the economy.  Joe Manchin may be the only politician with a brain.  We never truly unwound the 2008-2009 financial crisis.  We just printed our way out.  The idea that stock markets are at all time highs when we have this kind of turmoil is a huge disconnect.  Maybe baseball will really be an afterthought for our kids in a few years.  If so, it is our fault.   

Joe Manchin is bought by his corporate donors, follow his $$$ trail.

Net worth 7.6 million. Drives a Maserati, has a yacht in the Potomac.

What are his investment in the coal industry of his state?

https://www.forbes.com/sites/m...ars/?sh=5caa308d2770

He lives in one of the poorest states.

Lets not talk about his daughter (Ms. Epipen)

https://www.latimes.com/busine...-20180605-story.html

Secondly, nobody had a problem reauthorizing and increasing military spend.

Eisenhower warned us.

Inflation was inevitable, global shutdown, business want to recoup their $$$.

Really - you *have* to go there?  Do you have the same list of complaints about left side or are you just attacking because he was 1 of 50 that didn't capitulate to what you want so you call him out on social media. He's not the first, he won't be the last... You just join a list of petty individuals in my book.

Inflation isn’t about businesses recouping their money. The money was recouped a long time ago, and many never lost money.

@Dadbelly2023 posted:

Exactly TBPT.  I think the only thing that gets us to a moderate place is a cataclysmic event.  But consider that COVID is not enough of an event.   Instead of uniting us in a battle, it divided us further.   

Civil war?  Maybe?   What happens when the government can no longer keep up its "obligations" to the masses dependent upon them.  $29 trillion in federal debt with a need to raise interest rates to fight inflation puts a country at significant risk of not being able to service its debt; not to mention crash the economy.  Joe Manchin may be the only politician with a brain.  We never truly unwound the 2008-2009 financial crisis.  We just printed our way out.  The idea that stock markets are at all time highs when we have this kind of turmoil is a huge disconnect.  Maybe baseball will really be an afterthought for our kids in a few years.  If so, it is our fault.   

this is a great post.

my only real disagreement would be Manchin may be the only registered Dem with a brain since there are 50 other senators that are completely forgotten about in the conversation. Hence that important number of 60...it shouldn't even be an argument.

Read or listen to this book and get back to me when talking about inflation:

• The Creature from Jekyll Island: A Second Look at the Federal Reserve

These threads are getting to be political threads.  That is not the intent of this site.  This site is about baseball and the journey of parents and players.  This thread is now pure politics and will be locked.  I will read the other similar topic and make a decision on that thread.