Presidental Term - 6 Years?

[Nessa 23]

Good thing there is no "parliament" in the US then.

I must say that I'm glad you didn't write the Constitution.

why? don't you trust American citizens to do the right thing?

[Darnell 8,478]

but lawmakers come to washington, now and back then so the pigeon thing doesn't play.

Ya, the 'sessions' of the house and senate (dem lawmakers ) were much shorter, also - as most were landowners, getting in the crops were important to them, then.

I tell ya what else doesn't play - trying to make 6 years presidency term because of an ISSUE.

Bubba, if that issue needs 6 years to be 'resolved' ? You (ya, YOU ) need to refactor it.

Less is More and in this case, less government is more appealing.

[DEDixon 39]

i heard on the radio that the greeks had the first democracy. they selected 5000 people from the city at random then narrowed it down to 500 that governed. regular everyday people were the government. i forget the details, but it was said that our current system simply continues to put the same "types" (different people but basically same types) in offices over and over again so real change is next to impossible.

i guess, if this were done today, the 5000 should at least have a bachelors degree.

[DEDixon 39]

Ya, the 'sessions' of the house and senate (dem lawmakers ) were much shorter, also - as most were landowners, getting in the crops were important to them, then.

I tell ya what else doesn't play - trying to make 6 years presidency term because of an ISSUE.

Bubba, if that issue needs 6 years to be 'resolved' ? You (ya, YOU ) need to refactor it.

Less is More and in this case, less government is more appealing.

you are right, but i'm not saying it would take 6 years. it might take 3 which if it came to a vote after 3 years today, that vote would be near the middle of a presidential campaign. they are starting to campaign earlier and earlier.

[Sc0tt28 26]

why? don't you trust American citizens to do the right thing?

American citizens voted Obama into the White House.

American citizens voted G.W. Bush into the White House - Twice...I'm not convinced the man is even literate (Google "Bushisms")

[Darnell 8,478]

you are right, but i'm not saying it would take 6 years. it might take 3 which if it came to a vote after 3 years today, that vote would be near the middle of a presidential campaign. they are starting to campaign earlier and earlier.

Heavy Sigh... Seriously - if an issue can't be resolved in the house and senate within 3 days, then it will never get resolved. Ya, I pulled that number out of my @ss, but it's a nice @ss, hence a nice number.

There are too many frickin nuances, IMO, for any particular piece of legislation to be quickly acted (upon ). And it's been that way since this whole thing was rigged up as it is. No, I'm not a congressional scholar, nor do I play one on TV, but I d@mn to hell my poly sci teachers for making me learn not ONLY how to do the research on this stuff, but also for writing up short position papers (in my youts ) explaining it all. I've taken those same research skills, applied them to other things, but (just for fun ) have another 'academic week' during the summer, when Congress is Closed and review all that was done the year before. I've been doing that since Mr. B||sh came into power, since I had high level o personal animosity against him, and thought , "Gee, am I hating the man, or hating the President? " (it was the man, btw ) - but still, I kept up with the one week a year research work - gave me lots to do, focus on 'one thing' for a week (my work never allows that, alas). The linkages and versper-like threads between the members of congress were always something stupid , to me, to be able to show. But ya know what? it's those linkages that get the work done, not any 'merit of the legislation' itself. grrrrr

I'm a fan of how Singapore has their /its set up, for government and laws and judiciary. It's a nice hodgepodge of 'other systems', loosely based on the British Empire's Version . I lived there for a year, this century, setting up 2 businesses and contributing to the Singapore Economy But I digress. I like the way Singapore Handles All of their matters.

I suggest to you - NO ISSUE should require more than 6 months of 'backroom negotations' to make anything happen. Never. If it's taking longer, I'll suggest further, that the boys in the backrooms aren't getting what they want, during the negotiations, and have chosen to stall, instead.

[DEDixon 39]

Heavy Sigh... Seriously - if an issue can't be resolved in the house and senate within 3 days, then it will never get resolved. Ya, I pulled that number out of my @ss, but it's a nice @ss, hence a nice number.

There are too many frickin nuances, IMO, for any particular piece of legislation to be quickly acted (upon ). And it's been that way since this whole thing was rigged up as it is. No, I'm not a congressional scholar, nor do I play one on TV, but I d@mn to hell my poly sci teachers for making me learn not ONLY how to do the research on this stuff, but also for writing up short position papers (in my youts ) explaining it all. I've taken those same research skills, applied them to other things, but (just for fun ) have another 'academic week' during the summer, when Congress is Closed and review all that was done the year before. I've been doing that since Mr. B||sh came into power, since I had high level o personal animosity against him, and thought , "Gee, am I hating the man, or hating the President? " (it was the man, btw ) - but still, I kept up with the one week a year research work - gave me lots to do, focus on 'one thing' for a week (my work never allows that, alas). The linkages and versper-like threads between the members of congress were always something stupid , to me, to be able to show. But ya know what? it's those linkages that get the work done, not any 'merit of the legislation' itself. grrrrr

I'm a fan of how Singapore has their /its set up, for government and laws and judiciary. It's a nice hodgepodge of 'other systems', loosely based on the British Empire's Version . I lived there for a year, this century, setting up 2 businesses and contributing to the Singapore Economy But I digress. I like the way Singapore Handles All of their matters.

I suggest to you - NO ISSUE should require more than 6 months of 'backroom negotations' to make anything happen. Never. If it's taking longer, I'll suggest further, that the boys in the backrooms aren't getting what they want, during the negotiations, and have chosen to stall, instead.

you are right again, 4 years then is all that is needed. thanks for replying.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

should we extend the first term to 6 years?

my thinking is that when the constitution was written, 4 years was a long time to get things done (gov't was a lot smaller), but these days, everything takes so much longer. i mean, a guy that kills 10 people at the mall and was witnessed by 50 people, the trial takes years these days so no wonder it takes so much time for ANY president to get major initiatives signed into law.

take health care as an example, maybe if obama had 6 years, he would have slowed the pace? with just 4 years, it isn't long until people see the president as a lame can't-get-anything-done president for he/she just might be leaving.

still keep the 8 year limit... reelection would extend first term just 2 years and there would be some sort of fast track election process so we save the huge costs associated with a full blown election (not sure how this would work... any out of the box ideas?).

it is supposed to be difficult to get things done. No. Leave it alone. I like do nothing Presidents best of all. The best we can hope for is that Obama continues to do nothing.

[aidan80 9]

I say blow up the houses of parliament!

Oh, wait...

I second that idea!

[ready4ONE 5,400]

it is supposed to be difficult to get things done. No. Leave it alone. I like do nothing Presidents best of all. The best we can hope for is that Obama continues to do nothing.

It seems schizophrenic to simultaneously claim Obama is both getting nothing done, and that he has driven the country into the ground, or worse, towards totalitarian dictatorship or communism... Just sayin'

[William33 110]

I agree with a six year term for the President. This would give the elected incumbent plenty of time to act on the campaign promises. If they fail miserably, ejected......straight away....

[웃 910]

I agree with a six year term for the President. This would give the elected incumbent plenty of time to act on the campaign promises. If they fail miserably, ejected......straight away....

4 years = 1,460 days

6 years = 2,190 days

I think 1500 days (approx. 4 years) is a fair shot. If you remain slightly above par then chances are you get elected for another 1500 days.

And could you imagine if you have to deal with a president you don't like for 6 years (ok), but then he gets elected another 6 years!!! 12 years is too much.

Edited January 21, 2010 by NOsamaCare

[William33 110]

4 years = 1,460 days

6 years = 2,190 days

I think 1500 days (approx. 4 years) is a fair shot. If you remain slightly above par then chances are you get elected for another 1500 days.

And could you imagine if you have to deal with a president you don't like for 6 years (ok), but then he gets elected another 6 years!!! 12 years is too much.

I was thinking only one term @ 6 years......Sorry for the confusion.

[Calypso 464]

In Mexico the term length is 6 years. The difference is you are only allowed 1 chance; no 2 terms allowed!

The same goes in the Philippines.

[Pinocchio Liberal 268]

me too, because then my wifey would be over 250 years old

That means you'd be sleeping with a mummy.