Why not have Congressional representatives chosen by lottery?

[MKITEM]

Make lobbying illegal and get rid of the Senate. Congressional terms would be two years and then another name chosen at random to serve. This could get rid of all the graft and corruption. Just throwing pasta on the wall to see what will stick. The current system is broken beyond all repair.

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. The Greeks used such a system

In Athens. It did not work well. The democracy lasted two generations.

Oh and the complexity of laws would give staff way too much power.

Get rid of citizens united. Cut elections to 90 days to campaign, only publicly funded...and have citizens commissions, not state legislatures, draw districts, will go a long way.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

2. Because it would be more difficult for the rich and their lobbyists to find them in advance.

[tritsofme]

3. lol, who needs democracy anyways?

[MKITEM]

4. It would actually be a more democratic system

If democracy is a representation by the people. What we got isn't democracy.

[tritsofme]

8. I'm sorry, this idea is just patently silly.

[tama]

10. Sillier than

electing bunch of millionaire narcissistic sociopaths and compulsive liers to make decisions for everybody else?

[tritsofme]

16. Yes.

[tama]

17. Do you ever question

your mental sanity?

[tritsofme]

18. I went from having Joe Walsh to Tammy Duckworth this year.

A good example of the system working.

I wouldn't throw that out for some lottery scheme or equally silly idea.

[PoliticAverse]

5. "43% Say Random Choices From Phone Book Better Than Current Congress"

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/february_2012/43_say_random_choices_from_phone_book_better_than_current_congress

[tama]

11. Only? nt

[think]

6. Would rather pay them like CEOs and rock stars to work for the AMERICAN PEOPLE

and not for corporate lobbying interests that pollute our government.

But bar them from EVER being a lobbyist or taking a position with a corporation that benefits from the legislation they pass.

Until the revolving door is slammed shut and politicians get paid enough to avoid the slippery slope this shit in Washington will just continue.

[RB TexLa]

7. What other constitutional rights do you want to throw in the garbage?

From the first amendment to United States Constitution the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.



I understand you are speaking from your oh so so high horse and your moral superiority but it's not just a "God damn piece of people." Lobbying the government is a constitutionally protected right.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Bill_of_Rights

[MKITEM]

19. The US Constitution should be thrown out.

Written by a bunch of elitists for a bunch of elitists.

[jmg257]

9. The Constitution guarantees a Republican form of govt...

Don't think it includes representation through raffle.

[tama]

14. Oligarchy of white male landrobber "owners"

certainly didn't and does not like democracy of "mob" power and representation through "raffle".

[tama]

12. Old idea of mine

Two representative bodies, the one making decisions chosen by lottery, the other body that negotiates and drafts legislation etc. for decision making, but does not make actual decisions, elected.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

13. Aka Demarchy. It would much more representative of the people.

Much more than the millionaires club now in place.

[jody]

15. I propose that every legal voter pay a modest fee of $10 to have their Social Security number

entered into a congressperson lottery. One number would be chosen to represent each congressional district, about 165,000 voters. From these fees, $500,000 would be given immediately to the lucky winner. The remaining fees, over $1 million, would be set aside to award to the winner based on voter approval of the congressperson's performance.

For example, voters would be asked after the winner has completed their two-year term, 'Do you believe Congressperson Doe did a good job?' If 90 percent answered 'yes,' then the congressperson would receive 90 percent of the lottery fees set aside for this purpose. That should be nearly $1 million. Of course, if only 10 percent answered 'yes,' the congressperson would receive about $110,000.