I have figured out when it all took a turn.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

When whatever genius decided we needed to make running for office cost money. Who was the idiot who came up with this concept and why did the rest of us go a long with it!?

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Oh the history is long

so let's spare you the 19th century (and Jackson)...

In the modern period start with a court decision back in the late 19th century involving trains.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

2. Well, whatever it was, it was moronic and ridiculous.

Want turn this country around? Make it FREE! And don't pay them more than the average salary of the poorest state in the union.
Duckie

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. I can understand the pay for the President

since that is the last job that person will ever have... with a few exceptions.

After that, agreed, the pay for a congress critter should drop a tad... and the same goes for the Senate.

What we need to do is start fighting Citizens United, that is the FIRST STEP... given the results in Mexico with Term Limits (extreme) I am torn on the issue... as well as California... but a 20 year term limit, combined, aka the equivalent of a military career should be a good compromise. It would keep some people in their 90s from still being there.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

4. Term Limits are AMAZING tools here in Oklahoma....

It keeps Republican morons from being in office too long.

[provis99]

5. unfortunately, they are just replace with newer moronic Republicans.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

6. Yes, but most of the ones that get elected speaker or president pro tem

Always seem to leave office in scandal.
What's funny is, we've been struggling financially since the Republicans took over the OK legislature for the first time ever a few years back. But people don't vote with anything but their bible and abortion opinion. They don't look beyond that shit.

[WhiteTara]

7. Air time. Premium space.

and tv can charge anything they want to. They can even deny running something. Fair Use forced networks to GIVE airtime to political candidates; but they hated to lose those profits.

[Odin2005]

8. Ask folks in Ancient Rome.