Tilting the Scales...

Let's say you're on the City Council of Rifle, Colorado, okay?  

And BTW, there really is a Rifle, Colorado.  Just like there's a Pumpkin Center, Missouri.

But anyway, let's say you're paid $1,000 a month to be a Councilman for the nice city of Rifle.  And your two-year term is growing to a close.  And so you try to ramp up your reelection campaign to win another 2 years.  

We all know being a city councilman is a part-time position.  Usually requiring only evening and weekend hours.  Except in the Big Blue cities, where being a councilman is akin to being a potentate in Zimbabwe.  With a Big office, a Big car, and a Big salary.    

So as a part-timer, when you take a morning here or an afternoon there to campaign, we citizens have no reason to bitch.

But let's say instead we're talking a U. S. Representative here.  Or a Senator.  Or maybe even the President.  We pay our Congress(persons?) about $175,000 a year.  Our Senators up to $225,000, depending upon their various positions and responsibilities.  And the President?  $400,000.  Or about $35,000 a week.  That's $5,000 a day.

I would think when we're talking about this kind of dough we should get value received.  We should get our money's worth.  We should be able to demand our civil servants...actually serve!  You know, actually come to work (for a change)! 

Take O'Biden (please?).  He's been "on vacation" or "at Camp David," or "at Rohoboth Beach" for 56% of his Presidency.  Now, given his policies which many of us cannot stand (including moi), perhaps that was a good thing!  Maybe we should maybe be glad O'Biden didn't show up for work more often!  I certainly am!

But the reason for this missive to you, my Fellow Patriots, is that I think we should perhaps demand our civil servants campaign during their off hours.  After 5:00 p.m. and  on Weekends.  After they've fulfilled their official duties.  Of the job.  After all, there should be plenty of time to get one's point across during the campaign, considering they're currently occupying the position!  And have the benefit of TV cameras, and the microphones, and other public appearances to bolster their claim for another term.

It's called "incumbency!"

Oh, I can hear it already!  What about the other guy!  The opponent!  That poor guy who wants unseat the Senator or Congressperson?  Or even the POTUS?  Should he have to follow those same rules?

Noooooooooooooooo!!!   

He should be able to campaign all day every day.  And on weekends!  Well, Mr. Chuckmeister, wouldn't that be an unfair advantage?   

Yesssssssssssssssss!!!

With the office holder having the benefit of incumbency, we have to make the contest fair.  By giving the opponent an advantage.  The advantage of time, to offset the incumbent's ability to raise campaign $cash.  

A seat in Congress should not be a lifetime job!  Yet, it seems they're viewed that way.  And often wind up that way.  Senator Strom Thurmond died while in office at the age of 93.  Diane "Lady Di" Finestein died while in office at the age of 87.  And Joe O'Biden has been in one Federal office or another since he was 29 years old.  Fifty-two years in office!  Is that how this was all designed?  I think not.  

We should tilt the scales to make it harder to win reelection, and easier to unseat those looking to make it a lifetime career.  Period.

And another thing near and dear to this old Chuckmeister's heart, how about we require the candidates to not only debate, but make them do so on a soapbox.  Maybe on a soapbox in front of City Hall!  Or the "Town Square," just like was in 1860.  

They could sell tickets.  The proceeds of which could go toward lowering the National Debt (which is now $35 Trillion Friggin' Dollars!).  

Honest Abe and Steve debated for more than 8 hours on one occasion.  And then they got on a train and travelled to the next town.  And then did it all again.  I'm thinking that if Abe and Steve can do this, so can our politicians!

What do you think?  An email or a phone call to your Representative might go a long way to correct this imbalance...

Epilogue:  Dana Rohrerbacher is an old friend of mine.  He was our Congressman from Costa Mesa/Newport Beach for 28 years.  And a real specialist in all things Afghanistan.  I recall a reelection party my wife and I attended following one of his victories.  He looked at me and said, "Well, now it's time to start collecting donations for my next election.  I need to snag at least $10,000 a day to have a chance."  And that was 15 years ago.  Just imagine what it $takes today?