I don't seem so suprised that this has happened like this. Looks like the Repiglicans and Democrats are trying every little move they can to stay in office.

If you're going to insult a party with a sophomoric insult like that, it's at least appropriate to balance your derision with an equally insulting term for Democrats. They're just as much opposed to our agenda as any other party.

I agree with Ottermi619, this is just a cheap attempt by the Republicans and Democrats to remain in power. We must respond by the truth and by giving them a taste of their own medicine with Eminent Domain.

When we have a President who is shredding the Constitution and the Bill of Rights with impunity and distain for the people, we should be suprised by a congressman trying to "spin" his resume????

The puff piece that Marty Meehan's staffers wrote concerning the Congressman's resume, accomplishments and personal life is one more reason why I support term limits for the Senate and the House of Representatives. 12 years for both, then retirement.

I know that there are some libertarians that may disagree with me on this. Nevertheless, my view is that politics should never be considered a career but service for a short time. The founding fathers believed that as well.

If the founding fathers "believed" in it, they would have made it part of the Constitution. I agree with you in that you shouldn't stay in office more than a certain amount of time, but there are exceptions to that rule, and so should be open to the given circumstance and not a generalized law.

Alex is right Jevon, it was meant to only be service initially. It was unnecessary for them to institutionalize it into the Constitution as term limits because the amount paid was so pitifully small, they couldn't afford to go past one or two terms.

It is when they started voting themselves massive raises that politics became a "career", and I won't get into soft money.

We've one party that habitually pays people to cast additional votes with dead peoples' IDs, and another that simply hires ballot counters who flunked basic math. We need to excise both major parties and restore participation to our republic, and the LP seems the most reasonable alternative.

Chuck, Look I agree that the people in the system are corrupt, and the whole point is that it is "service" and not "rulership". I just disagree with trying to fix the problem with legislation.

I don't think public servants should be payed anything, or if not, a nominal fee ($1 like I have heard New Hampshire pays).

I just feel that making a rule out of something, that might be detrimental in the future in a certain case, stagnates things, and is honestly in my opinion against the ideals of the Libertarian party. Just because people manipulate the system to their ends does no mean there is a problem with the system, there is just a problem with the people. And NO form of government will get rid of dishonesty.

And there is nothing wrong with committing your life to politics, as long as you remain consistant in representing the people that elected you. If the people we elected were really about protecting our rights, and not lining their pockets or petting their egos, then no one would want to play politics for more than a term anyways. Don't "fix" the system, change the people.

Rewriting history also includes the suppression of dissent. Cindy Sheehan, regardless of how you personally feel about her, was ejected from the House of Representatives prior to the speech of the Chief National Propagandist last night for wearing a shirt with an anti-war message.

Although the Representative of my Congressional District is a Neocon toady, I never the less sent him the following letter:

"To the Honorable Mike Billerakis;

Bill of Rights

Amendment I

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."

With that in mind, and as the Constitution is the SUPREME law of the land, I would like you to introduce Legislation eliminating "Free Speech Zones" and frustrating freedom of speech, assembly or redress under color of law anywhere within the United States, its Territories or Possessions; regardless of the circumstances.

I can't think of anything more anti - American than this, with the possible exception of the "Patriot" Act.

Sincerely;"

You may ask, "why bother Chuck? You know they won't do anything."

The answer is simple, when the time comes; I want to satisfy myself that I tried everything within reason.

If you wish to copy, modify or change this letter in any way to send to your own representative(s), feel free.

I have also sent the letter to The Liberty Committee (Rep. Ron Paul's Think-Tank) and personally to Anthony Romaro, National Director of the A.C.L.U.

You know what scared me most about that, was the poll I saw (mind you it was only one) said that more than 50% of the people agreed with the ejection and more than a hundred thousand people had voted. Yikes!

Beware of polling statistics Javon, if they were polling the in house crowd only, made up of the usual planted Bush "true believers" ONLY 50% would be encouraging. The question therefore is; WHO was polled and what was the question.

Chuck,

I agree that online polls are not "scientific", yet what I meant is that if you ask a 100,000 people something, you are problably going to get a good idea of what the general public thinks. It was just a MSN article, http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11121444/ , but I am guessing that it is a partisan enough article that you are just going to get people interested in the story, not with just one view point.

Thanks for the info Jevon, yep we are back to "scary".

You know, wondered what would have happened to Cindy if the tee shirt had cuss words on it.

The Neocons consider any form of opposition an obscenity.

On the subject of it being service, I tend to throw Robert Heinlein quotes around, but the man has some good ones.

"In a mature society, 'civil servant' is sematically equal to 'civil master'."

"A man must have larceny in his heart, or else he would not be feeding at the public trough."

They run the show, and they get paid well to do it. Why would they want to leave office if they could avoid it? I plan to run for office ten years or so down the road, but I hope I don't become addicted to the salary and the power.

The wikipedia is going through growing pains.
There's another related way of community based commentary developed by folks from slashdot.org that also has its growing pains, but I'm experimenting with it for a libertarian project:
http://www.liberty.golguppe.com