I think, more than anything, that the dissatisfaction with Congress and with politicians in general is exacerbated by the:
- conversion of "citizen/politicians" into professional politicians
- focus on becoming reelected at the exclusion of all other issues
- focus on the political party at the exclusion of all else, save getting reelected
- practice of creating, maintaining, and defending individual fiefdoms
If the idea of term limits was so off-putting (clearly evidenced by Big Dog's and Sparky's arguments against the practice), then why and how did we **** up by adopting the 22nd Amendment?
What is fundamentally different about the office of the President versus the Robert Byrds, Strom Thurmonds, Henry Waxmans, and Charlie Rangels? (Besides the vast difference in power - though even that is relative).
The overall idea, I think, is to once again return to the idea that it's one's
civic duty to serve the nation as a representative, senator, or president. Attaining these offices should not be a goal to be attained for the ultimate perversion of power.
But it's become that way.
Perhaps it's just romanticized bullshit when I remember learning that Washington declined serving a third term as president, thereby setting a precedent and a long-standing one until the Ultimate Socialist - FDR - rolled around. FDR did exactly what I talked about - he established the strongest of power bases until his stroke finally ended all that after some 13 years in power.