These 12 Lawmakers Agree: It's Time to Leave Congress | NYT Opinion
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ก.ย. 2024
- Even the insiders are fed up with Washington. To understand why, we put the same eight questions to House and Senate members in both parties who are on the way out, looking for patterns and prescriptions to get a handle on the place. Corruption, money, perks, frustrations, solutions - hear what they said about it all.
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So if these people are honest enough to say what the problems are, but leave Congress, what will we get as replacements?
More Noobs or actually people capable of joining a force to restore decorum and productivity.
Unfortunately, most of these people are Democrats. I don't want them to leave.
People rich enough to buy the committee seats
Oh no!
most likely MTG-alike copycats.
Campaign finance reform
Anti-Omnibus reform
Term limits
Anti-lobbyist reform
Yes to all of those !
We all know, they all know,
Citizens United has got to go.
100%.
Term limits are terrible tho
Sorry but no, Omnibus is necessary
“I had to raise $250k to be on certain committees.” So Congress is like Scientology. You cant get to the next level of power unless you raise money for the group?
Congress is a pyramid scheme wasn't on my 2024 bingo card.
America is a grift, at every single level.
@@Pictoru2 Well... that explains how the grifter in chief got in 2017-2020.
@@gailflanagan1214 If you think the leaders of your party aren't grifting you, then you have fallen for their grift.
@@kylas1902 I have not seen any liberals blatenly selling items like gold sneakers, jewelry, bibles, running corporations and such all while campaigning for office. They haven't faked religiion to get votes. They ddidn't ask for donations to "stop a steal" that wasn't stolen. I mean, the grifter in chief is from the GOP only.
The fact that not ONE of these politicians mentioned ending gerrymandering as a way to fix congress is both shameful and alarming.
Perhaps because Gerrymandering effects pale in comparison to the polarizing extremism we get through the current Primary system, plus BOTH sides do it (Gerrymandering) and there is no clear path to "fix" it. Primaries _can_ be partially addressed by changing who is allowed to vote in each (e.g. Independents, opposite parties) and how results are handled (e.g. 50% req'ts, rankn voting).
Well, these are congressmen. They still need a majority vote to pass legislation. And even getting a whole country to agree on the wording of said legislation is a nightmare.
Half of the Republican caucus depends on gerrymandering to get elected. If they can’t change district lines to disenfranchise their minority voters, they would never be able to get a shot. If voters were actually informed on the policies they were voting for, they’d never vote for most of the GOP in office now. I’m not saying that’s with the entire GOP; there are some good, honest people who want to make the country a better place, but these MAGA-types that are forcing their way into office now are truly doing a disservice to their constituents.
Congressional district lines are drawn by state legislatures, not Congress, so there’s nothing Congress can really do to stop gerrymandering, that would be up to individual states.
@@georgehugh3455 They didn’t mention primaries either
Let's build them a dormitory in DC or Maryland.😂
Just what these poor "Congress members" people need free housing 😅
Sounds good..make it coed for conjugal or family visits/stay..
Seriously, that is the same thought that popped into my head. They don't need/deserve a raise, they need dormitories.
(And notice how they all want their income to keep up with inflation....but not the citizens' minimum wage doesn't need to be kept up with inflation???)
Great idea.
yes! on the other side of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Maryland
WE NEED TERM LIMITS NOW…20,30, 40+ years is way too long. If we don’t put term limits soon we will not get anything done.
The first guy said he was there for 58 years! That’s insane.
58 years in politics....some people unfortunately die at 58.
That's a horrible idea unless you want special interest groups to have even more influence than they already do.
We need competence and purpose aligned with their constituents.
We also need a better class of citizen doing the voting.
@@AlanWHKanand some people die at 18 years old. What’s your point?
@@TraderRobin No, he hasn’t even been there for as long as a lot of them.
• He was first elected to the senate in 1985 (39 years ago).
• He was first elected as a county judge in 1977, leaving that office in 1984 (7 years).
• Grand Total: 46 years in elected office.
As someone from the UK, this was fascinating.
As if our Parliament isn’t exactly the same
@@L333gok I don't think I said it was any different.
Do you call it fascinating that we are close to losing our democracy and our best NATO allies such as the best one from the UK all because of Donald Trump and his NAZI MAGA's who will turn us into a dictatorship? I am a native born Republican of 67 years old and I am floored that these so called MAGA are even Americans and associate them selves as a Republican. Never in my lifetime that ever would have thought that a presidential candidate would be running as a proponent of overthrowing our Constitution!!!
Provide public housing to representatives in Congress instead of a pay raise. We shouldn’t encourage DC to become even more expensive.
There is no corruption without corrupt politicians. Corruption doesn’t happen in a vacuum.
Someone who offers a bribe is not corrupt? Only the person who takes it? I think both sides are corrupt. They both participate.
Agree: And by not voicing or sharing the corruption makes them participants in the act itself: guilt by association perhaps?
Its not been the peoples house since the 1970's.
Reagan started it. Republicans have wrecked the economy. Democrats spend 4 years fixing it. The Great Republican Recession ended my American Dream. Now you Republicans want to take Social Security. I worked 40 years for that benefit. I spent my entire retirement savings during The Great Republican Recession. I have no savings. My body is in so much pain I can’t work. So now what. Please. Don’t let the Orange Antichrist back in the White House. He will make everything worse. VOTE 100% BLUE. GOD SAVE AMERICA
Provide DC housing and travel allowance. Stop corporate political donations full stop. Divest congress of or provide conservatorship of investments.
14 minutes of "we're all trying to find the guy who did this"
finally someone says it
Because there isn't 'a guy', it's a system.
You actually don’t see the corruption? Then you’re right. You should leave asap.
I know I was like that's BS when they said it's not corrupt
Agree. That was an admittance of the corruption: ignorance to see reality.
Disappointed in this !! The solution is "balance the budget by reducing spending on programs" that help the majority of low and middle income earners!??? Wrong!!
If big corporate and wealthy actually paid their taxes at 30% we would never have to discuss Social Security or Medicare in this light. The solution is to hold the wealthy and big corporate accountable for their taxes and get big money out of politics. Start there and then lets see who shows up to *serve* the people.
The way they go on about how awesome it is to be with famous people to me explains a lot. People like Donald Trump would have no chance without that trait and people like Obama would be hard-pressed on the topics that matter if they would not be able to let their charisma do much of the persuasion.
Great job NYTs!
We thank all of these people for their years of service to the people of the USA.
I could watch this for hours, great segment NYT, fascinating stuff.
For decades while workers are paying into the SS, we were told, funds running out. Why? Many people and friends of mine have died without receiving any SS. Those funds go back into the kitty. Where is it? Is the SS funds being drained by mismanagement of funds??
I've always wondered the same thing. They think we're stupid.
They sell the total myth that SS is supposed to be a self-sustaining investment program. SS was paid for by taxes on the rich, and it received popular support because of the suffering of the masses during the great depression. Decades and decades of unpaid tax cuts murdered the budget deficit and SS is being blamed.
Social Security goes into the general fund, so I’ve heard. Because it doesn't go into a separate pot that cannot be used for anything but SS disbursements, it gets eaten by the rest of the crap that Congress wastes our money on.
Not them lecturing us about wage increases...LOL
That was great! Sad, but great to hear. Thank you.
This is like the cops giving each other kudos on a podium after a murder.
Correct the spelling mistake of "Opinion"
That’s just like your opinnion man
Thanks for this. The only frustrating thing was not being able to catch the names/parties of the congresspersons. I am from Colorado and did not vote for Ken Buck, but he has gone up in my estimation hearing him and the others. Unfortunately, the people who should be there are leaving...I shudder to see MTGs, Booberts, Santos types filling their seats. Let's wake up.
I find it appalling that Moscow, Marge and Bobo Boebert are making that kind of an income and not contributing to their constituents.
And I heard Marge couldn't even manage the construction business she inherited from her father. Her husband had to takeover and they practically kicked her out because she was a nightmare there too.
How do you feel about Nancy Pelosi?
@@CityGamer1337 I admire NP in many ways, when she received the 2019 Profile in Courage Award! for putting the national interest above her party's interest to expand access to health care for all Americans and then, against a wave of political attacks, leading the effort to retake the majority and elect the most diverse Congress in our nation's history.
@@pennylane428 What about all the insider trader… she consistently beats the best stock market traders in the world…
@@CityGamer1337 Pelosi actually works hard for her consituents and more effective in congress than half the people there. What did Marge & Boebert accomplish other than making fools of themselves?
10:00
big talk coming from someone who voted for the TCJA
Yup! Funny how Republicans never want to be fiscally responsible when they're in power! I wonder when they plan on paying for that Iraq War that they put on a credit card and got rich off of.
I don't understand, when they talk about a tsunami of money flowing into congress, and then them not doing that great financially... Where does that tsunami of money go? Is it to the parties? It doesn't make sense.
Yes, it is to the parties. Money for campaigning, mostly.
@@nobodyburgen4594 Sounds like wasteful expenditure to me. And if that's what causes the dysfunction in congress, then even worse. Almost feels like talking about somebody's alcoholic problem. Insane.
You spelled "Opinion" wrong in the title of this video. Great video though.
Edit: They fixed it.
Vote only blue 💙 😎
Bravo! We need more discourse like this.
It’s all things the American people know but to hear it from their mouths makes it even more real. I hope at some point as Americans we can move forward and simply agree to disagree again. I did like the idea of making congress members live in DC again though
“I think it should at least keep up with inflation” - that tells you everything. This member is out of touch with reality in the fact the salaries, pay of Americans has not kept up with inflation for decades and clearly has no insight to that
Lots of good points. Lots of issues that hadn't occurred to me. I think most voters would object to any kind of salary increase for Congress. But I hadn't considered the cost of 2 residences. But what really grabbed my attention was the idea that only the rich could afford to be in Congress. We should pay a fair salary that compensates for the needs of the job so that anyone can afford to represent all of us in Washington.
And why did the Supreme Court rule that corporations have the same rights as individuals? Just a reminder that the Supreme Court is acting more supreme than just. That's a system that needs reform now.
They get perks ⁉️ THEY AREN'T HIRED TO GET PERKS FOR FAILURE ‼️‼️
NO ONE IS HELD ACCOUNTABLE ‼️‼️
Hey great 12 reasonable congressmen. Oh they’re all leaving? 😒
Because they're probably only capable of being reasonable...wish they could have stuck it out until/if more reasonable reps were elected over time to join them.
THIS was GREAT!!! Thanks to ALL!! 😊
What stood out to me was them saying they needed pay raises and how pay should increase with inflation… Meanwhile, minimum wage is under $8 and they decline to tie it to inflation. They have a free gym, dining hall, lifetime pensions and healthcare. What’s good for them is not good enough for citizens.
They need a dorm
TEAM Together Everyone Accomplishes More.
Basic understanding. TEAM💙❤️
Milked the system long enough and now they want to leave
I had the curiosity to search up their names on the rollcall for the patr10t act and guess what, most of them voted yea to it. lol, this is why I don't play politics, panem et circenses for the plebs while your liberties are being stripped away
The royals have Kensington Palace. Why not create an equivalent housing situation for members of congress, where they can live together, create relationships with one another, and not have to pay for secondary housing while in DC?
Thank you, all, for being honest with the public. I knew when Citizens United was considered, it was a bad idea. They were competing with labor unions, of course, who can collectively contribute to political causes, yet they call companies "individuals." Did that make sense?
We should always get exit interviews. ❤
INCOMPETENT PEOPLE ‼️‼️
Term limits and get rid of citizens united.
Yup
And ban insider trading and reduce congressional pay
They should have Congressional housing like Military Housing. Free housing in Washington DC in a compound paid for by the government/states. Nothing fancy, but appropriate for the needs of their position.
Big stuff incoming.😊
Good talk. Yes, I agree we should ALL get cost of living raises every year.
Get money out of politics and give politicians living costs also for when in DC and cost of travel should be in state budgets.
1:32 yea totally not corrupt, half of those clowns have better trade record than the top brokers on wall street
Rep. Derek Kilmer said, “I thought about bringing in an exorcist,” at 12:21 to help Fix Congress had me LOL!
Never thought I'd say this, but Ken Buck is making some great points. Him and Killmer seem pretty good
Dorm apartments for congress people based in DC while they serve their 2 years term MAX in office in the future :)
Thank you for this wonderful presentation
What a shame Derek Kilmer is leaving. I had never heard of him before this video, but he seems incredibly thoughtful, committed, and offered some practical, common sense reforms.
They complain about the cost of living in D.C. but don't say anything about the fact that Congress has ultimate and total control over D.C. They could remove zoning restrictions that have made building in D.C. impossible. They need to remove the street width to building height restriction in particular.
Interesting to hear 👍👍
Washington’s Expensive, heck every major city is expensive these days - when a 1 bedroom apt in Seattle can run from 1800 -2300 dollars a month? Hey congressman how about capping apt rents. And hey, High Rises downtown or even in suburbs can be 2800 - no foolin. If you need a two bedroom just imagine? Landlord and management companies always sight taxes and maintenance - who ever offer’s proof? What is the truth I wonder? Oh and did I mention the average house or condo/Town House sells for 500,000 and that’s not even in the best neighborhoods. It’s madness!
I say the salary for congress members of 174k per year is more than majority of people in the country. The pay should be last thing to worry about unless you are there for the wrong reasons.
You have to buy a seat on comities?! That is BS.
Yes get the money out on all levels.
Insider trading too good to leave
MTG does phenomenal fundraising. Which means she can buy seats on committees.
If you need to raise moeny to get in the room, raise money to get into other rooms after, and need to please special interests to get that money then that is corruption. If the country needs to go against the interests to succeed, then the members have a conflict of interest. REFORM.
The 3 wks guy had me rolling 😂
They don't need to say they need cost of living increases when thet DO NOT do that for those on fixed incomes.
They're old
These crooks think that if they resign that they will not be brought to justice when the truth is revealed.🙄
Get AIPAC out of our government!
Where is all of the special interest money going?
If YOU can't fix it, get. out. Leave with the whole blame.
Has the NY Times retracted “Screams Without Words”, yet?
Accountability is the key and voting for Democrats is the solution.
@willrose3574 How do open borders help create our Perfect Society, Perfect Union? If there are civil solutions? WHY NOT?
We just want America to have Decent People!
Just build some condos for congressional housing in DC. Make it a dormitory and they’d either learn how to live with each other or MTV their way out of Congress. Amazing to me they haven’t figured out congressional housing by now
Biting my tongue off
Should the protests be at Lockheed, Raytheon, Boeing, general dynamics and Northrop Grumman?
Hearing their stories makes me wish that they would stay
It would be nice to hear a complete sentence out of these people instead of the smash cuts. I thought this was an interview.
Integrity and congress, oxymoronic
It seems to me these men and women are sane.
Can our country really afford to lose these men and women in Congress?
I pray for ALL !! WE ONLY LIVE ONE LOLLLLLIFE TIME. ❤ YOU HAVE DONE WELL!!! HANG IN THERE!! THERE'S LOTS TABLES SET AT!! 🙏 ❤ 🇺🇸 WE ARE AMERICANS
Being accepted by John Lewis is more important than clean drinking water for your constituents?
“Congress is not corrupt!” AIPAC says hi
I say they should be paid a million a year, and be guaranteed at least $250k a year for life after. However, they can never lobby after, sit on corporate boards or go on any kind of think tanks. Also, they should have massively strict ethics and corruption laws that if they break they go to jail for a minimum of 10 years. With all the money government wastes two to legal corruption, this change would save trillions and would easily pay for this additional cost. Not to mention taking the corruption out of politics finally
Career politicians.
Why is there a House chaplain? That role should be abolished clearly.
Holy ef. They want an effing raise!
😢😢I wish we had an upper age limit AND a maximum number of years. 70 years of age, 30 years of max federal service. Maybe we would have better choices.
I do think a Congress Member's term should be extended to 3 years.
Members are focused from day one of their term on fundraising, messaging and campaigning for their next election. Bipartisanship and passing meaningful legislation is really hindered by this.
That being said, I think a 12 year term limit should be imposed and their should be a retirement age of 65.
See….that’s bonkers. Fundraising and money should not even enter into it. Each person who is running for election will get a free amount of air time to get information across, visit the areas they represent with a federal stipend that is equal for everyone, things like that.
The amounts of money to get a voter’s attention is just insane. Corporations should not be allowed to interfere in any way….so no government officials feel like they owe anything to corporate interests.
Of course this is a pipe dream, and….will never happen. Just like universal healthcare will never happen 😢
Worth the listen.
Time to clean house
This is a cool format, and one I think they should explore with other topics. I wish that NYT would have had more republican representatives in this interview. Even if you disagree with them as a news outlet, you're doing your audience a disservice by limiting one side.
GREED is the problem.
I watched half of it, but could not go on, since it was too depressing.
7:21
Wow, glad she's retiring.
"managed to bring mental health into the light"
Thanks for finding that for us, mental health got lost on a camping trip a while back
It's hilarious that that one meaningless sentence has 2 cuts in the footage, implying her original statement made even less sense
I think there needs to be a vice-rep for each of these to hold down the fort back home. So these people can not only have a community in DC but also have representation back in their home state.
they all be lyin through their teeth
And what about this claim that members of Congress get inside information on stocks initial public offerings or whatever and then they trade on that.
Great info …. Now we need to fix it …. HOW? No idea
They should all leave. Maybe we could have a chance to get some honest people in there for a change.