Posted on 06/05/2019 6:39:33 AM PDT by yesthatjallen
set term limits for members of Congress and Supreme Court justices and place sharp restrictions on political contributions from corporations and wealthy individuals.
The former Texas congressman will highlight the proposal during a voting rights-focused town hall event in Atlanta, Ga., Wednesday night.
The plan, O’Rourke’s third policy rollout since announcing his presidential bid in March, is made up of three parts: "Increase participation in our Democracy," "Remove barriers within our Democracy," and "Rebuild Confidence in Our Democracy.”
“We’re facing some of the greatest challenges of our lifetimes, and we can’t solve them with half-measures or only half our people—it’s going to take all of us,” O’Rourke said.
“The only way to make progress is if every single American is empowered to vote — and those who have historically been drawn out of our Democracy are able to make their voices heard so that this country can live up to its full promise and potential.”
O’Rourke’s campaign said the plan would add 50 million people to U.S. voter rolls and increase voter turnout to 65 percent by 2024. That figure would be about 10 percent higher than in the 2016 presidential election, during which turnout dipped to about 55 percent, a 20-year low.
O’Rourke’s proposal would also prohibit House members and senators from serving more than 12 years in Congress — six two-year terms for representatives or two six-year terms for senators. Supreme Court justices would not be able to serve more than 18 years, though they would still be eligible to serve on federal courts of appeal after their terms end.
The plan takes several aspects of H.R. 1, the sweeping elections and ethics reform bill passed earlier this year by the House. Like that measure, O’Rourke’s plan would make Election Day a national holiday and would mandate automatic voter registration nationwide.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has refused to take up the bill in the Senate.
Under O’Rourke’s plan, independent commissions would be tasked with drawing congressional districts, rather than state legislatures, a move that the former Texas congressman’s campaign said would “end gerrymandering” and “ensure the make up of districts reflects the preferences of voters statewide.”
The plan would also curb the influence of political action committees by barring such groups from giving to campaigns and requiring them to disclose their donors, regardless of the contribution amount. O’Rourke himself has pledged to not accept campaign contributions from PACs and often touts his grassroots fundraising ability.
At the same time, it proposes making campaign contributions of up to $500 tax deductible while matching those donations with public funds in order to encourage small-dollar donations.
Even for Ginsberg or is she grandmothered in?
Wasn’t term limits already deemed unconstitutional when Newt did it?
Democracy, democracy, democracy Beto. We live in a Constitutional Republic because our forefathers knew what people like you would vote for.
Irish Bob is desperately trying to regain his status as the Media’s darling. Poor ol’ Bobby O’Rourke hasn’t figured-out that he was just the flavor of the month, and that the Media has moved on to other whores.
Ol’ Irish Bob is begging the media, “Lover come back!”
Here’s what would happen, according to the laws of unintended consequences:
1. Those “independent” commissions that decide districts? Packed with ideologues, another word for Leftists.
2. Congressional staffers would be the new overlords. Usually Leftists, at the least Statists.
3. Election fraud EVERYWHERE. Automatic enrollment? Like when my kids started getting credit card offers in their early teens, when they signed up for something online?
4. PACs not allowed, but what about unions? Massive money tree for Leftists.
Sorry Beto, we want crazy Bernie or creepy Joe. Go Home.
If we WERE a Democracy, abortion would be illegal.
I didn’t know that the white, hetero, cisgender, male, Robert Francis O’Rourke was still running
Pure Bullshit.
They cannot keep their grubby little hands out of the public till, even for three paragraphs.
[[The plan, O’Rourke’s third policy rollout since announcing his presidential bid in March, is made up of three parts: “Increase participation in our Democracy,” “Remove barriers within our Democracy,” and “Rebuild Confidence in Our Democracy.” ]]
First off, learn what kind of government we actually have.
Term limits for Congress would require a Constitutional Amendment. It would require either 2/3rds of the members of each house to be willing to limit their time at the trough, or—and this has been yet to be used, 2/3rds of the states calling for a convention to propose such an amendment. Then, of course 3/4ths of the states would have to ratify.
The same process would be required to limit Justices’ terms. It’s right there, they serve for life/good behavior.
Assuming that Mr O’Rourke knows that these facts are true, his calling for what amounts to impossible changes to our government shows his contempt for his voters’ knowledge of how our government is established.
Noticed HBO has a special campaign trail on the fake Hispanic. I’m sure, in consideration of equality, HBO will air specials on all the candidates from all parties... right?
” place sharp restrictions on political contributions from corporations and wealthy individuals. “
already ruled as unconstitutional violation of free speech ...
“term limits”: requires constitutional amendment ...
“O’Rourke himself has pledged to not accept campaign contributions from PACs “
easy promise to keep for a guy with 3.8% RCP poll average and zero chance of being the Dem nominee ...
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