How to Drain the Swamp

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#DrainTheSwamp, career politicians, constituents, drain the swamp, elections, incumbent, polls, primaries, primary elections, special interest, term limits, vote, vote out the incumbent, voter registration, voters, votes

Few of those who have gravitated to serve in congress actually have their constituents in mind.  Most have their largest campaign contributors in mind.  In other words, special interest.  Their foremost goal is to keep their job in congress and maybe even venture to a higher level job.

We at the C. A. Morris Institute have an objective to get term limits for congress.  It is a top priority.  The examples of party politics and special interest control we are seeing at play throughout Washington right now among both Democrats and Republicans make it fully visible and it is enraging voters.

We voters are mostly to blame for the DC swamp.  We don’t take elections seriously enough.  In 2012 after the Obamacare debacle in congress, Republicans still didn’t take the presidential election seriously enough.

It is correct to say in many cases that all those running are the same.  So what is a voter to do when their party only offers up candidates who will be just like the majority of the DC Swamp?    VOTE OUT THE INCUMBENT.

We need to especially pay attention to the primary elections.  This is where your preferred party will be sent a message.  If your congressional representative is from your party, and is just another DC Swamp dweller, vote him or her out in the PRIMARY election.  Hopefully it will send the message to the state party officials that we are not going to take their “business as usual” anymore.

By voting out the incumbent, we will send the message to the parties, that we- the voters- will not accept their “career politicians”, their “business as usual”, their party control or their disregard for the constituents.

Both democrats and republicans can use this method to get the political parties’ attention, and ultimately send the message that we – the voters – are draining the swamp.  We can remove from office the career senators and career representatives who have wielded power for too long.  Remove those who have done the bidding of the party for too long. Remove those who vote to satisfy their special interest campaign contributors rather than their constituents.  We don’t have to listen to polls.  We don’t have to listen to how big the incumbent’s campaign “war chest” is. We don’t have to listen to the incumbents’ empty promises.  We vote out the incumbent, and drain the swamp.  We can create term limits with our vote until we have incumbents who will vote for term limits.

We can drain the swamp, and enforce term limits, and we do not have to wait for congress to decide on a constitutional amendment.  We show up at the Polling Places for the Primary elections and vote out the incumbent.  If your preferred party is not the party of the incumbent, that’s ok, vote against your party’s-backed candidate if he or she a career politician.  Also, depending on you state’s election laws, you may want to change your voter registration party affiliation to have the opportunity to have a say in whether an incumbent stays or goes.  That is your right.  You indeed can and should switch your party affiliation to best serve your needs and objectives.  You can switch back and forth with each primary election depending on the candidates.

We all need to stay informed and participate in the primary and general elections (even though it may seem to be a bother), and together we can “drain the swamp”.

Immigration Reform

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campaign, democrats, elections, immigration, immigration reform, politicians, vote, voters

There are so many hot topics right now it is hard to know what to write about. I’ve selected Immigration Reform because I thought it had so much promise at the start. Where it started and I recall Senator Marco Rubio commenting in an interview about the “bipartisan” bill being drafted by the “gang of eight”, noting how it was NOT an “amnesty” for illegal immigrants and how there would be a “path to citizenship” based on registration and a waiting period. First and foremost was before any of this would occur, the border has to be secured.

Somehow, this bill that pleased most everyone, is no longer a “bipartisan” bill. Craftily, the democrats have backed off the “secured the border” first. What the democrats have offered in the senate is basically an “amnesty” bill with out much else. Once again the details will be vague because as Nancy Pelosi has said before, “you have to pass it before you can know what’s in it”. Once again, here is a bill where much of the decisions will be left to the Washington bureaucrats. In other words, the border won’t be secured.

Our country is being cheated out of an immigration reform bill because of politicians. This is an obscenely obvious move by the democrats to benefit them in the elections. It is only about winning votes and nothing whatsoever to do with actually doing what is right for the country and right for the immigrants. It is a shameless tactic which the democrats will use to demonize republicans in election campaigns by citing that Republicans don’t want to reform immigration because they won’t vote for the bill (the bill that won’t secure the borders).

This is one of the most blatently obvious betrayals I’ve ever seen. As I have noted before, incumbent politicians are only focused on reelection and they will let nothing stand in their way, including a win-win immigration reform bill which could have been a resounding success, but now it will be turned into a CAMPAIGN issue for ther democrats because they shamelessly have turned their backs on the immigrants and on doing something right for the country in favor winning the elections.

They will count on the the vast majority of hispanics voting in their favor based on the republican rejection of the bill.

They don’t don’t deserve the hispanic votes. They don’t deserve anyones vote. Voters need to send a message to demonstrate resoundingly that partisan politics cannot be tolerated when dealing with important legislation.

We Need Legislators NOT Politicians

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accountable, C.A. Morris Institute, campaign contributions, CHALLENGER, civic duty, constituents, corruption, egos, government, greed, incumbent, issues, LEGISLATORS, PAC’s, politicians, re-elected, reform, special interest, straight party ticket, vote, voters, Washington

Washington is full of politicians. What we NEED in Washington is LEGISLATORS. Congress is full of egos and those who have been milking the system and reaping the “rewards” of corruption, or the newer politicians who are fast learning the “system” of taking from the special interest and ignoring their constituents.

Politician are not held accountable either. While in office they are virtually free to do whatever they please. They can basically be a no-show for votes or show up and just abstain. But after learning the “inside” game, their greed will steer them to do the bidding of the special interest and PAC’s. They learn that they will be paid in campaign contributions which will get them re-elected to another term if they play the “inside” game.

We have tried to illustrate numerous times, that voters need to be more aware when they vote. Often there is a detachment that there is no interest or motivation to pay attention to the candidates and what they stand for. Often times, there are voters who enter the voting both just to do their civic duty and really have no idea what will be in store for them after the elected candidates are in office. Many vote the straight party ticket just because they lack the time and energy to research the issues, and the candidates.

Unfortunately, in many cases, there will be little difference in the outcome for the voter due to BOTH candidates will ignore the constituency and vote as their party or special interest dictates. We all need to remember that voting is the opportunity to be heard. You can make your statement with your vote. Although as noted, there won’t always be a candidate to your liking, your awareness can begin to change that. You vote FOR the challenger and AGAINST the incumbent. If we don’t have the candidate we want, the next most important option to make this statement!

The C. A. Morris Institute has determined that the most important change that must take place to reform government is to establish term limits for congress. We need to remove the incentives of staying in office, of doing the bidding of the party and the special interest. Sure there can be political parties, but the parties should not be getting our vote. The candidates should be getting our vote. We elect our legislators to represent us, not their party and certainly not the special interest.

Soon after incumbents are being voted out regularly, the strength of the parties and special interest will be diminished, which will open the door for LEGISLATORS rather than politicians. Your friends and neighbors can have an opportunity to run for congress because the voters will be savvy, knowing that they know how to root out the politicians and replace them with legislators. Replace them with someone who will represent the constituents rather than the party or special interest.

Let this be our approach to begin government reform. Where we find our politicians occupying an office, and not representing us, VOTE FOR THE CHALLENGER, not the incumbent.

Special Interest and Political Action Committees

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C.A. Morris Institute, constituents, corrupt, deals, Morris Institute, Political Action Committees, politicians, power, reelection, reform government, special interest, The C.A. Morris Institute, vote

Once elected, a representative or senator has an onslaught of special interest and Political Action Committees vying for his/her vote. Immediately begins the strategy for reelection. Immediately begins the fundraising for reelection. Immediately begins the posturing for a reelection campaign. Gone is the sincerity of the campaign, the voice of the constituents. Now the focus becomes power, gaining a powerful committee seat, a chairmanship. No longer a servant of the people, the incumbent becomes a dictator reigning over constituents. Suddenly it’s not what the constituents want, it’s what the incumbent wants. You’ll hear about what’s “good for them”, “best for them”, “best for the country”, when in fact, the incumbent is espousing the position bought and paid for by special interest or the party.

Incumbent Power

Let’s talk about power. We all know that the politicians have all the power. They get elected and once on the “inside”, they learn the rest of what they need to know from other politician about how to stay in power. They learn what special interest and PAC’s will come looking for them to make deals. The deals end with campaign contributions. They learn about the super PACs and how the constituents, the people they are supposed to represent, can be fooled.

They learn that the incumbents have far more power than any popular “would-be” challengers, because if they play the game with the PAC’s and special interest, they’ll have double or triple the campaign war chest of even the most popular of contenders. They learn about the perks and benefits like foreign travel, choice seats at nearly any sports events in their home state. Complimentary goods and services. The “Get out of jail free” card, even exemptions from laws they pass. And all they have to do is “look” like they’re representing their constituents. People who witness that power and lust after that power… those are our new political candidates. With few exceptions either they are already corrupt and want to cash-in, or they are willing to try to change things but are overwhelmed with the corruption and join it rather than fight it.

We know the politicians have all the power and there isn’t anything we can do to change things. Right…? Well maybe not. What power do you have to beat the politicians…?

You Have Your VOTE… !

I know you’ve all heard that before, but how does one vote change anything? One vote doesn’t change much of anything in most elections. But hundreds of votes do. Thousands of votes do. Millions of votes do.

Believe me… you do have the power. The ultimate power. The power to vote out corrupt politicians. And it happens. You have the power to lobby your representatives to vote on your behalf as they are supposed to do. You have the power to reform government!

How can this be… with just one vote…? It can be because you are not alone. Look around. How many people do you see and hear making the same complaints? If they are here and hear the same message and are like minded, your vote is not alone. If each of you is motivated to reform government, that’s how it is done. It is done collectively. All of you here, become a block of votes, when more hear the message their votes and your votes become a movement. Then with more it becomes a powerful movement. And with still more it becomes a majority. A majority that elects people to office. A majority who will reach out to like-minded individuals to run for office and help bring reform to government.