Do our Senators represent the people’s wishes or their own agenda?

[Gtbullet]

This may indeed be naïve, I’ve been contemplating this for quite some time now. I’ve ask myself the question do our Congressmen know what we want as a people. As all of you know we elect representatives into office to take the people words and feelings to Washington so the people’s thoughts can be heard as to what we want to happen with respect to specific pieces legislation to be voted on.

For this is what our country was founded on and was written by our forefathers to be followed. I believe in this whole heartedly. This is the way our system is supposed to work.

I can say without a doubt I’ve sent in numerous thoughts urging my senator to vote pro or con with regards to legislation. The problem is I’ve never received anything but form letters saying they have received my thoughts and that someone would be getting back to me. Well it’s been a very long time now and no one has ever contacted me regards to anything I wrote my Senator..

Now I don’t expect special treatment but it would be nice to know at least one time anyways that my thoughts have been heard..

I have to wonder are these people off and running without regard for the people who put them into office..Yes in my opinion they are no doubt about it..How are we going to fix this monumental problem?

I believe that our heritage as a nation. What our forefathers wanted for this country are in very grave danger more so then ever before.. Even more so than our revolutionary war with England to free ourselves from there rule because we may go down without a fight, where under attack from within our own country. What do you think we can do about this insidious attack on our liberties and freedoms in this country?

[andrewjs18]

some senators actually listen to the people who elect them into office, but most are self-serving and don't give two shits what the people think, but only do what's best FOR THEM and their political future.

[cgbudde]

Most politicians try at first to listen to the people, but I feel the longer they are in office the more comfortable they become with just pleasing themselves, they have this attitude that their constituants will vote for them without fail, and most of the time they are right.

The time is now for a clean sweep.

[larrymeyer]

Most politicians try at first to listen to the people, but I feel the longer they are in office the more comfortable they become with just pleasing themselves, they have this attitude that their constituants will vote for them without fail, and most of the time they are right.

The time is now for a clean sweep.

^^^^^^^^^What he said is soooooooooo true^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Once they see the others passing bills they wouldn't vote for they take the money. In addition the party expects you to vote the way your told. Which is why they'll never be a clean sweep. And to the original OP they are supppse to vote in the best interest of their constituent's or the way a majority would want them to

[ThomasJ]

This may indeed be naïve, I’ve been contemplating this for quite some time now. I’ve ask myself the question do our Congressmen know what we want as a people. As all of you know we elect representatives into office to take the people words and feelings to Washington so the people’s thoughts can be heard as to what we want to happen with respect to specific pieces legislation to be voted on.

For this is what our country was founded on and was written by our forefathers to be followed. I believe in this whole heartedly. This is the way our system is supposed to work.

I can say without a doubt I’ve sent in numerous thoughts urging my senator to vote pro or con with regards to legislation. The problem is I’ve never received anything but form letters saying they have received my thoughts and that someone would be getting back to me. Well it’s been a very long time now and no one has ever contacted me regards to anything I wrote my Senator..

Now I don’t expect special treatment but it would be nice to know at least one time anyways that my thoughts have been heard..

I have to wonder are these people off and running without regard for the people who put them into office..Yes in my opinion they are no doubt about it..How are we going to fix this monumental problem?

I believe that our heritage as a nation. What our forefathers wanted for this country are in very grave danger more so then ever before.. Even more so than our revolutionary war with England to free ourselves from there rule because we may go down without a fight, where under attack from within our own country. What do you think we can do about this insidious attack on our liberties and freedoms in this country?

Senators do not represent the people; they represent the state. The House of Representatives represent the people. States have no official voice in the federal government. Senators were to be that voice...that is, until the major power grab of the 17th amendment. The founding fathers set up a bicameral legislature with members of both bodies voted in two separate manners. Equally, they set terms for Senators to be longer, figuring they'd be a more deliberative body and would counter the expected populism of the people's House. Both systems, the manner of election and the terms, were intended to be important checks and balances on each other.

So, no. Today's system is not the way it's supposed to work; it is not the system envisioned and implemented. I'd like to see the 17th repealed and the highest federal office that people would be allowed to vote for to be Representative.

[Chainsaw]

Back when the 10th amendment meant something, senators were supposed to be kind of like an ambassador from the state to the federal govt. They represented the interest of the state as if it had its own sovereignty. They were also appointed by the state legislature, rather than elected by popular vote. I actually prefer this because...

Why have two houses if both are filled with congressmen that do exactly as the public wants? The senate was supposed to thoughtfully, soberly deliberate what was best for their state and the house was supposed to represent the people of their district.

We have strayed way far from that. Let's get rid of that 17th amendment and reclaim the 10th.

...and I see that ThomasJ has stolen my thunder...

[Helter]

You should read up a little bit on Public Choice theory. It deals with just this issue, in much more depth than you'll likely ever want to go into.

[mjfletcher]

One thing to keep in mind, the job of our representatives is to do whats in our best interests while complying with the Constitution (which in and of itself is in our best interests). What we want and whats best for us aren't necessarily the same thing, ie socialist healthcare, lots of people want it but its only going to make a bad situation worse in the end so its not in our best interests.

[MikeinPhilly]

I tend to believe that some senators try to do what their constituents want but after time they are either taken over by the lust for power or they become corrupted and are getting kickbacks from every lobby they come across. This is all the more reason this country needs term limits in every level of government so the will of the people are at the forefront of their votes and corruption does not gain a foothold in their office.

[Warpt762x39]

Most elected officials have spent so much time either in office or running for it that they have no idea what the read world is like.

There are elected officials that have been serving since before Castro came to power.

Here's a list.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...s_by_seniority

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seniori..._States_Senate

Notice how many have been in office 25+ years? They can't honestly say they know the plight of the average American as they haven't been one since the 1950s in some cases.

I think we need a pretty clean sweep of Congress. There are maybe a handful of current members I think would do good to stay. Everyone else should get the boot.