I think you are thinking of the Senate. Actually 435 Representatives are up for election every two years. The sad part is only 20 or so are actually competative. People like Barney Frank and Nancy Pelosi are in Congress for as long as they like.

RJ

__________________

Though one good bit of news is that Teddy Kennedy is entering the final cycle of this 6 year term, and that'll be the last we'll have to deal with him!! (Though of course there's no way he's gonna see out the whole 2 years, he will probably retire out his seat in February or March next year to allow his son to take the seat).

That's so weird. I thought the majority of them had 4 year terms. But I think I just think that way because it's in the midterms that we've seen the most movement in recent decades, when the House tends to move in the opposite direction of whose in the White House.

__________________
“The America I know and love is not one in which my parents or my baby with Down syndrome will have to stand in front of Obama’s ‘death panel’ so his bureaucrats can decide, based on a subjective judgment of their ‘level of productivity in society,’ whether they are worthy of health care. Such a system is downright evil."-Sarah Palin, not having a clue once again about what she is talking about.

House gets 2 years which is shorter but the Senate makes up for that giving each of them 6 year cycles.

Off-season (mid term) elections generally go against the incumbent party in a second term of a presidency.

All I gotta say is the "pass the bailout or the world collapses" bill...isn't keeping the world from collapsing.
I won't be surprised if this week we get into the mid 9000's.
A safe bet also that the measly $700bn (in the scope of the entire mess, it is nothing) will have little affect, if any on "mainstreet".
There will still be 100's if not 1000's of banks closing in the U.S. - and 100's in all of Europe.
Credit will be tight for perhaps years to come...we are entering a deep recession that cannot be averted.

So to the OP - yes we need to throw out virtually everyone.

Apart from the credit being tight for years i think you are right with most of that, but the reason that the 700 Billion is gonna be difficult to have any good effect on the mess is, because like you said its a very small % of the overall 15 trillion dollars worth of debt being held.

Its only gonna be a matter of time before we have another load of money having to be appropriated for this.

But like Donkey says, even if were to vote out every member, we'd only get another 500 jackasses in.

Looks like there is some sentiment for this to say the least:

Rasmussen Reports™: The most comprehensive public opinion coverage ever provided for a presidential election.

Of course 59% is good, but the way the question was worded was do we keep them all or get rid of them all.

Count me in. I plan on voting against all incumbents and major party candidates this year. Which leaves me with nothing. I think there should be a none of the above option on the ballot, and a candidate should be required to get 51% of the vote, not just a majority. If they dont, you keep having elections until someone does. Last election, my rep when unopposed. I live in a county that is so heavily Democrat, they had to make it so GOP could vote in Dem primaries just so they could have a say.

__________________
"To take from one, because it is thought his own industry and that of his father has acquired too much, in order to spare to others who (or whose fathers) have not exercised equal industry and skill, is to violate arbitrarily the first principle of association, "to guarantee to everyone a free exercise of his industry and the fruits acquired by it."

-Thomas Jefferson

doesn't matter which of the two you elect, the position corrupts the holder.

nothing changes until you take the money out of the equation.

__________________
Socialism doesn't create a rising tide that lifts all boats. It drains the lake and teaches the boat riders not to help themselves by rowing.

Great moments in Non-partisanship: "I won" B.H.Obama

"Every government interference in the economy consists of giving an unearned benefit, extorted by force, to some men at the expense of others."

Ayn Rand

Years ago, when I lived in Leon County, it was becoming very competitive. Even a buffoon like Claude Kirk was able to carry the county for the Republicans.

What happened?

The same thing thats happened nationwide to the Republican party. They went liberal and sought only to win elections, not ideas.

__________________
"To take from one, because it is thought his own industry and that of his father has acquired too much, in order to spare to others who (or whose fathers) have not exercised equal industry and skill, is to violate arbitrarily the first principle of association, "to guarantee to everyone a free exercise of his industry and the fruits acquired by it."

-Thomas Jefferson

I think its more about power, than money. Take the federal govts power away and things will change.

__________________
"To take from one, because it is thought his own industry and that of his father has acquired too much, in order to spare to others who (or whose fathers) have not exercised equal industry and skill, is to violate arbitrarily the first principle of association, "to guarantee to everyone a free exercise of his industry and the fruits acquired by it."

-Thomas Jefferson

The money in question is campaign contributions. So long as it takes lots of money to get elected, the legislator will become corrupt. Take that money out of the equation and honor can return to the process.

__________________
Socialism doesn't create a rising tide that lifts all boats. It drains the lake and teaches the boat riders not to help themselves by rowing.

Great moments in Non-partisanship: "I won" B.H.Obama

"Every government interference in the economy consists of giving an unearned benefit, extorted by force, to some men at the expense of others."

Ayn Rand

An instance where I couldn't agree with you more. All campaigns should be publicly financed, but getting it done is very much an uphill battle.

Not exactly. I don't want the government to pick up the tab for all those TV commercials, junk mail, spam, phone calls and the rest; I want all that to stop completely.

Have the candidates' platforms published, let someone offer up "debates", they can ride around and give speeches on their own dime. No PACS, no 5hundred somethings or the like, no monitary fees to run, all volunteer armies.

It may not be possible to do it with zero dollars but as close to that as is possible is what I'd like to see.

__________________
Socialism doesn't create a rising tide that lifts all boats. It drains the lake and teaches the boat riders not to help themselves by rowing.

Great moments in Non-partisanship: "I won" B.H.Obama

"Every government interference in the economy consists of giving an unearned benefit, extorted by force, to some men at the expense of others."

Ayn Rand