Lets VOTE for a different party... ANTI-INCUMBANT!!!

[DuncanONeil]

The primary job of a member of Congress has become that once they are elected they put ALL their effort into getting re-elected!

Does not Canada have a Parliment?

Canada has no term limits period. Not even for Prime-Minister. And it works very well. We've had good politicians have LONG runs. Lots of people disagree with the party in charge at any specific time, but at least they have their best and brightest leading them.

If you look at any of the recent 12-16 year spans of one party having the presidency, the 2nd guy is usually a LOT worse than the first, and you'd be a lot happier if the 1st guy was in for the whole time.

I also think a lot of the problem is the way your media covers your politics. It's become a sideshow, and people keep their jobs by scoring points against the other team rather than by passing good policy. Not sure there is any real solution to this one, its not like you can get the average voters to read the entire bills that people voted for/against along with their reasons for why.

[SadisticNature]

The primary job of a member of Congress has become that once they are elected they put ALL their effort into getting re-elected!

Does not Canada have a Parliment?

Yes we have Parliament called the House of Commons modeled partially on the British system. And yes, people do work to getting re-elected, but as for putting all effort into getting re-elected I hardly think that is accurate.

For starters we have campaigning regulations that limit campaigning to a six week period before the election, rather than this silly primary thing where candidates spend 9 figures and take a year away from their elected jobs to campaign for president.

I know you're anti-regulation in general so you'll probably provide an excuse as to why this is a bad thing, but the fact is it works.

[steelish]

I know you're anti-regulation in general so you'll probably provide an excuse as to why this is a bad thing, but the fact is it works.

I certainly have nothing against the politicians regulating themselves...but I won't hold my breath that it will ever happen.

What I don't like is the government regulating private companies to the point where they are practically driven out of business.

[DuncanONeil]

Hear! Hear!
Cardiologist are being forced to close their private practice due to a huge payment reduction imposed by Medicare and the other regulations they must follow.

I certainly have nothing against the politicians regulating themselves...but I won't hold my breath that it will ever happen.

What I don't like is the government regulating private companies to the point where they are practically driven out of business.

[DuncanONeil]

The issue is not campaigning. It is fundrasing, which occurs year round. Some of which is paid for with votes.

By the by the last Presidential election ran for nearly two years. And the winner has yet to stop campaigning!!!

Yes we have Parliament called the House of Commons modeled partially on the British system. And yes, people do work to getting re-elected, but as for putting all effort into getting re-elected I hardly think that is accurate.

For starters we have campaigning regulations that limit campaigning to a six week period before the election, rather than this silly primary thing where candidates spend 9 figures and take a year away from their elected jobs to campaign for president.

I know you're anti-regulation in general so you'll probably provide an excuse as to why this is a bad thing, but the fact is it works.

[SadisticNature]

The issue is not campaigning. It is fundrasing, which occurs year round. Some of which is paid for with votes.

By the by the last Presidential election ran for nearly two years. And the winner has yet to stop campaigning!!!

The U.S. laws have huge problems with how much one can spend during a campaign. This makes fundraising for years and years (Basically the whole time one is in office) the lifeblood of a campaign.

In Canada, we have a lot of candidates that are highly successful who don't spend an excessive amount of time fund raising. In my current riding our current MP (Member of Parliament) is Olivia Chow of the NDP (New Democrats Party -> Basically Canada's most left wing serious party).

She manages to get out to community rallies, events, show up in parliament when its in session, help individuals in our community deal with issues like government improperly processing their UI (Unemployment Insurance), or other such issues. Before that I lived in a different riding, a seat that was held by Ken Dryden (A Liberal -> Canada's main centrist party), who had a similar track record.

Many of my friends have lived in ridings (I think you guys call these congressional districts) where the Conservative Party of Canada (our right wing party) has a seat and attest that the candidates have similar track records.

In short, for the most part our politicians attend to their responsibilities both in parliament and in the communities which they represent. And a lot of this is that they don't have to run elitist expensive fundraisers as often as possible to ensure re-election.

[DuncanONeil]

How long is Parliament in session?

The U.S. laws have huge problems with how much one can spend during a campaign. This makes fundraising for years and years (Basically the whole time one is in office) the lifeblood of a campaign.

In Canada, we have a lot of candidates that are highly successful who don't spend an excessive amount of time fund raising. In my current riding our current MP (Member of Parliament) is Olivia Chow of the NDP (New Democrats Party -> Basically Canada's most left wing serious party).

She manages to get out to community rallies, events, show up in parliament when its in session, help individuals in our community deal with issues like government improperly processing their UI (Unemployment Insurance), or other such issues. Before that I lived in a different riding, a seat that was held by Ken Dryden (A Liberal -> Canada's main centrist party), who had a similar track record.

Many of my friends have lived in ridings (I think you guys call these congressional districts) where the Conservative Party of Canada (our right wing party) has a seat and attest that the candidates have similar track records.

In short, for the most part our politicians attend to their responsibilities both in parliament and in the communities which they represent. And a lot of this is that they don't have to run elitist expensive fundraisers as often as possible to ensure re-election.

[SadisticNature]

How long is Parliament in session?

Our parliament is in session long enough to address the changes in law the level of government needs to make. Parliament is far from the only job our elected representatives have, and they need to balance those other responsibilities.

[DuncanONeil]

It was not a trick question.
Trying to get a prospective of how the two differ or compare.
Here Congress works about 180 days. Recent news has them working extra hard at three days a week.
Somehow I do not feel I am getting value for the cost.
Tried to find some help on the Parliament sessions. Interesting that your answer, while seeming a bit flip is actually kind of accurate. Not sure our Congress could get its collective head around that idea. They actually think they work really hard and earn their pay as it is!

Our parliament is in session long enough to address the changes in law the level of government needs to make. Parliament is far from the only job our elected representatives have, and they need to balance those other responsibilities.