Posted on 11/01/2014 1:41:16 PM PDT by UMCRevMom@aol.com
March 22, 2013, 10:22 pm GOP lawmaker seeks 'virtual Congress' with telecommuting plan By Jennifer Martinez Rep. Steve Pearce (R-N.M.) wants to create a "virtual Congress," where lawmakers would leverage videoconferencing and other remote work technology to conduct their daily duties in Washington from their home districts.
Under a resolution Pearce introduced on Thursday, lawmakers would be able to hold hearings, debate and vote on legislation virtually from their district offices.
While Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer may have recently nixed the Web company's work-from-home policy to boost its performance, Pearce believes a remote work arrangement may benefit Congress and make lawmakers more accountable to folks in their home districts.
Pearce says the resolution would eradicate the need for members to jet back and forth from their districts to Washington each weekend. This would allow lawmakers to spend more time with their constituents rather than the armies of lobbyists from K St., he argues.
“Thanks to modern technology, members of Congress can debate, vote, and carry out their constitutional duties without having to leave the accountability and personal contact of their congressional districts. Keeping legislators closer to the people we represent would pull back Washington's curtain and allow constituents to see and feel, first-hand, their government at work," Pearce told The Hill in a statement.
"Corporations and government agencies use remote work technology; it’s time that Congress does the same," the New Mexico Republican said. He introduced the same resolution during the last congressional session.
1. Little to no transportation per Representative/Senator. 2. Hold town hall meetings every Monday throughout own state. 3. The building could be given to Smithsonian &/or used once a year for the State of the Union Message 4. Use of electronic communication for voting, committee meetings, etc. open to Sunshine Laws 5. No need for Senator & Representative duplication of housing, offices, staff 6. More environmental 'friendly' reducing: paper waste, reduction electricity, 7. One-Third of Federal Government less vulerable to terrorist attack 8. Current Senator/Representative Office space could be donated for low income housing, Malls, etc.
Political Benefits: 1. Reduce lobbyists control over government 2. Representatives/Senators more responsive to constituents 3. Increase accountability & Reduce moral temptation for Representatives/Senators Consideration of Rep. Steve Pearce (R-N.M.) "virtual Congress" creation: SAVE BUDGET: SEND SENATORS & REPRESENTATIVES ALL HOME!!!!
Reduce cost D.C.Federal Government while reducing Carbon footprint
BUMP!
PING
Might make sense if accompanied by a LARGE reduction in lame-duck sessions.
This makes sense to me!
There’s little or no need for them to be in Washington, except perhaps for votes. They could remotely vote too, but to make SURE it’s the legislator that is in fact the one voting, it might be a good idea for them to physically be there in person.
If that is possible, THEN LET THE PEOPLE VOTE on every issue.
The useless EXEMPT Congress can just go to Mexico or Libya
with Obama and McCain.
Great idea but can u imagine John McCain trying to figure it out.
“ Uh John, its a computer, yelling at it doesn’t get u coffee any faster”
What if a few false flag events happened.. just before Nov 2016..
AND the election was postponed for a month or two...
THEN three..
THEN 6 months..
THEN a couple of years..
then all pretense is abandoned and ELIMINATED.. i.e. elections..
AND all political representatives are APPOINTED.
ANY that say this could never happen ARE DELUSIONAL..
Abolish 12th Amendment!
it’s already happened in many many places..
There are those that know exactly HOW TO DO THIS....
lol!
Your scenario would not just happen in a vacuum. It would be accompanied by many other per-requisites that would allow it to happen, and proceed as you outline... continued loss of virtue in the electorate, continued shredding of the Constitution, continued decrease in understanding of limited government, republicanism, individual liberty, property rights, ...
So, I don’t think your scenario could work, say, in 1900. It may very well be likely... by 2020. Will it work in 2016? My gut says no... but gotta think about it in more detail to decide.
The Capitol should have been in KS anyway, centrally located. It was a mistake to leave it in the swamps of the Potomac.
At first blush makes total sense to me. We have all this technology ... use it. Enough with the archaic.
easier for them to sell and trade their votes without leaving home
If that were to happen, watch the home values in the Washington DC area come down drastically. Watch Washington DC become a complete slum city.
With Congress telecommuting, even the president’s residence could be moved to whatever is the hometown for the president.
Biggest change would be with the lobbyists, who would have to commute to each congress member’s office in order to get “business” done (and no, telecommuting wouldn’t work for lobbyists and the congress members, because, video and audio sessions would be recorded, and they don’t want shady deals recorded).
The Founding Fathers would be dancing on the clouds of Heaven over this idea!
The whole idea of our Representative Republic is to avoid the “Mobocracy” of the Democracy!
Great idea. Lobbying would have to take place by phone —a risky thing.
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