I Believe My GOP Brethren In Iowa...

[wesw]

.
Whenever someone mentions “Election 2012,” your first thought is probably of the race for the White House. But this November, don’t forget we also have elections for seats in Congress. Just as in the presidential election, just about everything about the candidates will come under close scrutiny: their background, their history—and their occupation.

With that in mind, the staff of Constitution Daily compiled a comparison between the First U.S. Congress and the current one, looking at the occupational breakdown between their members. The results were, in some ways, predictable, but there were still a few surprises. (Who knew there was a comedian among their ranks?) Here’s the full list:

First U.S. Congress (1789–1791)
91 total members
65 representatives
26 senators

34 lawyers
15 soldiers
12 planters/farmers
11 businessmen/merchants
6 clergymen
5 statesmen/career politicians
4 physicians
3 teachers
1 diplomat

112th Congress (2011–2012)
539 total members*
435 representatives
100 senators
6 non-voting members

209 businessmen and women
208 public servants
200 lawyers
81 educators
34 agricultural professionals (including two almond orchard owners)
32 medical professionals (including doctors, veterinarians, ophthalmologists, dentists, a psychiatrist, psychologists, an optometrist, and nurses)
17 journalists
9 accountants
9 scientists
9 social workers
9 military reserves
7 law enforcement officers (including FBI and Border Patrol)
5 ministers
4 pilots
4 Peace Corps volunteers
2 professional football players
2 screenwriters
1 firefighter
1 astronaut
1 documentary filmmaker
1 comedian

*Many Congress members list more than one profession, which is why the totals for professions add up to more than the number of Congress members.

Although the First Congress had a limited variety of professions, the general make up of both are relatively similar. As you can see, from the time the First Congress met, law has been a top profession; in both bodies, about 37 percent of the members are lawyers. It makes sense–the people writing the laws need to have a deep understanding of how the legal system works. But do lawyers make the best politicians?

Some might argue that with the current economic climate, a business or economic background might be more helpful. That’s reflected in the fact that the number of businesspeople in Congress has jumped from 12 percent to 38 percent of members. One could also argue that diversity is important, so that a variety of fields and professions have a voice in policy making. Then again, perhaps today’s members of Congress should focus on their current job—their approval rating could certainly use a lift.

So what do you think? Did any of the occupations surprise you? What field do you think should have more representation? What profession makes the best politician? Let us know in the comments!

[Lord Jim]

James Madison, Federalist No. 62:...

Ah yes, James Madison...

A life-long politician:

In 1774, Madison took a seat on the local Committee of Safety, a patriot pro-revolution group that oversaw the local militia. This was the first step in a life of public service...

Madison served in the Virginia state legislature (1776–1779), where he became known as a protégé of the delegate Thomas Jefferson...

As the youngest delegate to the Continental Congress (1780–1783), Madison was considered a legislative workhorse and a master of parliamentary coalition building....["parliamentary coalition building"...now there's a lost art...]

Madison was elected a second time to the Virginia House of Delegates, serving from 1784 to 1786 in the new years of independence. ...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Madison

Lower House of Virginia 1776, 1783-1786, Upper House of Virginia 1778, Virginia State Constitutional Convention 1776, Confederation Congress 1781- 1783, 1786-1788, Virginia House of Delegates 1784-1786, Annapolis Convention Signer 1786 ...

Convention Contributions: Arrived May 25 and was present through the signing of the Constitution. He is best known for writing the Virginia Plan and defending the attempt to build a stronger central government. He kept copious notes of the proceedings of the Convention which were made available to the general public upon his death in 1836. William Pierce stated that "Mr. Madison is a character who has long been in public life; and what is very remarkable every Person seems to acknowledge his greatness. He blends together the profound politician, with the Scholar. … The affairs of the United States, he perhaps, has the most correct knowledge of, of any Man in the Union."

New Government Participation: Attended the ratification convention of Virginia and supported the ratification of the Constitution. He also coauthored the Federalist Papers. Served as Virginia's U.S. Representative (1789-1797)

Served as Secretary of State (1801-1809) Elected President of the United States of America (1809-1817).

http://teachingamericanhistory.org/stat ... dison.html

Gee, a guy who spent that much time in politics would be lucky to pull 3% in Iowa today...

Screw that full time politico; let's elect the guy from the tobacco plantation down the road who has no political experience, but gets a lot of laughs when he shoots his mouth off at the local pub...

[wesw]

that s a long way from "bedtime for bonzo", huh?

[Lord Jim]

The question that folks who think it would be a spiffy idea to elect a President who has absolutely no experience in politics ought to be asking themselves is this:

Would you hire anyone else to do anything else, if they had absolutely no experience with it?

If you needed an operation, would you seek out someone to perform it who said, "Well, I'd the perfect person to perform your operation. I've never performed an operation before, I've never been in an operating room, never spent a day studying surgery. Hell I've never even held a scalpel, but how tough can it be?"....

If your car needed work would you go to a guy who said, "I'm the man to fix your car. I've never fixed a car before, never spent a minute learning how to be an auto mechanic. In fact, I don't even know how to raise the hood. But I'm sure I can learn"...

Geez, you wouldn't even hire somebody to clean your gutters who started off by telling you, "Well, I've never even set foot on a ladder"...

But for some bizarre reason, there is a not insubstantial percentage of people in this country that "thinks" that "not knowing anything all about the job" is a splendid qualification for The Highest Office In The Land....

One more time:

[Lord Jim]

that s a long way from "bedtime for bonzo", huh?

Did you miss the whole two term governor of California thing, wes?

If the last "accomplishment" Ronald Reagan had before running for President was to star in Bedtime For Bonzo, that would have pretty much put him on equal footing with Trump and Carson in terms of qualification to be President...

[wesw]

well jim, the career politicians are mostly corrupt, each in their own little, or big, ways.

they are mostly intellectually dishonest.

they are ineffective.

they choose leaders like Pelosi, reid, boner.

time for change.

eta- carson has over 80% approval rating in iowa. 80 freakin per cent!!!!!

[Lord Jim]

well jim, the career politicians are mostly corrupt, each in their own little, or big, ways.

Most of the auto mechanics I've dealt with over the years have been crooks wes...in little or big ways...

Doesn't mean that the next time I need to have my car looked at I'm going to take it to a pastry chef...

[wesw]

hey jim, I fell asleep on you last night

anyway, if you think that our way of governing does not need to change, we ll just have to disagree.

I ll repeat, anyone with intelligence and honesty and leadership skills can gather info, gather advisors, and make good decisions....

...it ain t brain surgery

we deserve better, we just have to be bold enough to change

don t go all wobbly, dig your heels in and pull our country back from the edge of failure

[Crackpot]

Wes if you want to improve how government works pay attention to local politics it's there where the seeds of corruption are planted and where tomorrow's national candidates come from.

[wesw]

well, we have a town in two states, with two sets of rules, with two leaders, elementary school in one state, high school in another

good ol boy and newcomers at each other s throats.

I don t care to discuss it

how s Kwame brown doin'?

[Big RR]

Wes--Make good decisions? Maybe yes, maybe no. But get things done in the current political system? I doubt it. An effective president (or representative or senator) has to understand the system and realize that comprmise is not a dirty word and is not losing; that half a loaf is better than none. Sadly, it's been decades since we had a president who understood that. Some got a few things done, but few knew how to work within the system the way, say, and LBJ or Nixon did. It's a lot more than making good decisions.

[wesw]

rr, we don t need someone who can work in our current system. our current system sucks. we need to revise it.

we need some upheaval

we need to change the senate rules a bit. the 60 votes to end debate rule is no longer prudent.

I would even go so far as calling for a constitutional convention

[Sue U]

You beat me to it, Big R. Governing is not brain science or rocket surgery -- it is far more difficult. It involves a lot more moving parts, fine calculations, clarity of vision, stamina, determination and delicacy of touch. The way our system is designed, it has always been nearly impossible to have a "successful" presidency. As a rule, the best we can hope for is a president that does not suck in terms of formulating and implementing policy, and who can avoid dragging the nation into unnecessary conflicts both foreign and domestic.

ETA:

rr, we don t need someone who can work in our current system. our current system sucks. we need to revise it.

we need some upheaval

we need to change the senate rules a bit. the 60 votes to end debate rule is no longer prudent.

I would even go so far as calling for a constitutional convention

Yeah, 'cause upheaval is always a good thing for the country.

What is it, exactly, that you would want a constitutional convention to do?

[wesw]

I want it to put YOU in your place sue.

if you support the way our system is working I am even more sure that it is broken.

you are the one person on this board that I fear. rube, bigsky and scooter can be excused to some extent because they are a bit (at least a bit) insane. you on the other hand are cold calculating and mean.

[Sue U]

So in other words, you have no idea, which seems about par for the course.

But "put [me] in [my] place"????????????

"Cold, calculating and mean"?????????



As if.

[Guinevere]

What we need is meaningful campaign finance reform, a change to the First Amendment that removes political spending from free speech protections, and the Supreme Court decisions of Buckley v. Valeo, Citizens United, and McCutcheon need to be set aside.

All federal campaigns should be publicly financed, with spending limits enforced. Access to the airwaves -- a public right -- can be allocated to all candidates equally (and there can be some equitable system so everyone gets access to key times of day, or dates). Presidential candidates get the most time, then Senate, then House.

If we had actual reform, there would be actual competition. We wouldn't be left with only millionaires and billionaires running, and the citizens would have real choices. We also wouldn't need term limits, either.

Obviously, amending the Constitution is a big deal, but if the impetus comes from the states (required to ratify any amendment), through the citizens, maybe it could happen.

[Guinevere]

You beat me to it, Big R. Governing is not brain science or rocket surgery -- it is far more difficult. It involves a lot more moving parts, fine calculations, clarity of vision, stamina, determination and delicacy of touch. The way our system is designed, it has always been nearly impossible to have a "successful" presidency. As a rule, the best we can hope for is a president that does not suck in terms of formulating and implementing policy, and who can avoid dragging the nation into unnecessary conflicts both foreign and domestic.

This. Exactly.

Edited to add: I advise local governments, I have advised state governments, and worked as a federal employee. I am an elected official. I know how difficult it is, and how much work it takes. Governance is not something you toss off in your spare time.

[Guinevere]

James Madison, Federalist No. 62:...

Ah yes, James Madison...

A life-long politician:


New Government Participation: Attended the ratification convention of Virginia and supported the ratification of the Constitution. He also coauthored the Federalist Papers. Served as Virginia's U.S. Representative (1789-1797)

Served as Secretary of State (1801-1809) Elected President of the United States of America (1809-1817).

So you agree, time in Congress and then as Secretary of State is excellent qualification to be President.

[Crackpot]

Who's Kwame Brown?

[wesw]

I agree with most of your proposed reforms , guin. I would have to study the supreme court decisions much more carefully before I formed an opinion on your first paragraph tho....

I would add.... a national holiday on election day, I would do away with early voting. I would want universal voter registration and ID cards for those who wish to take advantage of their right to vote.

I would also like a much narrower interpretation of the interstate commerce clause and other decisions that give the govt undue power

....and I don t just support amending the constitution, I d like a whole stinkin' constitutional convention and all the mess and citizen involvement that it would entail

Libertad!!!!!!!