Letter: Reforming Congress should be top priority

Thursday, Oct. 12, 2006 | 7:24 a.m.

It's time for change in Washington. I can only hope that a Democratic victory in the upcoming November election will bring a fresh new approach to the war in Iraq and to the many other problems that face us as a nation. That may be futile thinking on my part, however. But I do know this: The Bush "rubber-stampers" aren't the answer. They had their opportunity and failed.

It appears to me that both houses of Congress are spending way too much time trying to keep their jobs, and too little time doing their job! Both houses worked fewer than 100 days this past year. They also voted themselves a pay raise for the third consecutive year. Wow! Where else can you find a job like that?

I believe it's time for campaign finance reform and adoption of term limits for members of both houses. The Republicans are into big-time corruption and cronyism, whereas the Democrats are simply sitting on their hands, offering few new solutions to our many problems.

The latest Foley scandal clearly points out that the Republicans, the so-called "party of family values," have lost their way. The "Contract With America" that put them into power in the 1990s is now null and void.

It's time for the American voter to be heard. The upcoming November election offers such an opportunity.

Larry Burgess, Henderson