I think it's time we talk about change.  Yes, change.  It's the word of the day being thrown out by nearly every politician and practically coined by democratic candidate, Barack Obama.  However, no one can agree on what needs to be changed and what should be left alone.  Do we change the way we approach taxes, nuclear energy, drilling, immigration, or gun-control laws?  For every group that wants a particular change there are others who want to keep our current situation.  As vague as this word is, it does show one thing quite clearly.  The citizens of the United States are not happy with their current situation and desperately want to see a difference from the status quo.  While many changes floating around the popular consciousness are hotly debated, I have a change that a wide many Americans whether red or blue, black or white, male or female, left or right, can get behind.

What is this great change?  We must replace every single member of congress.  That's right, I propose that we do not reelect any sitting senator or representative regardless of their party, district, tenure, or record.  We CHANGE congress in its entirety.  This isn't a call to throw out only those who aren't doing a good job.  No, I'm talking about a 100% turnover.  We cannot draw any lines on this one.  We cannot decide that a certain senator is doing a good job and should stay while someone else is doing a horrible job and doesn't deserve to be reelected.  If we started drawing lines, then we would be right back where we started with the people who have the best lobbyist connections, money, and voter makeup will remain in the power because they will be painted in the media as doing a good job.  The government is being run like a failed business and it's time we downsize of few departments.  Congress is a great place to start trimming some fat.

We live in a country where a vast majority of people believe that congress is doing a less-than-satisfactory job.  However, many people still choose reelect their incumbent representative believing that it is someone else's representative who is screwing up the country.  But in all honesty, it's not one or two people who aren't pulling their weight.  Congress is failing on such a massive level on so many different fronts such as national security, taxes, and the economy that every member is to blame.  There are those who are actively pursuing their own self interests at the expense of the American citizen and there are others who just look the other way or "go with the flow".  Whether the motives are diabolical or apathetic, we the people do not have adequate representation in our own government.  Here are a few reasons why we need to clear-cut congress and start over again:

1. They've grown lazy.  We have representatives that have been in congress for literally decades.  They have learned how to play the game -- say the right things and vote the right way so as to not make too many waves.  They do not take any positions because drawing lines on important issues may upset certain voters while being vague doesn't seem to upset anyone.  They have become followers, not leaders.  And worse, some believe that they have become royalty where they can say and do whatever they want as long as it keeps them in power.  Members of congress have stopped representing their states and the people and are instead representing their own self-interests.  However, if we the people vote them all out then every new representative and senator will never again presume that they are safe.  They must know that they must represent the people, not special interests or their own self-interests, if they want to keep their job.  They must be held accountable for what they say, what they do, and how they vote.
2. They are career politicians.  I don't think the framers of the Constitution imagined career politicians.  They envisioned a body made of the people from all walks of life that would actively represent the people for a few years and then return to private life.  We need people in congress who have real experience in business, the military, and all other walks of life that make up the American people.  The American people are not all lawyers and political scientists so why are these the only type of people who represent us?  How is it that someone who has only worked as a politician be an experts in foreign affairs, the military, energy and science, taxes, health care and everything else congress tries to control.  It's time that many of our representative go back into the private sector and get a taste of what it is like to work within the regulations they helped create.  It's time that we replace them with people who haven't been career politicians but have worked various sectors and come from all different walks of life.
3. What about the ones in congress who are doing a good job?  Granted, there are probably a few senators and representatives that are trying their best to represent the American people.  Is it fair to throw them out along with the bums?  If they really are doing a good job and the people want them back then they can be reelected in a few years after we've shaken up congress.  But we need to draw a hard line this time around and not make any excuses for any of them.  Even if some are doing a good job they have been unable to have any influence on congress's culture of corruption.  They failed in making congress an effective body by standing up to those who have fallen short of our expectations.  Like a teacher who punishes the entire class although only a few were causing trouble, we need to send a clear message to everyone that the American people will not stand for incompetence on such a wide scale.  Perhaps this will make the next crop in congress really work at eliminating the weakest links instead of ignoring them (or worse, promoting them to higher levels of power).
4. They are irresponsible.  It is clear that changing the majority party in congress has done little to improve our government's accountability.  We still have out-of-control spending.  Earmarking is still rampant.  Notice how the Democrats cries about the war in Iraq have been quieted?  In part it's because our situation in Iraq has improved so many want to downplay their anti-war rhetoric.  But I think everyone in congress loves that they can pile on the pork when a war-spending bill comes up for a vote.  While they whine and cry about the war to the cameras, secretly they love the fact that they get to feed a little more from the government trough if Bush wants to keep up the war effort.  That is just one example on how our politicians do not really stand on any principles but rather say and vote in whatever way will bring them and their constituents the most money or make them feel good.  It's time that we call them on being fiscally irresponsible with our money and find people who will show a little more restraint.
5. Let's shake up the lobbyists.  Could you imagine would happen to all the lobbying groups if the senators they have owned for years were suddenly out of a job?  Granted, any new representative would probably have his or her own strings attached but at least a new senator has only been owned for a few years, not several decades.
6. While we're at it, let's also set some term limits.  Even if we did have a complete turnover of our congress we would still end up in the same situation in a few years; a decade at the most if we are lucky.  As mentioned earlier, lazy, irresponsible, career politicians are killing our nation.  We need motivated, courageous, and responsible people who come in for a short time, do their job, and then hand over the baton to someone else.  We need to put hard limits so that our representatives spend their time serving the people and not trying to keep their seat in the Capitol for the rest of their natural lives.

The solution is easy.  It does not matter who you vote for.  You can vote along party, racial, ethnic, or gender lines if you wish.  Just do not vote for anyone who is currently your senator or representative.  If we throw them all out then our government will never be the same again.  It will send a clear message that our government works for the people and it's the people who determine how long they keep their job.  It will be like when we were children... they've had their chance to play and now they must let someone else have their turn.