Fair Elections - the reform that makes other reforms possible

[chuck kottke]

Fair Elections - The Reform that makes the other Reforms possible.

Want to reassert Citizen control of our Democratic institutions in the US Republic? Tired of policies that are strong on military intervention, and short on diplomacy?? Wish special interest groups would be held in check, so the best interest of the Citizens and the Citizens of the world are served?? Had it with "politics as usual", and unfulfilled promises?

Check this out, and get involved!

http://www.fairelections.us/

Fair Elections

[chuck kottke]

:bulb2::idea2:Please take a look. It's easy, and might just save us all from ruin!:)

[Matter-Eater Lad]

Fair elections will take a uprising by the people, maybe not through violence but democratically. We first must get the population to understand there is a problem and who is at fault.

 

Fair elections won't matter until we realize we have a 1 party system with two factions. We can fairly elect the same clowns (Bush, Obama) but in the end we are still screwed.

 

We are going to see a far left movement in the next few years from this economic crisis, but I hope we'll swing the other way when the people realize the far left caused it and we'll swing in the right direction. When people realize we have socialism and it caused this mess, Hopefully people will be intelligent and want to make the government smaller instead of bigger. We are learning this the very very hard way and it'll only get harder til we learn.

[chuck kottke]

Apart from the whole socialism/capitalism schism, what I'm trying to convey is that we can make a difference simply by making the elections as fair as possible. At the point we're at - economic blunders we're saddled with - enough of our fellow citizens might get the message, if they knew where to turn to. And since money is at the root of the "one party" system as you term it, however different the investors may be for one or the other party, neither group of of the big donors has the best interests of the citizens or the country or the world in mind. So, herein lies the problem: whether conservative or liberal, whether from this economic background or another, none of us, alone can steer things in a better direction. To get the representation we deserve, we must find many ways to limit the big contributions and open a way for better candidates to emerge who do represent the broad majority of constituents.

My suggestion was to tie the campaign contribution limit to the working wage - one day's wages, and no more. Some argue for public financing, and Maine has had success with this path.

[Matter-Eater Lad]

Fair elections are good, but in the end don't hold up to people's ignorance. Fair elections could get a Hitler elected if the voters are fools like we have today. You have to address this on two fronts, fair elections and intelligence.

[Pseudonym]

Perfect, I needed to find some reading to help put me to sleep:P

[chuck kottke]

Fair elections and education perhaps. But voters are not necessarily so gullible once their interests are piqued. I think it's a matter of feeling the cold water; to wake up enough and seek knowledge and understanding .

Anyhow, it's all there, if anyone's interested.

[Matter-Eater Lad]

It's a good website, thank you Chuck.

[chuck kottke]

Nick, you're most welcome!!

In trying to get to the heart of the matter and find a way out of the vicious circle we've been in, I began to probe the possible reform strategies to regain true representative governance. Here are my musings thus far:

Approaches to Reform; the Paths towards True Representation:

1.) Supporting Honest Candidates: As a starting point, organizing for candidates that accept only small campaign donations from real citizens within their districts would help improve the odds of getting true representation through broad bases of support. To make it work, a very effective campaign highlighting honesty through broad support of the everyday men and women in society would draw citizen interest, and keeping the donations below an amount affordable to all average citizens would ensure that the interests of the whole, not a wealthy minority with special interests of their own, would be served. The best option might be to offer the support only if the candidate signs an agreement that the money thus collected will only be offered to that candidate's campaign account if they agree to not accept any money from donations over an acceptable limit (say, $200 for instance in a congressional race), and all donations must be from real citizens living within that district. No cash from PAC's, corporate donations, or any other bundled funds. In essence, if money buys influence, then that influence should come from the broadest base possible, so that the aggregate will of the citizens is expressed through the actions of the lawmaker.

 

2.) Mount a grass-roots awareness campaign to put pressure on elected officials to pass meaningful and carefully worded campaign finance reform measures into law. Make doubly sure that the reform is carefully and thoughtfully written, and not tampered with in committee.

 

3.) Support grass-roots efforts to open up part of the radio & television broadcast airtime to provide free and equal access to candidates running for office. This essentially levels the playing field for all candidates, and the broadcasters owe the public this right in return for their privileged use of the broadcast frequency spectrum - our commons.

 

4.) As the numbers of candidates in office that have the broad support of citizens in their districts grows, begin by introducing an amendment to the Constitution stating our Rights to Fair Elections and Fair Campaigns, as the right to fair contests for office is as critical as the right to vote, the rights by which all other rights are protected.

 

5.) Also, honest elected officials can start to reassert our rights to the commons, and re-establish the checks and balances necessary for proper government & market regulation, including expanded anti-trust laws & enforcement, protection of the commons (water, air, frequency spectrum, public lands, et. al.), and greater safeguards against conflicts of interest. No more Wall-Street/Washington revolving doors, no more paid lobbyists having direct and preferential access to politicians without a citizen's advocate & reporter at all meetings. No more allowing industry insiders to head or staff government agencies with "yes" men, no more monopolistic or oligopolistic industries - they need to be broken up to avoid the excess concentration of power and corruption that ultimately follows. Trade deals brokered in as honest and equitable way as is possible, and a safety net for all workers.

[chuck kottke]

Hey comeon guys! Want to stop the unjust wars? End poverty? Reign in the high rollers wrecking the economy? It all boils down to getting an honest government - central to being the ref in the game, and directing our efforts in the world.. Give me some feedback here! (ppplease!:))

[Black Rose]

Anything to kick out Gordon Clown and his bunch of unelected misfits

[chuck kottke]

Anything to kick out Gordon Clown and his bunch of unelected misfits

And just what's so wrong with Mr. Brown?:laugh3: G. Gordon Brown calls the plumbers..

This just piqued my interest:FRONTLINE: Coming Soon - The Card Game | PBS

..and it's all tied to the lobbyists! To put a firewall between them and the congressmen, we first need to get officials elected that represent us. Doing that requires the gut-wrenching act of beating the money machines running the races, and that will take time - but it's worth it.

Credit cards played a major role in almost tanking the whole global economy, and the so-called commercial banks played a major part in the lending crisis..

To get the aphids off the plants, it will take a bath in soapy water, followed by a rinse.. To get the money out of politics, we'll need to scrub our elections process clean again, before the infestation sucks down the whole economy!