How do we change the political system in America and give the power back to the people?

Question

Here are my ideas.
1. Outlaw lobbyist, any public official found receiving any gift, monetary or other item, are immediately suspended from office, put on trial and if convicted, barred from any public office in the future, all funds or gifts are then surrendered and goes into the public coffers, and the individual will be given a jail sentence equal to the jail term for theft of the value of the gift.

2. Campaign finance reform. A limit will be set for the amount to be spent on ANY and ALL campaigns. Each candidate will be alloted the same amount of money, and an auditor from the IRS will work with the campaign for each camp reporting their findings in the newsmedia each week.

3. Ban TV and Radio campaign advertising. A set number of debates will be televised in which each candidate will be given equal time.

4. TERM LIMITS 2 Terms max for any elected position no exceptions and no grandfather clauses.

There's much more that could be done but tell me what you think.

Answer 1

The problem with all but the first of those suggestions is that they take power AWAY from the people: If I want to exercise my freedom of speech to tell people what I think about a candidate by buying advertising using money that I earned honestly you think it should be illegal? Or if I'm not that rich I can't get together with a bunch of other people who think similarly and pool our money to do the same thing? How is that giving me power?

The real solution is to start holding government power to the limits set up for it in the constitution. When it can't buy votes with tax money, most of the reasons for corruption will disappear. Of course this is unlikely to happen because most people like it when the government taxes other people to buy them goodies, so they'll never tell their representatives "No, don't send money taken from tax payers by force to help us build our city a pork barrel project, pay for health care for the poor, run our schools, etc. If enough people want the project then it can be built with private funds; if not, then we shouldn't build it. Charity should be funded by voluntary charitable contribution, not money taken by force. etc."

Answer 2

All of your ideas could help the people to regain control of their government, but I think that it may be deeper than that, hopefully not, but....
The way your constitution is set up it is almost impossible to remove a federal politician, at any level, unless , of course, they commit a felony and are convicted. Therefore the voter has to wait for the next election to boot them and in the case of the senate that could take up to six years. In six years a lot of legal damage can happen.

It's too bad there wasn't some way to work into
your system a little bit of parliamentary democracy where the party in power must have an election before five years as a maximum but can call an election anytime. There are usually at least three parties, or more, in this system and there are times when the governing party does not hold the majority of seats but holds power at the will of the rest who, combined,do hold a majority. They can bring the government down whenever they wish so the ruling party has to do a good job and watch their P's and Q's or they'll be kicked out.

Canada at the present time has a minority government which is trying to pass not so good environmental legislation and l
it appears that they may be kicked out over it.

Other countries do pay for part or all of election expenses, generally based on the number of votes the candidate\party receives.

I believe that term limits don't work in an open and operating democracy. If a elected person is no good you can fire him at the next election. But if a really great person was in they would be restricted by the limits. I truly believe that term limits are in place due to greed. Greed like 'I want a crack at that job to see what I can get out of it"

Answer 3

Because of the size of government as it is now, I don't know if any of those ideas would work. Government has bound the publics hands behinds its backs, has tied a rope around its neck and leads it around forcing it to obey its commands.

We have no power left in the electoral sense. We are not capable anymore of electing anyone to power to change Government.

The best change will come from revolution - the public taking up arms against the ruling bodies of the land and forcing a change. Many people will die but that is the only way it will happen.

Answer 4

Hey there. You answered your own question. That is perfect to the T. If we started with that the possibilities are endless we might actually be able to take the country back into our own hand rather than the hands of big buisness and the raping of our environment and people. You should swing by Care2 .com and sign the petition for End the Scandles Vote for Clean Elections. You might have to become a member quick but it is free and you seem like a smart individual you will love it this site truley is for the free thinker. my page on there is kristopher p.

Answer 5

Perfect ideas after you tell 5 people to tell 5 people to monitor the vote on election night. Documenting events is important and is why people are bringing video cameras to the polls. Exit surveys should be taken as carefully as possible. Poll watchers should volunteer. At the very least, call your Board of Elections now and make sure they understand that Emergency Paper Ballots are needed. Put them on alert.

Watch HBO tomorrow (Thursday) 9PM Eastern, 8 Central for "Hacking Democracy documentary. You'll see why monitoring this year's vote is the first step in your plan.

Answer 6

Those are all exceptional ideas.

All of them could be implemented if enough people joined together and pressed for the laws.

That being said, here's the reality:

"In a democracy, the people get the government they deserve."

Answer 7

To give total control to the people would be the worst move in our country's history. I agree that our political system is not "for the people, by the people" but the "people" in general could not properly run the country.

Answer 8

Not have a representative.Goverments and stuff will still be there but we get to vote for school fundins and etc.

Answer 9

stop giving in to the government

Answer 10

www.fairtax.org

Prevent politicians from manipulating the tax code.