Is our political system obselete? And if so, what's the alternative?

[WTJ]

You're absolutely right. I was engaging in a little mental masturbation there. It didn't net anything at all, but it made me feel better for about 2 minutes.

My apologies. I would very much like to see your comments come to fruition, along with some of the other laissez-faire suggestions.

Unfortunately, the addictive, and potent, cocktail of power, adulation, outright theft, and the ability to enslave through entitlement will ultimately destroy civilizations.

To paraphrase Gibbon, and Pogo, the Barbarians at Byzantium's Gate are us.

 

[Billybob]

And this thread isn't about slavery or civil rights, so take that discussion somewhere else please.

The fix? First, eliminate money from the political process. I don't mean the bogus campaign finance reform that was McCain/Feingold, I mean take ALL the money out. Let's say you want to contribute to the political process. You send your donations into the independent local, state or federal commission and it goes into a fund. Based on the registered voter population of the district for a particular political office, require a percentage of signatures on a ballot access petition (don't make it prohibitive, just enough to assure you have a valid, viable candidate). Once your signatures have been verified, you're assigned an amount of campaign funds that is equal to any other verified candiadate for the office. That's all you get to spend. Campaign funding may not come from any source other than the candidate. Any excess funds will be turned over to the general fund to go towards reduction of the taxpayer burden.

For the Founding Fathers, serving in office was considered a hardship in service to the country. That was time spent away from their businesses, farms or jobs. That was lost wages. These days you frequently see candidates spending more money than they will make for the entire term of the elected office. Shouldn't that raise a serious question? What's their motive for securing that office? It damn sure isn't in service to their constituents!

Next you need to eliminate lobbyists. One citizen, one vote, one voice. If you're the CEO of a business, you should receive the exact same consideration as the guy making minimum wage working for you when it comes to running the government. You can articulate that your concerns are the most imortant, but you shouldn't be buying a louder voice to bully the elected representative into seeing your needs above everyone else's. You should have a voice, not your money. If you can convince others of the merits of your case, THAT will magnify your input on the process.

After that, we need to institute transparency in government. If there's any critical use of technology, this is it. Every elected office in government should have a public access website, with optional email alerts. All the websites should be regulated, simple, functional and have identical layouts. That way it wouldn't matter whether you're checking on your city counselor, county commissioner, state house representative or member of the U.S. congress. You log in and immediately find what you're looking for. Every vote should be posted within one business day, regardless of whether it's a committee or floor vote. Have a comments box next to each vote for the elected offical to state why they voted the way they did, if they choose to do so. There should be a section listing each bill, along with information on where the official stands (author, co-author, sponsor, for, against, etc.). Each website should have a section where the registered voter (with authentication feature) has the option to comment as a constituent. There should be a separate area for non-constituent comments.

Excessive and undue influence in politics has crippled the system. The power must be returned to the individual citizen. Most don't want it and that's fine. Those of us who do want it, should have it. There's no excuse for the mess we have now.

Does it go farther than just elections, how about the power buying that goes on through graft and corruption that we see in so many areas which is almost never dealt with because of the lack of accountability and more equal under the law that some have and others don't? And has that situation effected the mentality of many Americans and the divisions we see today?

Some contend we're a democracy while others argue we're supposed to be a Republic, is the truth really that we're an oligarchy as stated in a recent study?

Study: US is an oligarchy, not a democracy

http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-echochambers-27074746

Scholar Behind Viral 'Oligarchy' Study Tells You What It Means

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/princeton-scholar-demise-of-democracy-america-tpm-interview

 

[rawhide]

Does it go farther than just elections, how about the power buying that goes on through graft and corruption that we see in so many areas which is almost never dealt with because of the lack of accountability and more equal under the law that some have and others don't? And has that situation effected the mentality of many Americans and the divisions we see today?

Some contend we're a democracy while others argue we're supposed to be a Republic, is the truth really that we're an oligarchy as stated in a recent study?

Study: US is an oligarchy, not a democracy

http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-echochambers-27074746


Scholar Behind Viral 'Oligarchy' Study Tells You What It Means

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/princeton-scholar-demise-of-democracy-america-tpm-interview

While I follow politics on the national level I'm very pessimistic that I can impact real change (or prevent harmful change). Therefore, I advocate primarily on state and local issues where I can have an impact. Preserving our great nation will begin at home.

 

[Billybob]

While I follow politics on the national level I'm very pessimistic that I can impact real change (or prevent harmful change). Therefore, I advocate primarily on state and local issues where I can have an impact. Preserving our great nation will begin at home.

That's good, probably what we should all do more of, but do the issues that are causing problems at the national level not exist in the state and local level as well? Or are we just more apt to ignore them because it's not all those other peoples politicians in D.C.?

 

[rawhide]

That's good, probably what we should all do more of, but do the issues that are causing problems at the national level not exist in the state and local level as well? Or are we just more apt to ignore them because it's not all those other peoples politicians in D.C.?

Yes they do. My post probably could have been worded better. Rather than stating that I advocate on state and local issues, which I do, I meant to explain that on the state and local level I have a better chance of making a difference. For example, face to face and first name conversations or personally responded to emails and phone calls are the norm rather than the exception. My servants in D.C. don't know my name nor are they likely to remember it if we met a second time. tOne of the reasons I stated in earlier post that a real change that could be considered on the national level would be to lift the cap on House of Representatives from the current 435.

 

[Billybob]

Yes they do. My post probably could have been worded better. Rather than stating that I advocate on state and local issues, which I do, I meant to explain that on the state and local level I have a better chance of making a difference. For example, face to face and first name conversations or personally responded to emails and phone calls are the norm rather than the exception. My servants in D.C. don't know my name nor are they likely to remember it if we met a second time. tOne of the reasons I stated in earlier post that a real change that could be considered on the national level would be to lift the cap on House of Representatives from the current 435.

And I may have took it somewhat wrong also, certainly understand what you're saying and agree that helps bring political accountability. Haven't thought much about lifting the cap on Reps. but it could make sense.

 

[Gideon]

Thats a bit optimistic. The statists will not accept this and the statists are far more numerous than any other group of liberty minded people. Plus the statists will use that same technology liberty lovers enjoy to continue to oppress.

That's fine. They can fight it all they want. It will only slow down the process. The philosophies which champion individual liberty are difficult pests to eradicate, because they require NO input. Freedom is easy, you just decide to not hurt other people. Statism takes years of propaganda, trauma, abuse, and modeling, and then you have to maintain the ruse continually.

It will end just like slavery did, some places will have civil wars, some places will pay others to stop, and some places will just just stop subsidizing it.

 

[dutchwrangler]

Is our political system obselete? And if so, what's the alternative?


No rulers, no laws.

The existing laws are geared to modify behavior enmasse and not protect the rights of the individual.

If there is no victim, there is no crime. Current laws makes everyone a victim.

Last, this concept that voting is a right is contrary to common sense. What has ensued is that the leeches amongst us can have their votes bought for the price of an EBT card. Bread and circuses.

The US is on track towards Balkanization. 238 years was a good run and nothing lives forever. The cycle of life repeats...

 

[SMS]

I

Last, this concept that voting is a right is contrary to common sense. What has ensued is that the leeches amongst us can have their votes bought for the price of an EBT card. Bread and circuses.

You know, I wonder. I've often repeated that same mantra, but for the sake of discussion I wonder what the voting rate actually is for EBT card recipients. I have a sneaking suspicion that they actually might not be a big a huge voting block.

 

[dutchwrangler]

You know, I wonder. I've often repeated that same mantra, but for the sake of discussion I wonder what the voting rate actually is for EBT card recipients. I have a sneaking suspicion that they actually might not be a big a huge voting block.

The EBT crowd is likely miniscule and too lazy to get out to vote. My point is that the welfare recipients, both the corporate and individual, are looking for handouts at the expense of their neighbor. Redistribution of wealth which is a politically correct way of theft.

The DoI spells out that the purpose of government is to protect the natural rights of man. If there is no victim, there is no crime. Our legal system no longer does this. It protects the rights of the state and the individual must support the machine. I'm of the opinion that the US has become the former Soviet Union and that Russia is becoming the US. Of course most Americans don't see this as they digest the daily litany of lies coming from the USG and the state influenced media on the left and right (Hannity, Beck, Limbaugh, Levin, etc).

The people of the US are being used like cattle. Their property is stolen from them each payday, they send their sons overseas to die for no reason and their leaders are leading them towards destruction. Few are willing to delve into who is using them. Which is a shame. Once one realizes they are being used and then by whom, only then can one defend themselves from it. Sadly, Americans have grown trustful of government as indicated by their growing dependence on government. The US is no longer a constitutional republic but a socialist oligarchy. And it's dying in spite of the patriotic rhetoric. Nothing can bring it back. Not even the Creator himself since it has rejected his natural laws. Disregard those laws, suffer the consequences.