Everyone knows the system is broken. Everyone knows that safe districts, gerrymandering, thinly veiled issue advertising, and individual candidates raking in over $650 million dollars is wrong. Everyone knows that this election saw the death of the publicy financed presidential campaign system.But how can it be fixed? Well the biggest problem in fixing it is that those who control the safe districts and interest groups and campaign finance collectors have the power but DON'T WANT IT FIXED! If it it ain't broken for them, why fix it? We however, are not them. It is broken and needs to be fixed, and if they refuse to provide the leadership, we will.
"The first question that offers itself is, whether the general form and aspect of the government be strictly republican. It is evident that no other form would be reconcilable with the genius of the people of America; with the fundamental principles of the Revolution; or with that honorable determination which animates every votary of freedom, to rest all our political experiments on the capacity of mankind for self-government." - The Federalist No.39 Conformity of the Plan to Republican Principles
1. Only US citizens who are 18 or older and who have not had their civil liberties revoked are qualified to vote in Federal elections. To that end, the secretaries of state from the various states will issue Voter Registration Card. Voter registration information may not be accessed by law enforcement for any other purpose than investigating voter fraud issues. The card will pass certain FEC criteria for the following:
Tamper-proof;
Name;
Polling Place;
Unique registration number in bar code format;
Digitized Thumb print;
Signature;
The maximum fee that can be charged for such ID is $5.00
2. The FEC in conjunction with the secretaries of state to continue voter machine technology and upon Congressional approval, Congress shall provide matching funds to the states for improvements in voter machines.
3. Federal Congressional Districts within the states will continue to be based on census data. The secretaries of state will employ the use of a computer software system contracted by the FEC that will scientifically and impartially determine Congressional Districts based solely on geographic boundaries and raw population data provided by the Census Dept. and will eliminate “safe districts” and gerrymandering. Cultural, socio-economic, racial, ethnic or other artificial distinctions are not sufficient reasons for deviation of Congressional Districting.
4. The role of federal elected officials and policy makers is to serve the interests of their constituents and the country in general. To effectively execute this duty, they must rid themselves of conflicts of interest and breaches of the public trust and to restore the confidence in our public institutions.
5. The role of major political parties should be to facilitate the organization, discussion, compromise and passage of legislation and policy, not to shape the country’s polices top down from party elite, powerbrokers and lobbyists.
6. Federal election law amended to prohibit convicted felons from seeking, winning or holding federal office, registration as a lobbyist or hold any other political appointment which requires Senate confirmation, regardless of whether that person is incarcerated or not until such time as that person’s civil rights are restored by either a state or federal court.
7. All federal candidates for President, Congress and Senate must provide to the FEC irrefutable proof of citizenship status or birth which will be made public record (in compliance with HIPPA) and further, all federal candidates must submit to and pass an FBI security check.
8. All federal candidates for President, Congress and Senate must participate in a public financed campaign system. Individual candidates are not restricted on expenditures of their personal finances.
9. The FEC will develop a system for the collections of all campaign contributions which will be designated either as for an individual candidate or a party. All contributions will be disbursed to Presidential and Senate Candidates/political parties on a bi-weekly basis based on aggregate positions of state or national approval rate based scientific polling data from at least five independent sources. Individuals and corporate donors will not be restricted on the amount they contribute. Union contributions will be restricted to use of dues that is specifically authorized by individual union members for political purposes.
10. In the case of Congressional candidates, disbursement of campaign funds will be based on aggregate approval rating data provided by scientific polling data from at three independent local sources.
11. For the purposes of transparency and certification, polling sources must be registered with the FEC and polling methodology shall be public record and free for inspection.
12. This will ensure that it is the message that will be heard and not the favors promised or money exchanged which will allow candidates to compete from across all qualified parties.
13. All qualified candidates/parties will receive an equal amount of funding at the beginning of the respective primaries and general elections. This funding will be provided by surpluses from campaign funds from the previous election cycle. At its inception, funding will be based on the combined reported campaign funds of all qualified candidates/parties which will be a one time expenditure from the general funds of the United States Government.
14. Presidential primaries will take place as regional primaries and will mirror the US Circuit Court districts. The order of the presidential primary regions will be selected at random by the FEC and will be announced on January 21st, following the inauguration.
15. All federal elected officials, appointed judges, military officers (O-5 and above) and other political appointees (including spouses) which receive Senate confirmation, must place all personal securities, business and retirement investments into a blind trust during the tenure of service. Upon retirement, resignation or completion of service, such investments will remain in a blind trust for up to three years based on length of service. This will ensure that conflicts of interest and use of insider knowledge can be avoided to a great extent. These individuals are expected to act as servants of the American people and stewards of the American dream, not to use the federal government to line their pockets during or after their service.
16. All federal elected officials, appointed judges, military officers (O-5 and above) and other political appointees (including spouses) which receive Senate confirmation, upon retirement, resignation or completion of service, shall be prohibited from serving as registered federal lobbyists for a minimum period of four to eight years based on the length service. This will ensure that conflicts of interest and use of insider knowledge, familial bonds and political patronage can be avoided to a great extent. These individuals are expected to act as servants of the American people and stewards of the American dream, not to use the federal government to line their pockets during or after their service.
17. Federal ballots for President, Senate and Congressional candidates shall include a non binding, “None of the above” selection. In the event of a “None of the above” victory on a ballot, the second place vote earner will be deemed to be the winner. The opportunity will still allow voters to vote their conscious without compromising principles or being stuck choosing “the lesser of two evils”. Additionally, a winning vote of “None of the above” will send a message to Congress and the President about the power of their perceived “mandates” and an accurate barometer of the electorate.
18. Constitutional amendment granting the President the line-item veto. Bills must stand or fail on their own merit. Congressmen wanting specific provisions attached to bills must stand up and defend provisions rather than forcing critical legislation to be passed regardless of pork barrel sweeteners that may have been added or legitimate legislation being killed because of strong arm tactics by disgruntled legislators who owe someone a favor.
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