How Would You Fix America's Broken Politics?

[JackLuis]

Politico asks.

How Would You Fix America’s Broken Politics?

Nearly everyone agrees that politics in America is broken. Tell us your big idea to make it better.

My fix would be to enforce the law from the top DOWN. From the White House down to the lowliest Mississippi Deputy Sheriff, then take on the Corporate Class jailing the CEO's for any infraction. No fines just jail!

 

[quietlylooking]

I don't know how to implement it, but I think we all need to really, really, listen, with respect and curiosity, to those that we disagree with and try to understand each other.

We also need to realize we cannot always get everything that we want, and to understand that the common good is important too.

 

[BotanyBoy]

Lot that could be done on that front.

If the US were my sandbox?

I honestly think the US needs to consider re-structuring in order to get shit back under control.

You could merge states into one much larger state, by regions, and the original states become "Districts" or whatever...do 13 of them and bring the Betsy Ross back.

Just redistrict strictly by population, make state irrelevant in the house, scale the ratio appropriately so that they can at least all fit in the house.

Cut back on the number of chefs in the kitchen but do so in a traditionally M'arican way.

A considerable amount of power would have to go back to the states....no more telling each other how to live or sharing incomes.

Back to the people who live within those states to manage their own affairs, Make the USA literally a defense alliance and currency agreement.


Outside and totally separate from that going back to it's current state of affairs I would do something to cut public service off from private enterprise....separation of industry and civil service should be much stronger.

I'd make all elected civil servants campaign exclusively on public networks, no more Billion dollar campaigns and fundraisers.

They would be paid at a standard GS rate/bennies package and absolutely forbidden from taking money from anyone while in office and once they leave? That's it....no back and forth.

Oh and sync up all election cycles.....all elections happen every other year, essentially force the officials to make doing their god damn jobs their campaign....every election a performance review.

Kay...done batin'.

 

[KeithD]

First, I would clean out Trump and associates and put several of them into prison--to show that the United States is better than this.

 

[rae121452]

ever heard of the french revolution?

 

[moonflasher]

By removing all the Democrats …..Problem solved

 

[BotanyBoy]

First, I would clean out Trump and associates and put several of them into prison--to show that the United States is better than this.

By being an authoritarian regime???

LOL now that is funny.

 

[jaF0]

Term limits, first and foremost. Lifetime term limits so one can't flip-flop between offices at the same level of Government.

Campaign finance reform. Take the corporate money out of it. Personal donations only. Corporations employ people, but are not people.

Judicial reform. NO Judge gets a lifetime appointment. ALL must be reviewed periodically and subject to removal. There's also the issue of 'legislating from the bench' that needs to be addressed.

 

[jaF0]

One other thing is that no legislative leadership would be able to block votes on bills or otherwise manipulate rules or procedures. In this regard, Mitch has done more damage to democracy than nearly anyone else.

 

[jaF0]

I would also ban women from serving in politics I think there to emotional and to dramatic.

I would also set a requirement that you have to be born in the United States to be a senator or a Congressmen or a member of the house of representatives as well as an age limit.

So, in other words, you hate the Constitution.

 

[Dumpington]

moonflasher suggests: "By removing all the Democrats …..Problem solved"

Your above idea certainly does have some merit, moonflasher!

jaF0 writes: "Term limits, first and foremost. Lifetime term limits so one can't flip-flop between offices at the same level of Government."

I agree with you about term limits - if they're good enough for the presidency, then they should be good enough for the U.S. House & Senate!

"One other thing is that no legislative leadership would be able to block votes on bills or otherwise manipulate rules or procedures."

Democratic Party Senate Majority Leader Patrick Leahy regularly used to block bills & judicial appointments all of the time, which certainly didn't bother any of the Democrats any - until AFTER after Mitch McConnell took over, and began doing the exact same thing, at which point the Dems got FURIOUS!

 

[BotanyBoy]

We have term limits, it's called an election.

If people like their elected officials and they they are doing a good job, they should be able to keep them.

 

[JackLuis]

We have term limits, it's called an election.

If people like their elected officials and they they are doing a good job, they should be able to keep them.

I believe that we need to get new blood in and 18 years is long enough for anyone to show what they can do. Any longer than that is just ego and you end up with Mitch, Grassley, Nancy, Diane and the rest of the old guard, who think they are entitled to be as obstructive as they want.

 

[anniebaby10]

Easy.... term limits. Allow only 3 terms in congress and 2 in the senate. that's it. These lifers are a total bunch of assholes. They keep all the funds they raise for elections when they leave, have lifetime pensions and health care and unlimited power by working with lobbyists after they do leave. We have term limits for the president, why the fuck we giving these do nothing pieces of shit lifetimes to grease their pockets.

 

[BotanyBoy]

I believe that we need to get new blood in and 18 years is long enough for anyone to show what they can do. Any longer than that is just ego and you end up with Mitch, Grassley, Nancy, Diane and the rest of the old guard, who think they are entitled to be as obstructive as they want.

They are entitled, they won their elections, the PEOPLE put them there to do it.

If the people don't like what they are doing? Fire them at the ballot box, the ultimate job review, that's how democracy works.