I’ve come to the realization that the crux of many of our problems come from a bastardization of our representative government. Instead of elected officials that are beholden to their constituents, we find politicians beholden to themselves. They have rigged the rules for entering the political arena including how to get on a ballot, who and how one gets to vote, the financing of campaigns and even the design of the districts. Having been in power for many years, even decades, current members of Congress have locked out any sense of competition in most of our Congressional Districts. Indeed, they now turn their focus on the Presidential election by trying to remove the Electoral College and lowering the voting age.
If citizens are to take back control from the entrenched power moguls now in Congress, the first order of business must be an impartial and mathematical drawing of Congressional districts. In order to do that, laws these very same people passed must be reviewed and modified if not, overturned. They include the Voting Rights act that mandates districts give weight to minority voters. If every vote counts, why do minority voters get a nod? We have long passed the day where it was necessary for carve outs for any particular group. Identity politics taken to their ultimate end would have us start drawing districts by the number of “fill in the group” ex. Transgenders. Gerrymandering lies at the heart of uncompetitive districts where, once elected, the person can act with impunity and disregard of some the people he/she was supposed to represent.
Getting on a ballot should be facilitated and encouraged. Rather than having to get so many signatures, how about a simple, you pay for the cost of adding your name to the ballot? For campaign finance, a simple, anyone who can vote for that office can give as much money or in-kind donations that they want…but publically! That is, name an address attached to the amount and made public at the time of the donation. Others need not apply including Corporations and Unions.
I don’t have answers but I know one thing for sure. Leaving the rules of engagement to the very people in power assures those attempting to pierce the veil of political influence will find their path strewn with impediments.
Current Day Publius 