JPF Home Page Forums General Messages General Message Forum America's Watershed Election.

There are three things I would like to see done within the American political system.

First, eliminate and outlaw ANY form of financial backing from any source for campaigning or any other purpose unless it it specifically a grant from the government given in the form of media exposure on commercial televison and radio and any other government licensed media, controlled and enforced through the licensing agreements between the government and broadcasters. The time allowed would be equal time to all eligible candidates who have qualified by raising the appropriate number of signatures. Travel and any other expenses may be given some measure of write-off on the candidate's taxes as any other appropriate business expense, but under no circumstances would it be appropriate for an individual or group to subsidize it in any way.

Second, no salaries for national political figures, specifically president, vice-president, cabinet members, both houses of congress, heads of agencies including, but not limited to the IRS, FBI, CIA, NSA, or any other high profile leadership position in federal government be allowed to increase without a vote from all eligible voters in national elections.

Third, eliminate and outlaw pork-barreling in any legislation. The criteria should be determined upon challenge by any eligible voter in a court of law. If the item(s) are found embedded in a bill of legislation that does not show direct causal relationship to the purpose of the bill, then those items should be excluded from the bill and all participants responsible for inserting the item(s) should be held in contempt and punished by fine and/or jail time or both.

I know this is pie-in-the-sky, but these specific things would give cause for politicians to more directly serve the people. It might bring out the better side of the people who choose to go into politics and help prevent their descent into the political morass of the current system.