Today we ended Fix It week on my show, although we hope to keep this recurring theme. But the largest hindrance to solutions for all of the problems we've discussed -- be it the Deficit, Energy, Education or the Wars -- goes back to one place: the current political process in our country.
We practically all share the same list of problems, regardless of ideology: The undue influence of moneyed interest, the focus on inane culture wars instead of proper governance, the low quality of our politicians coupled with their high incumbency rates, the lack of ethics, disclosure etc. The only question left is how to fix them and then, how do we muster the will?
These are the questions I addressed for my entire show today -- and just to get the ball rolling, here are four of my favorite solutions:
1. One for me, one for you
I don't have to explain to anyone why we need to fix the campaign finance system. The question is how do we do it fairly. Publicly financed campaigns are one solution, but they seem to go against our very nature as Americans. After all, who wants to be forced into having their tax money going to politicians they don't like? Meanwhile, infringing on the amounts people can donate gives an advantage to wealthy candidates. But I think there is pretty easy solution to this:
I propose that we make a law that charges a 100% fee on all political spending, with the that fee going into a public campaign financing fund that is given solely to candidates with low campaign coffers on a per petition signature basis. This means that if a well-moneyed candidate like Barack Obama wants to spend $740 million of campaign donations, $370 million of that can go to his campaign and the other half to a public campaign fund.
Even better, if a wealthy person like Michael Bloomberg wants to spend $108 million of his own fortune trying to get elected, half goes to other, less-moneyed candidates. As far as those "poorer" candidates go, the more valid petition signatures they have, the more money they should get from the fund.
In addition to curtailing the power of the dollar in elections, this would especially help new candidates take advantage of modern marvels like social networking etc. to jump-start a serious challenge to more-moneyed opponents.
And if you don't want your money going to candidates you don't like, then don't get in to the game in the first place.
2. Disclose everything to all
It is a sad state of affairs when corporations, who clearly don't work for us, are forced to disclose more to than politicians who do (or at least are paid by us). We need to put the legal onus on politicians to disclose every single potential conflict of interest, be it an invite to a BBQ or getting their nephew a job with a contractor. This means that if it could in any conceivable way be considered a conflict, it's on them to disclose it even if there is no specific rule against it. Then, if they are found being negligent of material disclosure, they need to be fired, fined and possibly jailed.
Finally, this information MUST be updated weekly into open-source searchable databases. There is no shortage of smart, patriotic Americans who can take it from there.
3. Cool your heels for seven years
The revolving door from politics to corresponding positions of undue influence in the private sector has to be stopped. There needs to be a seven year cooling off period for all Politicians, staffers and regulators from working in any related industry or lobbying their former colleagues.
While this might sound draconian, ask yourself, do you really think we are getting high quality public servants with the current incentive structure? I am betting we will get much more capable public servants once we hinder their ability to get rich off of their service.
4. End the lefty-righty facade
As far as I can tell, at this point the major differences in the traditional Political Parties has basically become their stance on gay marriage -- and even that looks pretty similar once they are in power. Both like to give away money they don't have and are unwilling to stand up to the special interests that fund them.
Furthermore, the false choice of "Republican" or "Democrat" is keeping some of the best candidates from making it to the general election. If politicians want to align themselves into two Political Parties, that is their right. But the government shouldn't allow them to hold separate primaries. Hopefully this recent move to open primaries in California will take off across the country.
The question now is how do we get these same complicit politicians to make the fundamental changes that we need to the system. My hope is that in the coming years, we will see more and more people deciding that they have had enough and will enter into the political spectrum or push their neighbors and friends to do so.
Also, I am waiting patiently for serious candidates in the United States to sign a legally binding contract guaranteeing that they will support initiatives like the ones outlined above. Don't laugh, it's already on its way across the pond.
Politicians held personally liable for breaking their promises to the voter? That's change we all could believe in.
Follow Dylan Ratigan on Twitter: www.twitter.com/DylanRatigan
Matt Idom: A Different Patriotism
My patriotism is not geographic, but includes all countries, all lands and homes and governments wherein any brother or any sister lifts first the cross of Christ as their symbol.
I would like to suggest something for the show. A mute button that would allow you to speak uninterrupted and silence the pundit/guest. This way there is no talking over one another, which is why some people get turned off when the voices raise. I trust you will find it very useful and maybe even fun at times. I remember a sports show has a regular segment where they did this as part of a quiz drill.
Rank-and-File Members:
The current salary (2010) for rank-and-file members of the House and Senate is $174,000 per year.
Senate Leadership
Majority Party Leader - $193,400
Minority Party Leader - $193,400
House Leadership
Speaker of the House - $223,500
Majority Leader - $193,400
Minority Leader - $193,400
These numbers are easily available on the U.S. government's own web site. Maybe if our esteemed Senators and Congressmen did the math for themselves, they would realize how hypocritical it makes them look. I would love to see a proposal that cuts all their salaries down to 1/10th of what they are now. Let them live like everyone else for a while and maybe THEY will find the motivation to get some work done !
I also advocate that the FCC be mandated to require all broadcasters give equal free airtime to all candidates as a requirement to obtain a license to use "OUR" broadcast spectrum.
Requiring a paper trail on voting machines is also needed badly.
Get active, get informed, VOTE, and forget the right vs. left bs. it's BIG vs. SMALL. Unite on that.
So many wars! So many killed, wounded, and displaced, so many cancer victims from depleted uranium and other victims from all kind of war byproducts. Infested environment! So many wars in the same region of this planet. Many of you participated to anti Iraq war demonstrations! But it was already too late. Please do something now against the war on Iran. I am certainly not an admirer of the regime of Iran nor its human rights record nor its competition with another hegemonic power in the region. This other power is trying its best to trigger a new war. Please do something. Early manifestations might be more efficient. Support my request massively. Defend us! Defend our planet. Defend our environment. Defend your brothers in humanity who already, like me have witnessed so many wars! The war lords and money lords control this planet. The five permanent members of the Council of Security control more than 85% of the weapons commerce. It is not an easy activity; however as members of democracies you have some say, please use it now. At least click on favorite!
None will happen.
Because the super-rich decide these things.
And they like it just the way it is.
"A politician thinks of the next election; a statesman thinks of the next generation." ~James Freeman Clarke
Fewer commercials (mostly lies anyway).
Public funding so wealthy nutballs like Whitman don't have a built in advantage.