New Political System
New Political System
By Daniel G. Jennings
Here in the United States our legislative system seems to be completely ineffective. Congress is failing to address the nation’s problems: healthcare, transportation, energy, the budget deficit, immigration, trade etc. Our state legislatures are equally ineffective; several of our states including Colorado and California, are bankrupt and impotent.
So perhaps it’s time to reform our legislative system to something more effective. Especially since our legislatures Congress in particular don’t seem to represent the society they are not elected by majorities and controlled by extreme minorities not interested in the basic problems facing society. Increasingly they ignore all too real crises while posing for the media and engaging in meaningless political squabbling.
One solution might be to replaced elected legislatures with something new. We could start making laws through referendums of voters a system used in many of our states and Switzerland. Another possible solution would be to adopt the system used by the Ancient Athenians. In ancient Athens legislators were chosen by lottery much like our juries today. Average citizens were selected at random to serve as legislators.
Under such a system modern computers could simply chose a legislature that reflects the city or state’s population. Then this legislature would vote on the issues facing society, bureaucrats and lobbyists would propose legislation as would citizens and others. The legislators would be paid a large salary say $100,000 to serve for a few months a year. Congressmen could get paid $1 million year, the vast majority of Americans would jump at a chance to serve for that kind of money.
Punishment for legislators caught taking a bribe would be the death penalty.
Such a system might work because like jurors the legislators would not be beholden to any political group or interest. Would such a system work? I don’t know but maybe we should try it in one of our states or large cities.
The problem is such a system won’t be tried unless our country faces complete disaster because too many people have a vested interest in the political status quo. The media views it as entertainment and politicians are easy to influence, business benefits because politicians are easy to buy, special interest have an easy time influencing the status quo. Professional politicians and their hangers on of course fear the end of the status quo because it will be end of their wealth, influence, power and affluence. They fear they might have to actually go out and work.
Okay, I don’t know if this would work but it might be worth a try. Anything might be better than the mess we call our present system of government. It would certainly be better than the other alternative which is dictatorship.
By Daniel G. Jennings
Here in the United States our legislative system seems to be completely ineffective. Congress is failing to address the nation’s problems: healthcare, transportation, energy, the budget deficit, immigration, trade etc. Our state legislatures are equally ineffective; several of our states including Colorado and California, are bankrupt and impotent.
So perhaps it’s time to reform our legislative system to something more effective. Especially since our legislatures Congress in particular don’t seem to represent the society they are not elected by majorities and controlled by extreme minorities not interested in the basic problems facing society. Increasingly they ignore all too real crises while posing for the media and engaging in meaningless political squabbling.
One solution might be to replaced elected legislatures with something new. We could start making laws through referendums of voters a system used in many of our states and Switzerland. Another possible solution would be to adopt the system used by the Ancient Athenians. In ancient Athens legislators were chosen by lottery much like our juries today. Average citizens were selected at random to serve as legislators.
Under such a system modern computers could simply chose a legislature that reflects the city or state’s population. Then this legislature would vote on the issues facing society, bureaucrats and lobbyists would propose legislation as would citizens and others. The legislators would be paid a large salary say $100,000 to serve for a few months a year. Congressmen could get paid $1 million year, the vast majority of Americans would jump at a chance to serve for that kind of money.
Punishment for legislators caught taking a bribe would be the death penalty.
Such a system might work because like jurors the legislators would not be beholden to any political group or interest. Would such a system work? I don’t know but maybe we should try it in one of our states or large cities.
The problem is such a system won’t be tried unless our country faces complete disaster because too many people have a vested interest in the political status quo. The media views it as entertainment and politicians are easy to influence, business benefits because politicians are easy to buy, special interest have an easy time influencing the status quo. Professional politicians and their hangers on of course fear the end of the status quo because it will be end of their wealth, influence, power and affluence. They fear they might have to actually go out and work.
Okay, I don’t know if this would work but it might be worth a try. Anything might be better than the mess we call our present system of government. It would certainly be better than the other alternative which is dictatorship.
posted by great one at 4:49 AM
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