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Name:
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Barneget
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Subject:
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Temptations of elected office.......
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Date:
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10/10/2010 11:20:47 AM
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Read yet another shicken chit pdavis column in today’s OA News, this one about the poor politicians indicted just weeks before they faced voters at the polls. I know, innocent until proven guilty. I know that these folks should not reflect on all the dedicated, hard working public servants surrounding them, BUT, they do. That said, I think it is time we remove some of the temptations associated with public office, and along with it, some of the advantages of incumbency. Reform of campaign finance laws could, and would, produce de facto term limits. Here are my thoughts, feel free to add to add yours –
1) First time candidates for a particular office are free to accept money from any US citizen, or US based Corporation, union, PAC, etc. Win or lose, ALL campaign funds on hand 90 days following the election, are forwarded to the state, if a state race, or if a candidate for Federal office, to the US Treasury. If to the US, funds must be applied toward the deficit. 2) Candidates seeking re-election to their seat can accept monies ONLY from individual citizens within the district they are currently representing. Groups such as PAC’s, Corporations, Councils, Unions, etc can provide volunteers, maybe even space and phones, but not direct cash. Again, all excess funds are to be forwarded to the state, if a state race, or if a candidate for Federal office, to the US Treasury.
Finally, as it relates to DC, our Reps and Senators spend 8 months each year removed from the people they are elected to serve. I think we should apply widely available inexpensive technology such as video conferencing, and keep these folks in their home districts where they are readily accessible to their electorate. Send them to DC for 3 days each calendar quarter where they can gather on the “major issues”. This too limits the influence of lobbyists other than the people they are elected to represent. Is this too simple? Too complicated? What do you think?
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