C060323b Bush Clinton Bush Clinton

Bush, Clinton, Bush, Clinton.... can't we do better?

Information, news and opinions about

"our" federal government, and how to

bring about a return to leadership!

A Return to Leadership

Column - An American View (3/23/06)

No one, especially not me, should fault someone in any way for
wanting to serve his or her country. You give up some things and the
higher the office, the more you give up. But can't we do better as a
nation than to elect four people from only two families in our country
as President of the United States over a consecutive 20 year period?

Doesn't there have to be more out there in a nation of nearly 300
million reasonably intelligent souls? Are we really so interested in
who the next Idol will be and how long the lines at the fast food drive
thrus are that we can't do better...demand better? Has the
tremendous power of money and favors owed overtaken "we the
people" ability to select from our broad and talented country for the
office of President? Yes..in short...yes it has.

Money from larger states has too much influence in the early presidential primary and caucus season in much
smaller states. For this reason and several others, we should not permit people to contribute money outside of
the state they reside in to candidates for federal offices. Not a new idea, I suspect, but one whose time has
come. Lets see how a Senator from California or a Governor from Texas does in Iowa with only the money raised
from people living in Iowa. Of course it gives an even bigger advantage to the local candidate, but they usually
win their own state anyway. Let the people doing the voting set how much they want spent wooing their primary
vote.

Will political parties go for it? Not a chance unless we demand it and probably only after we get it added to the
U.S. Constitution. Our political parties don't like being told what to do. That's our job. We the people can drop a
little amendment to "our" constitution on them such as the one below.

Long term thinking by "our" long term public servants has disappeared. We need to bring it back.

Section I, No national, state, regional or local political party nominee, a person requesting acceptance or accepted
to be placed on a ballot for the position of member of the U.S. House of Representatives or U.S. Senate shall accept
monetary campaign contributions or other support contributions from any person, or other entity not residing in their
state or having a primary place of business within their state employing 1 or more persons.

Section II, A person, company, or other entity shall not contribute monetary or other support contributions to a state-
wide ballot initiative if said person, company, or other entity does not reside in the state voting on the ballot initiative.

Section III, Pertaining to those candidates not choosing to accept federal general election campaign funds, no
national, state, regional or local political party nominees, persons requesting acceptance or accepted to be placed
on the November general election ballot for the positions of President and Vice-President of the United States, shall
spend more in a state than what was contributed by persons residing in that state to their campaign. The popular
vote winner for a state that is deemed as not following said rule shall forfeit all electoral votes for that state to the
next largest winner of votes. This forfeiture shall take place before the convening of the next electoral college.

Section IV, Unspent campaign contributions from a person, company, or other entity to a national or state political
party nominee(s), a person requesting acceptance or accepted to be placed on a ballot for the position of member
of the U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Senate, Vice-President, or President of the United States shall not be
carried forward to the next election. All monies shall be offered back to contributors and if refused by contributor,
shall be given to the federal government and applied to reducing the national debt within 6 months after the election.

Section V, No primary or caucus voting for the Presidential nominee of any political party shall take place prior to
April 1 of the year of a Presidential election.

Section VI, A minimum of four debates must take place between the major political party nominees for President
prior to the general election. At a minimum, the ten highest nationally rated television networks or television
stations, radio networks or radio stations shall televise all debates without interruption for free. Debates shall take
place one each on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday night beginning at 9pm and not ending before
11pm Eastern Time. A minimum of one debate must take place between the major political party nominees for
Vice-President prior to the general election. At a minimum, the ten highest nationally rated television networks or
television stations, radio networks or radio stations shall televise all debates without interruption for free. Debate or
debates shall take place on either a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday night beginning at 9pm and not
ending before 11pm Eastern Time.

An American View column and blog by Bruce Green - conservative & moderate political discourse