Well, I know there is no perfect idea as to how a country should be run. Ideally it would be a republic governed under law to which everybody abides. However they've turned the US into a democracy which is corrupt to the core because we have politicians running around making all these back door "deals" with companies and their ilk.

Here's a great way to solve that problem.

You become elected, you now work for the people, you have taken a great responsibility and a great honor. With those things, also comes some sacrifices. That sacrifice is your privacy.

Everything you do, and everything you say should be recorded and televised for all to see, so that you CANNOT represent anybody but the body you were chosen to represent.

Your calls, your conversations with other politicians and business leaders all monitored and available to the public live and streaming via the internet. You fail to uphold your part of the bargain and you are immediatly removed from your post and depending on the infraction, subject to the applicable laws.

Now this concept is a litlte invasive even I would say, however when it comes to our government and the way they've mistreated and mislead us for the last 100 years I think it is imperative that people once again gain control of their elected officials.

No more closed door meetings, no more secret phone calls and meetings to discuss useless partisan plans to take over from other parties and the like. Each politican would be in charge of representing a certain area and the public would be constantly involved with what kind of issues are being presented.

The politican chosen has to forgo his own beliefs and demands in order to meet those of the greater general public. There is no need for personnal opinions on subjects, only the opinion of the Tax Payer as they are what make the country work properly.

The collective mind of thousands of people is far better than 10 guys in a locked room making all the decisions. In this system you end the manipulation and are able to immediatly deal with those who would attempt to cheat the system.

Bribes and gift payments would not be done to individual politicians but to community as a whole. Let's say a big company would like to set up shop in a town, this company produces a moderate ammount of pollution and the townspeople vote on whether or not the buisness is allowed to be constructed.

The buisness would like to win over some voters, instead of bribing individuals they give a big donation and build a park for children in area or open a anti-pollution campaign involving the local community.

This kind of system is possible and those who would not want to take part in it, and I mean the current policitians, should be and would be removed immediatley.

So what do you think ATS?

~Keeper

I agree, complete transparency is needed. And all personal phone calls, and communication devices need to be tapped and examined by the groups of citizens to determine whether they are terrorists and menaces to democracy as well. The shoe should be on the other foot.

Well if you do not mind droping the politically correct speech, and can turn a blind eye to certain private activities of the politicians, I would agree fully. Personally, I say fire them all, hire people who worked for min wage, or has been laid off to run the country, with the understanding, no private meetings or taking any funds or letting the lobbiest through the door, and I am all for it. Time to look at the common man, not the well school lawyers, to run the country, for the country and main street, not wall street.

I understand, and agree to an extent. However, I think that ALL people have a right to the same level of privacy.

Here's an example: A politician, sports figure, actor or musician are in public. If someone forces themselves into their space, is obnoxious [paparazzi] that is the same intrusive assault for them as it is for the rest of us. If, on the other hand, people approach respectfully, that public figure OWES them a moment of time. It is those same little people who made the public figure a public figure.

If it is illegal to wiretap me without a warrant, the same standard should apply. Outside of the bounds GUARANTEED U.S. citizens by the Constitution, the public figure's activities and life should be open to scrutinization. That -- as the OP said -- is part of the price of fame.

I disagree. Everything you do in office should have transparency, and all business dealings should be transparent. However, EVERYONE has a right to privacy. Until the official description of public office is "Sacrifice of your entire life", privacy is everyone's right.

No reason for any of them to give up privacy.
All that's needed is public review of any legislation and then 2/3 of the constituent's approval with a minimum of 3/4 of the constituents participating. Less than 3/4 turnout of the constituents results in abstention from the voting process by the representative.
Presidential acceptance of a law is the summary of the national public's opinion held to the same 2/3 public opinion & 3/4 turnout requirement to sign / approve and any less than 3/4 turnout requires the public to review the legislation a second time, and anything less than 2/3 positive public opinion is a veto. If after two aggregate / national public reviews there is still less than a 3/4 turnout, it's a veto.

Voting on every issue like that at the federal level isn't practical for the every day person.

Sure, it works great for cities, but not for small towns and places with a small amount of population.

In order to have this kind of system you require a lot more representation in various places.

Transparency is the only way to insure that things get done properly.

~Keeper

There are quite a few rules pertaining to being a politician and privacy.

1 . Privacy is a myth. Everything you do, everything you say is subjected to scrutiny or questioning.
2. Everything you say or do is open to discussion and debate.
3. You agreed to become who you are and have to give up privacy.
4. If you do not want every little facet of your life from being put out there or are a private person, politics, actor/actress, socialite or musician is not the profession you should be seeking. Get a cozy 9-5 office job where you can be yourself and not have to worry about if you mess up it won't appear on the cover of your local paper.

If you think that politics is for you then be prepared to forfiet any claim to privacy as you made your bed and now you have to lie in it.

Need I remind everyone on one thing, they work for us, we pay thier salary and we require that they maintain an open disclosure to every aspect of thier life. Even in the remote chance they can hide something, the the majority of the populous it will be seen as having a hidden, alterior or nefarious agenda. I know how much we all hate politicians with skeleton's in thier closet. The only exemption to the rule are all minor children of any politician.

In example, I decide to run for office to represent you, I better damn well expect that everything I've ever done in my adult life is like an open book for you to read and examine as for me to be your leader I must prove to you I am worth of the title.

[edit on 1-6-2009 by TheImmaculateD1]

[edit on 1-6-2009 by TheImmaculateD1]