Something the majority can all agree on and why exactly haven't we done it yet?

So, no matter which way we lean be it right left or in between why can't we all come together on this one major issue in our government? When big money has more control over our elected representatives then we do it's a sin against the people.

I'm talking about campaign finance reform, somehow coming up with a system that caters to the people not the private political country clubs that are the R's and D's, and getting lobbyists away from our elected representatives.

If everyone 'conservatives, liberals, independents, progressives, etc.' made this a no wiggle room issue and would pursue it consistently while standing firm and not getting divided up on this one important issue why couldn't it be achieved?

Make it a coalition or an alliance, whatever we want to call it. But the bottom line and purpose for our unity would be to get big money out of our politics and make our elected officials strictly focus on We The People. No more big donors. No more pharmaceutical lobbyists stuffing our politicians pockets. No more any of that. Just our elected representatives holding themselves accountable to us and only us.

Why is that so hard? How did we get to where we are now with this form of corruption where our politicians are bought and paid for? How do we get to where we need to be?

Why don't we put aside differences and all get on the same page for this one key issue? I'm talking nationwide. Surely it's easily an issue the majority of the people can unify on. Once this is done we can go back to debating and wrestling with each other but this is important!

Yeah...why can't we do this? Together. I'm in. Let's organize.

a reply to: Gumerk

I will tell you why.

First, the corrupt will never give up their money and influence.

Second, if there were a movement to do this that had any chance of success, you can bet it's leadership would be found to have done something terribly illegal and go to jail or have interesting accidents and sudden suicides.

True.

a reply to: Gumerk

We the people hate each other too much to set our differences aside.

a reply to: Gumerk

Simply because the people that directly benefit from the money politics brings are also the same people that vote on such policies.

Would you ever vote to give yourself a demotion, decrease in pay, or fire yourself?

As intended the system is too complex far a single man to read,without YEARS of training,yet those who CAN'T are played as rubes

originally posted by: BELIEVERpriest
a reply to: Gumerk

We the people hate each other too much to set our differences aside.

I don't think we hate the 'people' so much as we hate the 'others' political leanings.

I'm sure we all have friends on both sides of the aisle; we just don't agree with their beliefs in terms of what is best for society.

a reply to: Gumerk

The dems are all atleast in principle..

Corporations being people and lobbyists owning the government IS the conservative position though so.....


I would never argue that the dems are not being paid off as well, but it is not the Democrats/liberals who are making the political arguments to keep it that way...


Look at the citizens united decision...

It went along ideological lines.. the right wing justices voting for it, the left wing ones against it..

a reply to: JoshuaCox

Yeah, the dems just want unions considered people because they conveniently launder tax payer money endlessly into democrat party coffers every bit as badly as corporations ever do.

a reply to: Gumerk

It's like term limits.

Something else they will never do.

Why would they vote to eliminate a key source of wealth and power and influence?

originally posted by: Gumerk
So, no matter which way we lean be it right left or in between why can't we all come together on this one major issue in our government? When big money has more control over our elected representatives then we do it's a sin against the people.

I'm talking about campaign finance reform, somehow coming up with a system that caters to the people not the private political country clubs that are the R's and D's, and getting lobbyists away from our elected representatives.

If everyone 'conservatives, liberals, independents, progressives, etc.' made this a no wiggle room issue and would pursue it consistently while standing firm and not getting divided up on this one important issue why couldn't it be achieved?

Make it a coalition or an alliance, whatever we want to call it. But the bottom line and purpose for our unity would be to get big money out of our politics and make our elected officials strictly focus on We The People. No more big donors. No more pharmaceutical lobbyists stuffing our politicians pockets. No more any of that. Just our elected representatives holding themselves accountable to us and only us.

Why is that so hard? How did we get to where we are now with this form of corruption where our politicians are bought and paid for? How do we get to where we need to be?

Why don't we put aside differences and all get on the same page for this one key issue? I'm talking nationwide. Surely it's easily an issue the majority of the people can unify on. Once this is done we can go back to debating and wrestling with each other but this is important!

It's called publicly funded elections!

And we don't join together on this or any issue of agreement because of money working tirelessly to keep up acting like arselings to each other based on ideological BS.

Too many people have to work together to get this done. Thus, too many opportunities for the big money elites to derail the effort.

You have to amend the constitution. That requires members of congress to work together. Then 3/4 of the states need to ratify it.

-dex

a reply to: Gumerk

I basically agree with you.

But the issue is not as black and white as it would seem.

First, should the government really have the right to tell me how I can spend my money?

And also, where do we stop this? Ok fime, you can only donate a 1000 bucks or something to a candidate.

But let's say I run a news network, say the new York Times or CNN. Although I can only donate a small amount of money, I can make my network a cheerleader for one party over the other.

Now instead of "money" running the elections, it's merely people with other certain kinds of power.

And we have seen how fair these media companies are.

So again, I agree with you that we need to get government back to being held accountable to the people and not big money, but it's a complicated issue.

a reply to: Gumerk

Yeah the voters want that, our elected officials on both sides truly do not. They care about getting re-elected and they need the money to make that a sure thing most of the time.

originally posted by: DBCowboy
a reply to: Gumerk

It's like term limits.

Something else they will never do.

Why would they vote to eliminate a key source of wealth and power and influence?

Sigh...

"Term limits" have downsides people never seem to consider.

When you aren't worried about getting re-elected and know you only have a short number of years...you can act as corrupt as you want, trying to secure those lucrative "consulting" jobs after your limited terms are up.

Also, when you have term limits you don't get to spend a lot of time getting to learn the ins and outs of the political system and how/why some things are just plain bad ideas ... even if they seem popular to your constituents.

I agree we shouldn't have dynastic-like representation, but limiting terms isn't some "magic bullet". Term limits carry some real-world, worrisome problems of their own....problems no one wants to think about because it seems like such a quick, easy, and straightforward "fix".

And it's not even really about the "money" we should be focusing on. It's the corruption (which does, admittedly, involve money). Fix the corruption first ... that'll by proxy fix the money and likely touch upon term limits as well.

a reply to: ketsuko

And the gop doesn’t?!?!

It is legal for our politicians to insider trade and pay for play... LEGAL...

Made legal by politicians generations ago..

All the stuff is nonesense because they all do it...hell it is the foundation for our political system..

Garbage?? Yea..

Unique to Hillary Clinton, the left or whoever else the Fox News types are scape goating this week????


BWAHAHAHA

That’s why there will never be any prosecution for any of them even though your trump and savior owns every branch...

No one can stop him from having special prosecutors and grand juries...

Yet none have been formed... hmm curious...

I hate to shatter your naivete, but lobbying is a good thing when not done maliciously.


If we ban lobbying then how will small groups get the attention a problem deserves? What if your church group wants to petition a Governor to move a road because too many kids are getting hit by cars leaving Sunday School? Shouldn't they be allowed to lobby him to sign off on an upcoming spend?



This is just one example but I'm sure you get the point.

Lobbying CAN be a good thing.

a reply to: Tempter

And from the numbers I've seen only a few thousand can get you what you want.

Someone ought to start a crowd funding site for citizen-lobying efforts. Kind of like a GoFundMe or something.

Anyone know how to get something like that started?

Because the rich people own the company's that the taxpayers work for,which provides for their family,the problem is money but it would be a matter of time before that too would cause tension,as some would grow more then others,it's all about survival,the last 50 yrs the government has been taking survival skills out of the equation,people are more reliant on govt,would take a new mind set,or thinning of herd,people need to worry and take care of selves

originally posted by: Kettu
a reply to: Tempter

And from the numbers I've seen only a few thousand can get you what you want.

Someone ought to start a crowd funding site for citizen-lobying efforts. Kind of like a GoFundMe or something.

Anyone know how to get something like that started?

A gofundme for the people funded by the people, it's ideal if you can find someone to run it.