- Ward Williams
- Bettendorf, IA
- United States
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Given current networking and opensource possibilities is it possible to conduct a run for high office using little or no money?
I think politicians are bought and sold like any other commodity. While I don't think money is the root of all evil, it contributes mightily, and has no place in deciding who we choose as leaders. I've noticed that campaign finance reform is only talked about when someone gets caught with their hand in the cookie jar, and then is dropped as soon as the heat dies down. There is no incentive for our employees to change the rules, because the rules favor them.
We could publicly pay for campaigns. Everyone gets the same money, and when it's gone it's gone. This would eliminate special interest contributions, and give everyone a skin in the game, but only one. This seems a better choice to me than what we're doing. What we have now is tantamount to jury tampering for which jail time is required.
Beyond public financing, would it be possible to run with no money at all? We're becoming a more and more interconnected bunch, with the resources to share without the input or contribution from the typical media.
Any other ideas?
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Gail . 50+
Begin with most states give immunity to incumbents and the two major political parties. But just for the signatures to get on the ballot, most states require forms where only 8 names appear on a page. That's WELL over 4,000 pages for a typical state. (times 50) Some states limit the time that you are allowed to collect signatures to impossibly small or inconvenient times. States like Arizona do not allow petitioners to be registered with another political party, so petitioners must first go to the election office to see if they have been removed from the rolls of a party they no longer want to support. FOR STARTERS.
Write-ins are not allowed in too many states. Some of those states that allow write-ins do not count the votes and there is no provision for a ballot of electors. Add to that that the minute that you say you are running for office, reports every other week are required for both state and federal election commissions. Bottom line: It's not possible for someone with a sensible, well-articulated plan for getting us out of our predicament to run for any office that would allow those solutions to be heard without one first being bought by the military industrial complex who will squelch them.
I stopped making my cartoon campaign videos that I hoped would go viral. I closed down my database and cleaned out my day timer. I resigned myself to what was obvious and gave up on America. The people are the government's enemy
Ward Williams
edward long 100+
Ward Williams
Start an effort to end this kind of stuff and see who squeals.
Gail . 50+
The bottom line is that we have been LIED to about our own history, so as we try to put a government framework together that would meet the peoples' needs (as the Constitution was written to, and if honored, would restore), most are working with the lies. Neither side wants Constitutional Law, preferring instead the British Common Law that we have thanks to a coup d'etat in 1819 - that you haven't been told about (but for which, clear documentary evidence exists.)
People wanted to violate the Constitution rather than allow the amendment process to play out according to the will of the people. They wanted Congress to fix things, but Congress is unwilling to fulfill its constitutional mandate, so it wants the president and/or Supreme Court to fix things. It is unreasonable to assume that our elected & appointed representatives would give up money and power because a few people with no voice, and no understanding of what the core problem is, are speaking out. So everyone - people and government - are looking for ways to blame everyone else.
A restoration of the 10th amendment (by amendment) that grants government 10 years to conform to it would be valuable, but unless otherwise amended, a lawful government would eliminate almost all government spending and almost all government intrusions in our lives. (which is why the 2 sides couldn't see how much they had in common - they fear each other.)
We are not educated enough to know what we should know PLUS we confuse emotions with thought. This leaves us afraid, powerless & impotent. Government sponsored schools (indoctrination centers) teach & reward sheeple skills.
Educate selves first. Learn how 2 think.
Ward Williams
Gail . 50+
Yes, there have been great leaders who changed history even though they weren't in high political office. But they did so when the times provided the opportunity. It appears that America wants to hit bottom, from whence such opportunities arise.