US Elections: A Modest Proposal

After reading The Nation 6/8/15 on the "Wealth Primary" and the need for presidential candidates to raise money, it occurred to me we should change our election process.  Lets just auction off every political office in the country to the highest bidder.  That way the money that "buys an election" will go to the government and not to some multi-million dollar ad agency or media empire. 

Ok, so its a crazy idea some might say, but the wealthy run the country anyway, they should be able to pick their leader.  In that way candidates don't have to debase themselves kissing up or lying thru their teeth to us about what they will do once in office.  These promises are mostly forgotten anyway.  You know, Bush the compassionate conservative or Obama the anti war candidate (Iraq).

The money made by the auction should be earmarked for some domestic purpose depending on the level of government the candidate seeks.  The money raised by those wishing to be President would go to the federal government to be used for infrastructure repair or social security or education or whatever the nation needs most. 

Money raised by those wishing to be House or Senate members should be split evenly between the federal and state governments and used for domestic issues to be determined by those levels of government.

Money raised by those wishing to be Governor or Lt Gov should be earmarked for the state to spend on domestic issues.  Likewise, those running for country office and town should be used by those jurisdictions for their needs.

The bidding can be done on E-Bay and open to all those who meet the qualifications as set forth in the US Constitution.  This would be conducted over a 30 day period to allow the rest of us to watch to gain some entertainment value from.  This would also negate the need for all those annoying phone calls for this candidate or that candidate, all those political signs up and down the highway (in the name of full disclosure I  must admit this might make my collection of political signs more valuable), the endless TV and radio commercials saying what a lard-ass some someone else is or how many times they have committed an unspeakable sexual act in a men's (or women's) room on the NJ Turnpike.

We can also make a lottery out of this by allowing people to place bets on who would win.  This way the "electorate" is given a little taste of a remaining free election process.

As I said at the beginning, this is only a modest proposal and one that will need to be improved on if a number of people agree with the idea.

Obama and Gun Violence.

In response to the killing of nine people in a Charleston, SC church because of their race, calls for change have been many.  Some of demanded the removal of the Confederate battle flag being taken down from the grounds of the state capital in SC and many have called for more control over who can buy a handgun.  President Obama comments that things will not change until "the American people feel a sufficient sense of urgency" and say this is not normal in a society.

I have said before, after Columbine, and Sandy Hook that I for one make a pledge to not vote for any politician who takes money or support from the NRA or the Gun Owners of America.  That will apply for every office for which an election is the way to pick the office holder.  That might leave me with no one of the major parties to vote for, but there will always be a minor party with someone with gun money.  If we all took this pledge then things would change.  I am not talking about denying gun ownership to hunters or those who have a legitimate need for one.  Just get in registered and don't allow anyone to sell a gun without a background check and a licence to sell.  The Second Amendment does include the words "well regulated" in regard to gun ownership and that's all most people are asking.