OpenGov - Open Government Brainstorm

I like the spirit of what you are saying but it's just not a simple problem. Politicians have to raise money to run campaigns for local offices all over the country, you cant hand money to everyone who says their a politician.

Even if you just do public funding for Presidential elections the candidates will by that time already have many "cash alliances".

Well I have thought this for some time but I would pay for it buy placing a campaign fee say on each tax return of either a percent of income or taxes being paid to the Federal Government.

The same plane would work for state elections.

I would not outlaw fund raising, but we can level the field and not have it cost the taxpayer anything.

Four to eight weeks prior to any presidential, senatorial, or primary election, free media will be provided to anyone with the required signatures to run for office. Free and equal air time for all those who have the requirements to run for office. Equal meaning same amount of air time for all candidates with rotating order of appearance. For instance, each candidate will have a five minute daily spot on all channels, twice daily, one spot AM, one spot PM. The time slot must rotate as well, so as to not impact a show more then needed. Monday time slot 1pm following Monday slot 2pm and so on. Air time is defined as all television and radio channels. Regional channels will be responsible for local congressional candidate’s air time.

• The multiple election cycle process. At the eighth week mark before an election or primary election, free media will be provided for all candidates. At the fourth week mark before the election, a public secondary run-off-vote will limit the candidates to a smaller number. The November 4th general public election will ultimately decide the outcome of the election via public majority decision. The discussion to modify or do away with electoral vote system should be determined. Extra run-off vote dates may be decided, prior to November 4 determination

• Free media election reform would bring in more parties and more debate of real issues. The current two party system produces nomine leaders who stop talking about issues in fear that if they say anything it would only lend ammo to the other side. This is a silly system, where corporate funding influence often does buy votes from a limited candidate choice. The initial caucuses does provide a small range of party nominees to run for president, but this system also chokes’ out the independent candidates because they do not have the master list of party members to draw upon. A grass roots effort only works for the well organized two party system.

A single act of Congress to provide free media to anyone who meets election requirements could make our elections “unbuyable by special interests.”

If nobody can make or accept political contributions, then only people who are personally very wealthy would be able to campaign for office. Not a good idea.

The only true way to level the playing field is to mandate free media coverage to all those with the requirements to run for office. Let the ideas of the candidates speak for them. If and when the candidates start spouting feelgood or mudslinging rather than speaking about their ideas for change ete, then they will find an unreceptive audience. People want to hear the truth and are becoming more aware of the bullpucky that is ever present in some of our politicians. Such as McCain, that man talked and walked both sides of an argument so often, knowing full well that whichever part of the argument appeals to a particualar person that they will dismiss the other side. Promissing the moon with the full intention of never delivering isnt good politics. Opening up the numbers of people running for office and including more third party representation would bring in the fresh ideas that our country deperately needs.

Idea 1447, Campaign Contribution Reform

http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/4247-4049

Do a search in Google on "Government Wealth" then if you are inclined, support this man that has provided this great service for us that make up the USA. We need volunteers to audit their city, county, state, etc...