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If you as an ordinary US citizen have developed the suspicion that the government doesn't listen to what you say, you may be right.

http://www.princeton.edu/~mgilens/Gilens%20homepage%20materials/Gilens%20and%20Page/Gilens%20and%20Page%202014-Testing%20Theories%203-7-14.pdf

As reported in BoingBoing here...

http://boingboing.net/2014/04/13/study-american-policy-exclusi.html#more-297250


The TL;DR is that the top 10% richest people have 15 times more influence over government decisions than everyone else.

I would be very interested to see a similar piece of analysis for the UK.

You don't say?

 Kilkrazy wrote:
If you as an ordinary US citizen have developed the suspicion that the government doesn't listen to what you say, you may be right.

http://www.princeton.edu/~mgilens/Gilens%20homepage%20materials/Gilens%20and%20Page/Gilens%20and%20Page%202014-Testing%20Theories%203-7-14.pdf

As reported in BoingBoing here...

http://boingboing.net/2014/04/13/study-american-policy-exclusi.html#more-297250


The TL;DR is that the top 10% richest people have 15 times more influence over government decisions than everyone else.

I would be very interested to see a similar piece of analysis for the UK.

Yep, and that was while there were still restrictions on campaign finance. Anymore politicians might as well just walk around with price tags.

Cap the campaign contriibutions to $100/head.

Viola! Democratic Politics solved!

 whembly wrote:
Cap the campaign contriibutions to $100/head.

Viola! Democratic Politics solved!

Sure, but how do you pass campaign reform to curtail buying influence, when currently those who don't want restrictions can just spend unlimited funds to make sure that doesn't happen.

Step 1: Shoot Fire all the lobbyists into the sun
Step 2: Force all political contributions to be publically disclosed
Step 3: Cap PAC spending; require donor disclosure
Step 4: Mandate a "no-hire" time to prevent the "Revolving Door" bull crap.

 Andrew1975 wrote:

 whembly wrote:
Cap the campaign contriibutions to $100/head.

Viola! Democratic Politics solved!

Sure, but how do you pass campaign reform to curtail buying influence, when currently those who don't want restrictions can just spend unlimited funds to make sure that doesn't happen.

By voting of course Remember, your vote matters!

 Gentleman_Jellyfish wrote:

 Andrew1975 wrote:

 whembly wrote:
Cap the campaign contriibutions to $100/head.

Viola! Democratic Politics solved!

Sure, but how do you pass campaign reform to curtail buying influence, when currently those who don't want restrictions can just spend unlimited funds to make sure that doesn't happen.

By voting of course Remember, your vote matters!

Sure, if money even allows you to vote on the issue. I sure don't seam remember voting for unlimited campaign contributions. Oh, right I never had the chance, that was passed by the supreme court........somehow? I'm sure no money was exchanged for that ruling.

Step 1: Shoot Fire all the lobbyists into the sun
Step 2: Force all political contributions to be publically disclosed
Step 3: Cap PAC spending; require donor disclosure
Step 4: Mandate a "no-hire" time to prevent the "Revolving Door" bull crap.

Step 1. Have idea
Step 2. Find way to implement idea.
Step 3. Money blocks your idea.
Step 4. ???????????
Step 5. Profit.

Require every person in public office to live like a monk while in office. Only a brown robe, No shoes and live in a temple, but when the 8 years of service are done, they get shipped off to paradise Island, where there every wish comes true.

The only way to check a few large donors is with real grass roots organizations of large bodies of voter blocks.

Good luck.

 Andrew1975 wrote:

Step 1: Shoot Fire all the lobbyists into the sun
Step 2: Force all political contributions to be publically disclosed
Step 3: Cap PAC spending; require donor disclosure
Step 4: Mandate a "no-hire" time to prevent the "Revolving Door" bull crap.

Step 1. Have idea
Step 2. Find way to implement idea.
Step 3. Money blocks your idea.
Step 4. ???????????
Step 5. Profit.

Oh believe me, I'm under no illusions that my list would ever come to pass. Lobbying/lobbyists are just a sticking point for me when it comes to US legal policy.

I like this idea - if we overspend and get in debt then none of those elected officials are permitted to stand for office again.

 Andrew1975 wrote:

 whembly wrote:
Cap the campaign contriibutions to $100/head.

Viola! Democratic Politics solved!

Sure, but how do you pass campaign reform to curtail buying influence, when currently those who don't want restrictions can just spend unlimited funds to make sure that doesn't happen.

What you'd need, for perfectly fair elections, is to federalize campaign financing. A candidate could spend none of their own funds, and donors would only be able to give to support financing. Funds would then be apportioned according to a breakdown of popularity, with a certain amount available to anyone who qualifies to run through raising signatures to demonstrate their candidacy, and the remainder broken up by percentage of the vote the sides are able to secure.

Institute an oversight committee, and fine those who violate the campaign financing heavily (which is placed back into the pool of campaign financing).

The issue is that there is no reason for any politician to back this is they are in the majority or already have a wealthy backer.

If person puts private wealth before country, that's treason shoot them.
If lobbyist promotes idea's that are good for companies, but bad for country. That's treason shoot them.
Problem sorted

society was developed to serve the needs of the people. That's why they're called civil servants.
now it seems the people must serve societies elite.
Get back to work drones.