Responsibility #2

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=110 BGCOLOR="#666699" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="04900840erlcjm.png"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>NATIONAL SECURITY--Structural,Moral,Economic,Domestic,International</B></FONT><B>     |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="NATIONAL SECURITYStructural,Moral,Econom"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id33.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility Contents"><U>Responsibility Contents</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id34.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 1"><U>Responsibility #1</U></A>   |   <B>Responsibility #2</B>   |   <A HREF="id36.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 3"><U>Responsibility #3</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id37.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 4"><U>Responsibility #4</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id38.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 5"><U>Responsibility 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#68</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id102.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 69"><U>Responsibility #69</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id103.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 70"><U>Responsibility #70</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id104.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 71"><U>Responsibility #71</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id105.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 72"><U>Responsibility #72</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id106.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 73"><U>Responsibility #73</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id107.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 74"><U>Responsibility #74</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id108.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 75"><U>Responsibility #75</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id109.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 76"><U>Responsibility #76</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id110.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 77"><U>Responsibility #77</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id111.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 78"><U>Responsibility #78</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id112.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 79"><U>Responsibility #79</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id113.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 80"><U>Responsibility #80</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id114.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 81"><U>Responsibility #81</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id115.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 82"><U>Responsibility #82</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id116.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 83"><U>Responsibility #83</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id117.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 84"><U>Responsibility #84</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id118.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 85"><U>Responsibility #85</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id119.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 86"><U>Responsibility #86</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id120.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 87"><U>Responsibility #87</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id121.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 88"><U>Responsibility #88</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id122.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Health Care Letters to President, et al,"><U>Health Care Letters to President, et al, 8/24/94</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id123.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Arguments for Delay in Enactment of a He"><U>Arguments for Delay in Enactment of a Health Care Bill</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id124.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Post WORLD WAR IIPost COLD WAR Deja Vu"><U>Post WORLD WAR II--Post COLD WAR Deja Vu</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id125.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 89"><U>Responsibility #89</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id126.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 90"><U>Responsibility #90</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id127.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 91"><U>Responsibility #91</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id128.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 92"><U>Responsibility #92</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id129.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 93"><U>Responsibility #93</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id130.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 94"><U>Responsibility #94</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id131.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 95"><U>Responsibility #95</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id132.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 96"><U>Responsibility #96</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id133.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 97"><U>Responsibility #97</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id134.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 98"><U>Responsibility #98</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id135.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Structure of Our Nation is Unsound"><U>The Structure of Our Nation is Unsound</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id136.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ltr. to Editor, 3/19/96, Property Taxes "><U>Ltr. to Editor, 3/19/96, Property Taxes and Education Funding</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=190 BGCOLOR="#CCCCFF" TEXT="#080000" background="04311c00egdysm.png"> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=370 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> Responsibility #2</div> <div> (written prior to July 1992)</div> <div> To the People of the United States of America:</div> <div>      With the conduct of the 1992 campaigns fresh in our minds,we shall first address the shortcomings of the election process.  </div> <div>      The foundation of our country is that we are a democratic republic.  We are not a pure democracy.  In a pure democracy each citizen directly participates in the legislative assembly.  Instead, we rely on elected officials to represent us in councils or legislatures, and executive offices, at the various levels of government (town, city, county, state, national).  </div> <div>      At the national level, we elect Representatives and Senators for the House of Representatives and Senate, respectively.  It is intended that each member of Congress devote his full time and attention to the legislative interests of his constituents within his district or state; interests that are appropriate to the national level of government as specified in the Constitution.  We also elect a President and a Vice President to devote their full time and attention to the interests of all citizens of our country appropriate to the executive functions as stated in the Constitution.  It is not intended that these citizen interests be compromised or overridden by any allegiance or obligations to a political party, lobby, political action committee, etc.</div> <bR> <div>      Due to the nature and conditions of the thirteen states at the beginning of our country, it was anticipated by our founders that the voting and governing would be limited in practice to the landed gentry.  But due to efforts of various patriots and to changes in society, we have progressed toward universal suffrage (one person, one vote).  At times this  progress has been deterred or temporarily lost by such things as slavery, sex and age discrimination, poll taxes, literacy tests, political machines, etc.  We like to brag that in our country, regardless of origin and circumstance, any son or daughter can aspire to be President of the United States.  In actuality one person, one (effective) vote is probably at its lowest ebb. <U>And the right of the electorate to seek out and find, nominate, and elect the best qualified leaders is foreclosed by money and power</U>.</div> <bR> <div>      What are the shortcomings of our national election process?</div> <bR> <div> 1. Constituents' interests criteria are not established at the outset of the election process to serve as a screening means.  </div> <bR> <div> 2. Usually the voters are effectively limited to candidates selected by the two political parties.  </div> <bR> <div> 3. The Democratic and the Republican parties home-in on candidates who have paid their "dues" to the party and who show the most capability of winning, rather than seeking the best qualified to pursue the general welfare of our states and nation.  </div> <bR> <div> 4. Election campaigns are too long.  Indeed, to one degree or another, they never cease.  </div> <bR> <div> 5. Election campaigns are too costly.  </div> <bR> <div> 6. Little positive is achieved for the electorate by these immense expenditures of time, money, and talents. </div> <bR> <div> 7. On the negative side, campaign misleading and single-issue television and radio ads (particularly the dramatically successful 30 second spots) have come to dominate the election process.  </div> <bR> <div> 8. Perhaps worst of all, degrading and divisive campaign techniques, exemplified by the Willie Horton spot used in the 1988 presidential election, divert attention from the true issues and the true characteristics of the candidates.  </div> <bR> <div> 9. Success in elections usually is only achieved through the power and money contributed by the political parties, lobbies, and political action committees.  </div> <bR> <div> 10.There is the actuality and perception by the public that access and votes are the prices paid, by our elected and appointed officials, for the campaign contributions.  </div> <bR> <div> 11.Setting of legal limits on campaign contributions and expenditures have proven to be ineffective.  Instead additional support for the candidate or elected official are provided through back door means such as speech honoraria, publication and sales, etc.  Ways can be found to hide and not report expenditures.  </div> <bR> <div> 12.There is inappropriate delegation of authority and responsibility to the political parties in the administration of the elections.  Most voters must register with a party to vote.  If on election day it is found that their registration is not up to date, they can't vote.  As in former days of party machines' excesses, actions to get out the vote is still left to the Democratic and Republican parties primarily.  This supports each party's continuing semi-monopoly power over elections.  </div> <bR> <div> 13.Once elected the member of Congress, through horse-trading of votes and membership or control of particular committees, can gain continuing subsidies or other benefits for his district or state, lobby or special interest group.  </div> <bR> <div> 14.The members of Congress continue to campaign by using their perks and privileges.  The unlimited franking privilege, unlimited newsletters, extraneous floor speeches, unspoken speeches printed in the Congressional Record, uncontrolled travel expenses round trip Washington to home state, the maintenance of offices in both Washington and in the home state, etc., are used to gain and retain votes.  Even committee hearings (particularly Senate confirmation hearings) degrade into speeches posturing for reelection votes.  A notorious example of the last is the recent Judge Clarence Thomas Supreme Court confirmation hearings.  </div> <bR> <div> 15.Once elected, due to each of the above election process shortcomings, the Congressional incumbent is almost assured of reelection time after time after time.  </div> <bR> <div> 16.Similarly, through election process shortcomings; and through the resources, powers, and functions of their offices; the President and Vice President can assure their reelection, or the election of their party's succeeding nominees, time after time after time.  </div> <bR> <div> 17.In the 1980s and 1990s (in particular), the Presidents appeared to spend most of their time traveling around making speeches and holding press conferences.  This had to come at the expense of policy making and watching the hen house.  It is nigh on to impossible for citizens to separate which travel and speeches were necessary to the functions of the Chief Executive, and which were continuous campaigning.</div> <bR> <div> In the next few papers, we shall discuss these shortcomings in greater detail.  Suggestions will be offered to alleviate, if not to eliminate, these obstacles to a just and effective election process.</div> <bR> <div>                          Publius IV</div> <div> <A HREF="id36.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 3"><U>Responsibility #3</U></A> </div> <div> Back to: <A HREF="id33.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility Contents"><U>Responsibility Contents</U></A></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>