If you had the opportunity to redesign government, where would you start?

[SmartBomb]

I put it to the massive DU Collective Brain; what would you keep, what would you toss, what wholly new concepts would you introduce? Would it be a democracy or something else?

[illflem]

1. Term limits for all elected officials

[sweetheart]

2. end corporate personhood

everything else will fall out from there.

KISS... end the corporate tyranny by removing their false rights.

[Vincardog]

4. Exactly end the influence of the inhuman

[bossfish]

3. Here's a couple

Public campaign financing

Abolition of the Electoral College

[Ian David]

5. My pet idea: The "At Large" vote

Each person gets to vote for their local government, president, etc. in their state/district, as usual.

My idea is to add an "at-large vote" for each voter. Using their at-large vote, everyone has the opportunity to cast ONE vote per election on ANY race, ANYWHERE in the country-- but only ONCE.

A citizen in Los Angeles could use their single at-large vote in support of a candidate running for dogcatcher in Des Moines. A citizen of Boston could use their at-large vote for a senator in Pennsylvania.

Again, each citizen would have only ONE at-large vote to use ONCE per election.

My theory is that citizens have the right to elect those they wish to represent them. However, the at-large vote would allow people from other areas to mitigate the damage inflicted upon them by a single bad senator or representative.

It's just my little thought experiment.

[sweetheart]

6. how about proportional representation

As much as i appreciate the idea, it is half baked proportional
representation.... why not focus on the real deal.

In such regard, winner take all politics would end, and the people
would get fair representation in government based on the real
breakdown of the politics of the demographics.

Beyond that, a simple amendment making voting mandatory in democracy
would as well correct the systematic concerns you mention.

[Shakespeare]

7. Federal funds ONLY for elections, and stopping the two-way...

...migration between lobbying and elected office OR appointed position.

It's the only way to remove corporate taint.

[ChairOne]

8. #1 - ensure that the governmental branches are properly enumerated...

My Dream Changes:

The primary point of the separation of powers is to (a) make despotism hard, (b) thereby protecting everybody's rights. This is an excellent idea. Constitutional delineation of powers provides for explicit rights and responsibilities of the named powers. It works reasonably well for countries of small and moderate size, but I think a bit more is needed for larger countries.

First, a moderate increase in the power of the judicial branch:

In order that the House of Representatives actually *be* representative of the people, the judicial branch may hear and rule on petitions concerning the fairness of Congressional districts.


In addition to the legislative, executive, and judicial, two more powers need to be specifically mentioned, and their rights and responsibilities explicitly delineated.


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(4) The people.

The Constitution is high on their rights, but has practically nothing to say about their responsibilities. IMO we're now seeing the end result of this.

(a) 1-2 yr mandatory public service requirement.
For a variety of well-known reasons, insular, clannish people don't make good citizens of a heterogeneous nation. Mandatory public service is aimed at alleviating this problem. Service may take the form of military, civil domestic, or civil foreign service. Civil domestic and foreign service is aimed at things like the Red Cross, charities, and stuff like that. No service shall be performed within two states of the citizen's home.

(b) Education.
Idiots don't make good citizens of a advanced nation. This will no longer be a right, but rather a responsibility. A college education will be required of citizens. This education will include, but not be limited to, a basic proficiency in calculus, a foreign language, and literature. This education will be paid for by the state, to the extent that the citizen is unable to pay for it on his or her own. Scholars, and only scholars, determine the curriculum.
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(5) The Corporation.

The economic necessity of such an entity is without question. The situation with them has become rather like the people's - all rights, and no responsibilities. This must end. They must be recognized as a political power, with their rights and responsibilities clearly and explicitly stated. I'm not knowedgeable enough (yet) to give details, but here are some things I have in mind on the responsibility side:

(a) No offshore tax havens. Hell - no tax loopholes at all.

(b) The total earnings of an employee of the corporation shall not exceed more than N times the median employee's earnings.

(c) Something about regulating lobbying.

(d) Something about requiring a strong hiring preference for Americans, where feasible.

(e) Something about anticompetitive behavior.

(f) Anti-union behavior (on the part of the corp) shall not be tolerated.
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The media can stay as they are, nominally. I think the responsibilities tacked onto the people and corporations suffice for the media's problems. A free press really *is* important.
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Howzzat sound? lol