What can be done to discourage the greedy from political offices?
Of foul influence, those who wish to have some control can simply buy a politician by way of hiring, bribery, campaign financing or a combination thereof.
I can't think of an effective obstacle, that is not already in place to stop hiring or bribery, save encouraging actual and honest vetting, investigation and enforcement (get outright scary with punishments on conviction), which leads me to campaigns.:
Campaigns - those with the big bucks get heard and those who don't, don't really get much attention. Anyone or any group with enough loot can buy-in a charismatic politico.
The only basic premise I can come up with is drafting some legislations () allowing for voluntary contracting (subsequently enforced) with media outlets that order to lay level the playing field by providing equal allotment to each candidate. From a basic listing at first, through balanced coverage of ascending stages of public primaries*, Q&A sessions, speeches, debates, etc. all the way to the general elections. Much like a business contracts for commercial advertisements except the funding is locked into an acount derived from the tax pools (yuck, I know) with payout contingent on performance/compliance of the outlet.
The main thing is to create an initial equal-time/financing apparatus. Perhaps the momentum needed to influence and change the way non-participating media outlets inform America of the candidates. Perhaps the fringe benefit of encouraging public discourse and participation. Or driving us all mad with 24/7 talking heads non-stop
Of course it would be a huge mess at first with multiple primaries* As well as the associated costs to us. What other options might there be?
As to the direct financing of; $ can come from citizens so concerned (capped) and from the candidate (capped). No corporate entities and no foreigners.
There's been plenty of talk about campaign finance reform and the bias of big media, but what say you?
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Once folks get into any office, they may have certain ability to affect their investments.:
Investment management - A blind trust of any and all financial instruments that could be reasonably pose a 'greed hazard' to the incumbant. A condition of the office is one must turn over control to a neutral appointed party and would be blind to where their money is newly invested.
Of course this would be another price to pay, but what of the greater costs incurred by the greedy in power?
Any thoughts or grand schemes on how to lessen the influence of money in politics?
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Oh, and I'm all for fair pay and benefits, but as an example, the liftime benefits congresscritters can get is just plain disproportionate. I wonder how many run just to get the benefits package?
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*primaries, was the only word I could think of to describe ascension through multiple public voting sessions in order to open things up to those not bound to parties and of course some way to weed through all the initial candidates.
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) tried to prevent people from forming a group, pooling their money, and then trying to run issue-ads. Groups like the NRA should be silenced for, what was it, the 60 days before an election?
), and then--if I'm inferring correctly (
