Quote Originally Posted by Montmorency View Post
Maybe not perfect, but what if it has a 'baked-in' tendency?

Lobbying: you need a system to allow people to voice their concerns and desires. Right now this is channeled through lobbying and advocacy groups, many of which aren't all that rich. And they're specialized, while it's difficult for any one person to have a clear position on all the possible issues. That could be separated into two difficulties then, but they're equally important. How would, for example, the government hear about the importance of various environmental issues beyond at best a popular mandate not to Saruman everything?
Yeah, but in that example, who's winning? It's in almost everyone best interest to protect the environment, while in the interest of only handful of people to scale back protective measures. It should be a non issue, and yet it is a huge one.

Not that I disagree that there should be a system for people to voice their concerns, it's just that lobbying (especially payed) isn't achieving that. Even if we disregard the money, lobbying is really about yelling the strongest. A good cause and wide support is absolutely optional.

Influence: there would be absolutely no recourse or contact with politicians once they have been elected? I'm not sure eliminating communication between the elected and the electorate is a good idea. Rather than trying to seal off the leadership from the public, maybe putting more of the public in leadership and oversight roles...
I didn't mean literally any. It was a tie in to throwing money at politicians to make your problems go away. I was just throwing ideas out there.

But considering what is practical and achievable, first and foremost -
Payed lobbying should be made illegal.
Campaign donations should be illegal - all receive the same amount for campaign. What you don't spend you have to give back. No loopholes a la Super PACs. In theory you could allow some donations, but it has to come from a person, not corporation and would be capped at a really small amount.
Politicians should be forced to be more transparent with their money.
There should be serious legal and financial consequences to breaking any of those rules.

That way, politicians won't be beholden to corporate interests before they even take office, and when they do, it would be harder and much more risky to go that route.