Avarice and Envy, addendum

I’ve been thinking about my recent post and realize that I sound like doom and gloom. That’s not how I really want to be, nor is that the tone that I want for this Blog.

With that in mind I want to post my ideas for how to resolve the election/government mess:

• We have certification tests for all kinds of professions: everything from selling real estate to practicing law, medicine, and even working on computers. Let’s create a certification test for anyone who wants to run for elected office. We could create different tests depending upon the level of office, everything from local, to state, up to the national level.
• One of the big problems now is that, for the most part, the only people who can get elected are those with big pots of money (or those who have access to people who can give them big pots of money). We need to get money out of the process. There are lots of no cost and low cost ways that they can campaign:

• Blogs – there are lots of sites that don’t even charge you to post one.
• Web sites – again, there are lots of hosting companies that charge less than $5 a month to host your site.
• Sports stadiums and other large arenas could host debates or “meet and greet” events. The hosting location could hand out advertising for whatever they normally have there, vendors could make money selling beverages (no alcoholic stuff!) and food items, so it would still make money, or potential money, for the location.
• Public television and radio stations could interview the candidates and offer call-in question opportunities for the public. The public TV or radio station could even hold the event around one of their fund raising times to try and raise more money for themselves.

• We need to hold our elected officials accountable for their actions. If they are on the public dole and get caught doing some crime, then they should be punished for their crime just like any other criminal. Really punished! Especially at the national level; no more lifetime pension and health care. For that matter, why should any of them get lifetime pension and health care? Check out this letter.
• Lastly, let’s get rid of all the consultants, PACs (Political Action Committees), lobbyists, and other large organizations that use their influence and money to mold government. We make it a law that the only people who can express their opinion are the citizens themselves. Sure, many of them will be owners of, or high-ranking employees of large organizations; however, their influence would be limited to a letter, fax, or e-mail message that they send as an individual citizen ONLY.

So, there you have a few simple suggestions. Let me know what you think.

As always, thanks for listening,
Lee