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Independent

New Hampshire

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The Political Parties are making plans for the 2016 presidential each party will have a couple of dozen hopefuls that will diminish is size as primaries approach or they shoot themselves in the foot by doing something stupid. If these people are so smart, why do they do such stupid things?
A three month break between electing a President and the hopefuls declaring their desire to be the next President is not sufficient to clear the air of the odor still lingering from the last election.
Since the week of the last election we are beginning to hear the strategies of both Parties. The GOP will Romance minorities, they might not like them and will never the attitude of them occupying the same social level; but they will Romance them. It appears that the GOP is adopting the same standards and practices as the world’s oldest profession. (What you feel happened to you may really have happened.) In contrast to the USA you hear little from the individuals wishing to be Prime Minister until just before the election. With few exceptions all Presidents have come from Congress meaning the position they hold is a part time job if they have aspirations of being the next President.
We need several revisions for elections and campaigns, which might include all or most of the following:
1. Campaigns cannot begin more than a year of the election.
2. Those running for office must resign from their present elected office effective the day they announce their candidacy.
3. Full disclosure of all contributions from Lobbyists and PACs posted on their official web sites
4. Elected officials and those resigning from office to run for the Presidency cannot accept donations, either directly or indirectly from “Prime Contractors”. Acceptance of donations will be considered a Conflict of interest.
5. Prime Contractors should not be allowed to make Political Contributions.

Zach F

2013-05-18 02:49:52 PM

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Independent

Denton, TX

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Actually, Presidents not coming from Congress is really common: Washington, J. Adams, Jefferson, Taylor, Grant, Arthur, Cleveland, T. Roosevelt, Taft, Wilson, Coolidge, Hoover, F. Roosevelt, Eisenhower, Carter, Reagan, Clinton, and G. W. Bush. Which is 18. That is just 4 short of half.

Those are some good ideas. Here are my thoughts
1. I don't think many people really even pay attention until the year of the election.
2. I don't agree with this. Especially with the primaries. So many people run that there could be up to 10 people from each party leaving their seat open with no time to hold a special election to fill it.
3. Full disclosure is very important, but in the information age there are multiple websites which already provide this info. Maybe require a link to one of these sites but should have to require them to put all the docs on their site.
4. People donating to politicians to protect their own interests is a mainstay. Massive campaign finance reform is already needed, I don't know enough about the subject to suggest any fixes.
5. Same as 4.

johnnycee

2013-05-18 03:29:02 PM

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johnnycee

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Democrat

Philadelphia, PA

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I do endorse the idea of term limits but unfortunitly that takes a Constitutional Amendment which pretty takes ages to put thru especially since it involves the limiting the power of the current office holders, both those in now and in the future, the ballot box is the only quick answer, as for resigning from a current elective office to run for another elective office, I would state that should hold true only after the primaries and the candidate had succeeded in moving into the General Election. I agree all lobbyist should be banned from influencing Congress and having any say so in the process of governing.sometimes I feel our Congressional people and also the Executive branch as well needs to be reminded that this republic was formed "By the people ,For the people", if they remembered those six little words which should explain a whole lot more pricisely what this nation is all about, perhaps we would'nt find ourselves in the mess that these same type congressonal people put us in.

pr

2013-05-18 06:50:43 PM

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pr

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3

Independent

Durham, NH

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Primary campaigning should begin six months before the election and the primary election should be held three months before the election. Three months for each election is more than enough time to size up a candidate!

Any voter who can't figure out whom to vote for within a few moments of listening and watching a candidate isn't sophisticated enough to vote in the first place!

These idiots (mostly Independents, unfortunately - and I consider myself an Independent voter) who say they'll make up their minds in the voting booth have no business voting. If they are so stupid, dumb, unobservant, naive and such poor judges of people they shouldn't be deciding who is going to make the laws and run the country because, these types of voters are very much responsible for the poor quality of elected officials we have today.

jperry

2013-05-18 08:32:46 PM

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jperry

231

Independent

New Hampshire

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PGR I had considered adding having the primaries on the same day also. The chances of hell freezing over . . . wait, is this a religious statement?
Zach I didn't count the first several elections as the key players were almost predetermined and I had intended to say "political office". Now that I think of it there were more than I remembered though.
I would prefer to see the requirement for contributions be on their official site. How many have said, "I didn't know that!"
Prime Contractors donating is a conflict of interest.
It should be possible to set up a special election in two weeks. It only takes days to go to war. The only thing that could delay it would be some states may require X amount of time for notification. Change it.

Zach F

2013-05-19 02:47:49 AM

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Independent

Denton, TX

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jperry Wrote: PGR I had considered adding having the primaries on the same day also. The chances of hell freezing over . . . wait, is this a religious statement?
Zach I didn't count the first several elections as the key players were almost predetermined and I had intended to say "political office". Now that I think of it there were more than I remembered though.
I would prefer to see the requirement for contributions be on their official site. How many have said, "I didn't know that!"
Prime Contractors donating is a conflict of interest.
It should be possible to set up a special election in two weeks. It only takes days to go to war. The only thing that could delay it would be some states may require X amount of time for notification. Change it.

Setting up mass special elections every election season seems like a gross waste of taxpayer money when we could just wait a few months for the actually elections. I say, let them hold their office all the way through. Holding a congressional office is not a full time job by any means. Most of the time the congressman should/ is expected to be communicating with his constituents, which can partially be done while campaigning.

I just don't see how resignation would make the political stage any healthier or help the taxpayer. Special elections can get expensive.

Zach F

2013-05-19 02:51:36 AM

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Independent

Denton, TX

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pr Wrote: Primary campaigning should begin six months before the election and the primary election should be held three months before the election. Three months for each election is more than enough time to size up a candidate!

Any voter who can't figure out whom to vote for within a few moments of listening and watching a candidate isn't sophisticated enough to vote in the first place!

These idiots (mostly Independents, unfortunately - and I consider myself an Independent voter) who say they'll make up their minds in the voting booth have no business voting. If they are so stupid, dumb, unobservant, naive and such poor judges of people they shouldn't be deciding who is going to make the laws and run the country because, these types of voters are very much responsible for the poor quality of elected officials we have today.

I disagree with this. Any decent politician can hold up for a month or two under the public spotlight. Plus, I prefer to have at least 3 months to hear out both candidates and their positions on the issues before I make a decision. Maybe even longer if he comes from a state office like a governorship.

Zach F

2013-05-19 03:08:53 AM

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Independent

Denton, TX

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Here is something I would really, really like to see. Election Day becoming a National Holiday. Encourage everyone to participate in the political process.

Dutch

2013-05-19 09:47:27 AM

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Dutch

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33

Independent

Ft.myers, FL

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Zach F Wrote: Here is something I would really, really like to see. Election Day becoming a National Holiday. Encourage everyone to participate in the political process.

What I really like to see was not mentioned; for instance:

1) clear concise ballots with no more than 4 pages; no legal language or amendmend's on existing laws.

2) Working voting machines and enough of them

3) Limit on election money (caps) per to be elected person

4) Limit on donations; no lobby money allowed

5) No money from billionairs nor corporations allowed (also the defense industry!!)

6) Introduction of term limits.

7) People who are over 70 can not be re-elected (they should retire)

jperry

2013-05-19 11:30:24 AM

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jperry

231

Independent

New Hampshire

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What do people do when they decide to change jobs? Can you picture them telling their boss that they will only be there part time so that they can go about the task of seeking a new position but expect to receive full pay and benefits? The politicians are not an honest group to begin with. They make promises they can't possibly keep as they don't have the power to perform those actions. Though accountability has improved in government there is a long way to go.
We should hold a meeting every 25 to 50 years to review and up date the Constitution. What is the function of our government? In the 1770's they did not picture a large nation an evolving society. The thing that concerned them was to provide a system which reflected the of the immediate post Revolutionary period. Should our government be involved in education, health care, maintaining a minimal standard of living. Remember, the man on the street was not a voter. Our government has attempted to keep pace with our changing society. We have added departments and agencies as we had the need. Little consideration was given to defining the scope of authority or duplication of duties or infringement of duties. Go on line and visit http://www.usa.gov/directory/federal/index.shtml
Check for Departments and Agencies for dealing with "Native Americans". We know from experience that communications between departments and agencies can be minimal. A single department or agency could do things better by offering everything in one department.

jamesn

2013-05-19 01:09:34 PM

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jamesn

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Other Party

Nebraska

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Good ideas about how our entire campaign and election process should be changed but big money runs all of it so none of the good ideas will matter. Big money always wins.

Every election more and more money is spent and that's not going to change. Let's all enjoy the relative quiet that will disappear as the 2016 campaigns get seriously revved up in the next year or two.

pr

2013-05-19 07:05:44 PM

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pr

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