2 ms·

Emperor's new clothes and bikeshedding on minor transgressions. Legalized bribery through lobbyists, continuous fundraising rather than public service, PACs, an

Emperor's new clothes and bikeshedding on minor transgressions. Legalized bribery through lobbyists, continuous fundraising rather than public service, PACs, an utter lack of campaign finance reform legislation, and occasional Mercedes, gold bars, tricked-out RV buses, and fancy vacations is de rigueur for the DC sleaze factory. If Americans wanted public administrators who weren't so corrupt, they would be chosen by sortition for limited terms from professional societies rather than allow celebrities and rando lawyers to milk it as a personal enrichment enterprise for years on end. Pearl-clutching gasp! at the elimination of some "democracy"*, but no, it would really be dispassionate, more ethical "jury service" to accomplish public administration. * Representative republic gamified by mass media manufactured sentiment largely for the enrichment and benefit of the very rich. EDIT: I don't have a problem with profits or free enterprise, I have a problem with catastrophic corruption and absurd inequality sowing the seeds of chaos, revolution, and destruction.

RcouF1uZ4gsC 2y ago
> If Americans wanted public administrators who weren't so corrupt, they would be chosen by sortition for limited terms from professional societies You should leave out “from professional societies”. Having professional societies involved like this would totally corrupt both them and society.
- hi-v-rocknroll 2y ago
  > totally corrupt both them and society. How? There would be no political campaigns, no billionaire patrons, no popularity contests, and no way to influence who is chosen. Picking low information, uneducated people wouldn't work. Furthermore, the vast majority of people without advanced degrees are barely literate (through no fault of their own) because of the business theater of insisting on only hiring candidates with college degrees, which has led to a steady increase in cost but a decline in quality of undergraduate studies. The undergraduate side of US universities is nothing like they were pre-1940. Even high school education is a shadow of its former self. Even public high schools in 1938 America used to teach Latin and conversational French to pupils not destined for academia.
  - JohnFen 2y ago
    > There would be no political campaigns, no billionaire patrons, no popularity contests, and no way to influence who is chosen. Hmmm... I think I have a very different perception of "professional societies" than you do. I don't see how drawing from their pools would stop any of that.
BizarroLand 2y ago
I almost wish elections worked like this: 1: Every eligible person for the position gets put into a lottery for the position. 2: Each person may recuse themselves if they have no interest in the position. 3: Each person left must then provide a 10 second speech as to why they should be a candidate for the position. 4: A short vote is held, and the top 10 contestants advance to the second round where they may then go through the normal debates (and contest against the incumbent if their term limits are not up) It would make the elections into more of a dog and pony show but would prevent 2 party institutions from dominating the landscape and usurping the American political system for personal gain.

RcouF1uZ4gsC 2y ago

> If Americans wanted public administrators who weren't so corrupt, they would be chosen by sortition for limited terms from professional societies You should leave out “from professional societies”. Having professional societies involved like this would totally corrupt both them and society.

hi-v-rocknroll 2y ago
> totally corrupt both them and society. How? There would be no political campaigns, no billionaire patrons, no popularity contests, and no way to influence who is chosen. Picking low information, uneducated people wouldn't work. Furthermore, the vast majority of people without advanced degrees are barely literate (through no fault of their own) because of the business theater of insisting on only hiring candidates with college degrees, which has led to a steady increase in cost but a decline in quality of undergraduate studies. The undergraduate side of US universities is nothing like they were pre-1940. Even high school education is a shadow of its former self. Even public high schools in 1938 America used to teach Latin and conversational French to pupils not destined for academia.
- JohnFen 2y ago
  > There would be no political campaigns, no billionaire patrons, no popularity contests, and no way to influence who is chosen. Hmmm... I think I have a very different perception of "professional societies" than you do. I don't see how drawing from their pools would stop any of that.

BizarroLand 2y ago

I almost wish elections worked like this: 1: Every eligible person for the position gets put into a lottery for the position. 2: Each person may recuse themselves if they have no interest in the position. 3: Each person left must then provide a 10 second speech as to why they should be a candidate for the position. 4: A short vote is held, and the top 10 contestants advance to the second round where they may then go through the normal debates (and contest against the incumbent if their term limits are not up) It would make the elections into more of a dog and pony show but would prevent 2 party institutions from dominating the landscape and usurping the American political system for personal gain.