4 ms·

Currently, 436 people (Reps, Senators and President) control nearly 4 trillion dollars, the budget for this year. What should we do about them?

pjc50 12y ago
Vote for or against them in the elections provided for the purpose?
tormeh 12y ago
That America's government does a poor job of representing American society is a separate problem. The way you solve that is by changing the voting system to proportional representation in both the congressional and presidential elections. How can Americans be so upset at their political situation without even discussing ways in which to change it? Unconstructive complaints is just whining.
lmm 12y ago
Devolve as much as we can. Split federal programs into state programs, then county-level programs, where the money is collected and spent on a much smaller scale.
inthewoods 12y ago
One possible solution - add more representatives to make the power less consolidated.
- ams6110 12y ago
  Another possible solution: give them only 2 trillion to spend
r00fus 12y ago
Your number is way off (435+100+more than 1 executive branch), and furthermore, if you don't follow the money that influences these actors (lobbying, revolving door, non-blind blind trusts, etc) then you don't really understand what or who is driving those decisions. Fighting politicians is like whack-a-mole - even if you get rid of bad ones, the replacements are often just as corrupt as the ones that got replaced. Fight the corruption first.
- TeMPOraL 12y ago
  Exactly. It doesn't make sense to fight politicians, because they pretty much have no agency. They are public faces to the decisions made inside the system that is both influenced from outside (lobbying, et al.) as well as having its own power dynamic. If you're a honest, well-meaning, incorruptible politician, you'll get filtered out from the system at early stages. No one is going to let you take an important seat if you're uncontrollable.
neuromancer2701 12y ago
Three steps would improve the situation(IMO): Triple the House of Representatives Term limits(12 years both house total) Repeal the 17th Ammendment

pjc50 12y ago

Vote for or against them in the elections provided for the purpose?

tormeh 12y ago

That America's government does a poor job of representing American society is a separate problem. The way you solve that is by changing the voting system to proportional representation in both the congressional and presidential elections. How can Americans be so upset at their political situation without even discussing ways in which to change it? Unconstructive complaints is just whining.

lmm 12y ago

Devolve as much as we can. Split federal programs into state programs, then county-level programs, where the money is collected and spent on a much smaller scale.

inthewoods 12y ago

One possible solution - add more representatives to make the power less consolidated.

ams6110 12y ago
Another possible solution: give them only 2 trillion to spend

r00fus 12y ago

Your number is way off (435+100+more than 1 executive branch), and furthermore, if you don't follow the money that influences these actors (lobbying, revolving door, non-blind blind trusts, etc) then you don't really understand what or who is driving those decisions. Fighting politicians is like whack-a-mole - even if you get rid of bad ones, the replacements are often just as corrupt as the ones that got replaced. Fight the corruption first.

TeMPOraL 12y ago
Exactly. It doesn't make sense to fight politicians, because they pretty much have no agency. They are public faces to the decisions made inside the system that is both influenced from outside (lobbying, et al.) as well as having its own power dynamic. If you're a honest, well-meaning, incorruptible politician, you'll get filtered out from the system at early stages. No one is going to let you take an important seat if you're uncontrollable.

neuromancer2701 12y ago

Three steps would improve the situation(IMO): Triple the House of Representatives Term limits(12 years both house total) Repeal the 17th Ammendment