A Bothered Mind

I know it feels futile, but I just joined http://www.change-congress.org. Taking the money out of Federal politics. Now more than ever…

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Two people I really respect, Larry Lessig and Joe Trippi, have joined together to launch Change-Congress.org.  Their goal is to try to take the special interest money out of Federal Elections.

I know.  I know.  It’s been tried, and it seems impossible.  But given how corrupt and broken the system truly is, any goal worth fighting for now is going to seem far too difficult to even start to pursue.   Which is of course what the establishment always counts on.

No more.  It’s time to take a deep breath, lick our wounds, and prepare to fight harder…smarter…and longer.

From their website:

Right now, special interests have more influence over our political system than regular folks because of our broken campaign finance laws. These special interests pump millions of dollars into congressional campaigns each cycle, and as a result, they block real change on issue after issue.

Here at Change Congress, we believe that politicians should work for the people, not special interests. But it’s not enough to push politicians to stay out of the system of corruption—we have to reform the system itself. That’s why we support a hybrid of small-dollar donations and public financing, to keep big money out of politics.

Watch this video from co-founder Lawrence Lessig to learn more about the relationship between money and politics—and why it is such a fundamental problem for our democracy.

You can start by taking the pledge…and keeping up with their efforts.

Election Reform

I must admit, I don’t think this is the number 1 issue as to why voter participation is woeful. I think the electoral college has to occupy that number 1 spot. But close behind is the fact that voting day is a work day for most. Add in the fact that in many places the wait to vote can extend for hours, and that is going to hurt voter turnout.

Of course, as with many of the inane rules and laws in America, you have to go back a ways to find out why something is as it is. In this case, Tuesday’s were selected back in the days when horse and buggy was the primary means of transport, and we were not yet an urban society.

There’s an interesting web site, Why Tuesday, that is focused on election reform, with their starting place focused on the day we vote. Here’s the history on Tuesday:

In 1845, before Florida, California, and Texas were states or slavery had been abolished, Congress needed to pick a time for Americans to vote. We were an agrarian society. We traveled by horse and buggy. Farmers needed a day to get to the county seat, a day to vote, and a day to get back, without interfering with the three days of worship. So that left Tuesday and Wednesday, but Wednesday was market day. So, Tuesday it was. In 1875 Congress extended the Tuesday date for national House elections and in 1914 for federal Senate elections.

Not exactly relevant today.

One thing that must change is the day we vote. If it’s in the middle of the week, then it should be a national holiday. Otherwise, shift it to the weekend, so most folks don’t have to decide between half a day’s pay and voting.

Last week, U.S. Representative Steve Israel and U.S. Senator Herb Kohl yesterday introduced the Weekend Voting Act in the Senate and the House.

I’ll be following this, and similar efforts at the state level.

Election Reform

Focusing on election reform. Why do we vote on Tuesday? So you can get to the polls in your horse and buggy. http://tinyurl.com/7fw6a2

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As we get ready to celebrate the inauguration of Barack Obama as our next President, I can’t help thinking back to election day. The frustration of a 2 hour wait (with a 2 year old and a 2 month old in tow), the confusion in the polling place, and the stark reality that my vote didn’t really matter all that much…because New York States electoral votes were almost certainly in the bag for Barack.

The voting system in this country is surely broken, and with that comes imaginary red/blue state divides, disenfranchised voters in all but several states, and ultimately, a lack of accountability from the politicians that are supposed to be serving us.

I have no background in politics, and I’m no expert on the issue of election reform. I’m using this blog to capture my thoughts on the issue, reach some conclusions on what I feel are some of the best ideas out there today, and ultimately to join the conversation on this issue.

I’ll post links that I find, research, articles and statistics that catch my eye, and try to provide an organized framework for this conversation. Stay tuned…much more to come.

Election Reform

@Mary_Anne Left Lane Cruiser! Fantastic band. Saw them a few months ago. Their CD’s are in permanent rotation on my iPod.

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In search of a report card for nonprofit self assessment. Something to facilitate an effective annual review. Any ideas appreciated.

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