By David Weller, aka poetspirit
In the non-profit world of federal government reform organizations, there are a
number of perennial issues that remain at or near the forefront of their lobbying
efforts. Here is a total of ten such issues, two of each within their respective reform categories (not in any particular order): (1) government ethics, (2) government finance, (3) campaign finance, (4) electoral reform, and (5) government openness. These reform issues are the crux of most of the activities these organizations put forward every congressional session.
Ethics
Our elected officials should be prosecuted for proven outside ethics complaints
about their professional conduct.
Our government should honor and protect proven whistleblowers- the taxpayer
deserves nothing less.
Finance
Our nation's annual budgets should be balanced. Raise taxes if you have to
increase spending.
deserves nothing less.
Finance
Our nation's annual budgets should be balanced. Raise taxes if you have to
increase spending.
Our nation's budgetary process should include 'pay-as-you-go' spending rules.
If you can't afford it, don't buy it.
Campaign Finance
If you can't afford it, don't buy it.
Campaign Finance
We need a public financing system for all of our elective candidates. One job for
one district- not special interest favors.
one district- not special interest favors.
Congressional earmarks should be abolished. There is always a solution that
doesn't have to submit to such 'outside the system' processes.
Elections
doesn't have to submit to such 'outside the system' processes.
Elections
All election polling places should publicly count voter-verified paper ballots- anything secretive loses trust with the voters.
All of our elections officials should be elected as non-partisan candidates- not as
members of a party or special interest.
Openness
All of our nation's government data that is not security-sensitive should be easily
accessible by the citizenry.
members of a party or special interest.
Openness
All of our nation's government data that is not security-sensitive should be easily
accessible by the citizenry.
All of our citizens should be protected from non-security related, unwarranted
surveillance.
Now, most reformers would end their lobbying if they were able to fulfill these issues. As most of the issues are of long history and danger to our nation's political system, however, we still have a lot of work to do with government, in cooperation with the people, in finding long lasting solutions.
surveillance.
Now, most reformers would end their lobbying if they were able to fulfill these issues. As most of the issues are of long history and danger to our nation's political system, however, we still have a lot of work to do with government, in cooperation with the people, in finding long lasting solutions.
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