Fix Congress First

[Professor Smarmiarty]

Originally Posted by The Gunslinger

That's unfair. There have to be a couple of idealists floating around in there.

To get into Congress you have to play by the rules, become part of the system so most idealists would be weeded out long before then/have already had to compromise somewhat.

[Nique]

Why don't we just say 'Ok Congressmen, here's a special politician-only credit line you never have to pay back. Go nuts! Except if you start screwing around, we fire you from congress you don't get that anymore'

So when the oil company comes around and says, 'hey! here's a million dollars under the table for you to not to pass that bill that would make my company use safe drilling methods' or whatever they can just say, 'hmm, that's awfully tempting, but see I've got my magic money card here and, well, if I take your millions then I might not get to keep my magic money card. Do you see the dilema?'

[Odjn]

Originally Posted by Nique

Why don't we just say 'Ok Congressmen, here's a special politician-only credit line you never have to pay back. Go nuts! Except if you start screwing around, we fire you from congress you don't get that anymore'

And if you're found to be corrupt or wasteful YOU pay for it.

[Magus]

That would require oversight committees which in and of themselves would then be corrupt. At best you would just have a smaller pool of corrupt people but with more power.

[Jagos]

That pool is still pretty small right now.

Lobbyists seem to have the most power with people like Barney Frank in the special committees having more.