How To Make Elected Office Less Desirable

Today’s offering is written for the part of the audience that still think that Washington can be guided by We The People, still believe that the Constitution is the highest law of the land, and still think that the Union can be saved.

The Tea Parties, in lockstep with the Democrats and Republicans, begin with the default belief in the “Party System.” They all adhere to the tenets that politics should go on just like it is, but perhaps with some tune-ups. None of them adhere to the concept that the whole thing should be scrapped since it continues to prove itself tyrannical and uncontrollable.

Scrapping the system would require a Constitutional Convention. Realistically, that will never happen. Remember, calling a “ConCon” would require approval by two-thirds of BOTH HOUSES of Congress (Article V). Too many sacred cows would be slaughtered by a ConCon. Also remember that when Bill Clinton was impeached by the House, the Senate stated flatly that Clinton’s removal and prosecution was a dead issue in the Senate. They refused to even consider it. So, it is really likely that these solons would open themselves to loss of power through a ConCon?

One of the continuing problems of elected office is incumbency. House reps have a two-year term, Senators a six-year term. So, if they want to keep their jobs, they must constantly do fund raising throughout their term. That opens them to corruption from lobbyists and other special interest groups that offer irresistible contributions and other perks.

The chances that any Congress will enact any further term limits are slim and none…and slim just left town.

But there is a way that American voters could make elected office less desirable without a ConCon. The solution is found in three words:

NEVER RE-ELECT ANYBODY.

That means from the local dogcatcher to the President of the United States and every elected office in between. A single term of office means that the officeholder never has to give a moment’s thought to his re-election campaign coffers since there are none. The officeholder can concentrate on doing his job. He would still be open to lobbyist influence, but the campaign contributions would vanish, since lobbyists would accrue no benefit by giving money to any officeholder.

With no possibility for any officeholder to make any elected office into a career, the “leech class” in our population would cease desiring political office. They’d have to opt for a real job somewhere…if they could find one. There would be the potential for those seeking political office to actually want to do the job of governance instead of accruing wealth and power at the public trough.

Again I say that a ConCon is unnecessary, since this initiative could be done by all Americans quietly. Can you imagine the message that would be sent to all those either in elective office or desirous of elective office if, over two or three election cycles, the American people en masse fired ALL incumbent officeholders in favor of new, untested, inexperienced candidates?

OK, it’s a wonderful idea, isn’t it? But let’s all be honest with each other. It can NEVER HAPPEN IN AMERICA.

There are too many regular Americans still owned by the party system, like so many indentured servants. In any election, about 40% vote Republican, and 40% vote Democrat. And the swing voter is still voting in the system. It’s been that way for decades. The party political system in America is a spoils system. Neither party…or a Tea Party…nor a Libertarian Party…will ever NOT be a spoils system. Each party fights for the right to hold the checkbook and write the checks. And the checks benefit those who placed the officeholders in office. At least sometimes.

The potential for most Americans to behave like individuals instead of chattel is so remote as to be not even considered.

So, Ladies and Gentlemen, I hope that by offering this simple, powerful and completely unworkable idea for controlling Washington DC, you have come to the inescapable conclusion that state secession is the only hope for individual liberty and property rights on the North American continent.

DumpDC. Six Letters That Can Change History.

© Copyright 2010, Russell D. Longcore. Permission to reprint in whole or in part is gladly granted, provided full credit is given.