New Election Rules

Cactus at Angry has set a group of Series comparing Republicans and Democrats on a variety of Issues (check the list), comparing their success rates. He has his ideas on why the Republicans fail to measure as favorably as Democrats (and no, it is not because Cactus skews the data recovery). The basic difference between Republicans and Democrats is orientation: Republicans are Rent-Seekers, and Democrats show less aptitude in this arena. Democrats may be termed professional Politicians, whose main goal is acquiring and holding Office; they examine the fruits and privileges of their Office, and consider it sufficient reward. Republicans, on the other hand, are more ambitious; seeking high Rewards post-Office through pursuit of wealth and position while still in office. The normal Salary and Perks of Office provide inadequate Returns for the average Republican, who wishes to turn his tenure into a rise in Socio/Economic advance in social position. This additional goal of Republican Office-Holders is very expensive for American Taxpayers, and causes erosion of economic stability for Americans as a Whole.

There is relatively little which can be done about this differentiation between Republicans and Democrats, except possibly to forestall Democrats from adopting the same approach. Politicians, as Office-Holders, write the law; granting vast evasions for themselves while the ordinary Citizenry are not watching. They simply make the Rules, which invariably benefit themselves over other Priorities. There remains a multitude of legalisms preventing forms of corruption, all with a criteria of law enforcement detail forestalling any curtailment of their own behavior. What could be done to at least limit excess?

The first Step would be to refuse Office-Holders to attain or retrieve any Income other than their Salaries during their terms of Office. The next Step would be to specifically forbid Office-Holders to engage in solicitation of Political campaign funds; paid staff of the Political Parties must arrange all funding for the Party, and the Parties will allocate campaign funds to the various Candidates for Office in an equitable manner. Family members of Office-Holders must be paid Employees of the Political Party, or draw only a set Salary no higher than the Pay received by the Office-Holders in alternate employment; in no case will Family members be allowed to engage in Fund-raising activities for their Relative or any political Party. Office-Holders must return to Residence in the District having elected them to Office for at least 5 years after leaving Office, and are forbidden to engage in political activities in that Period, except to run for an alternate Office; they are specifically forbidden to engage in political fund-raising activities or Lobbying efforts during this Period following Office. People will claim these measures are too Draconian, but I personally favor the Athenian practice of Old in issuing an Edict of Exile for five years. lgl