Intellectual excercise - Create the platform for a new party

[postmanone]

If one made it a law that anyone running for office must tell the truth, no 1/2 truths, no distortions, but the simple truth. If they lie, they are out. If they get elected and it comes out they lied, they are out. Simple truth.

[Aglifter]

Single objective legislation. No more hidden amendments, riders, pork, etc. Too many laws have been passed because they were attached to "must pass" bills, or snuck through as 11th hour riders and amendments without any type of public debate unless it was caught by some watchdog group.

Along w. that, I'd add the line item veto.

[Aglifter]

If one made it a law that anyone running for office must tell the truth, no 1/2 truths, no distortions, but the simple truth. If they lie, they are out. If they get elected and it comes out they lied, they are out. Simple truth.

Hmm... Swearing in candidates prior to debates/make any issue statements be in the form of sworn affidavits should work...

[randy]

As mentioned in an earlier thread. You must resign any elected or appointed political office prior to starting to campaign for any other office. I'm willing to allow incumbents to campaign for re-election to their current office, but no hedging your bets. You want to be President, resign your Senate seat. (etc.)

[Darrell]

Darrell you were doing well till you got to the last part about the guns. No good ever comes from forcing someone to do something like that.

Hey, it worked for the Swiss, didn't it?

Perhaps it's a Heinleinian notion.

[Kommander]

If one made it a law that anyone running for office must tell the truth, no 1/2 truths, no distortions, but the simple truth. If they lie, they are out. If they get elected and it comes out they lied, they are out. Simple truth.

Who is going to determine what the truth is and who lied?

Darrell you were doing well till you got to the last part about the guns. No good ever comes from forcing someone to do something like that.

Hey, it worked for the Swiss, didn't it?

Perhaps it's a Heinleinian notion.

I know of no book by Heinlein that favorably portrays compulsorily military service, but I have not read them all. Now something from Heinlein that I do like is the idea of a 2 house legislature where one house makes laws by a 2/3 majority and one rescinds laws with a 1/3 minority. Good luck getting any but the most important stuff by them.

[Scott Free]

Separation of the state and economics.

[FastRope71]

Separation of the state and economics.

I second that motion.

[MiddleAgedKen]

I third it.

I'd also get the state out of education, but I'd use my bully pulpit to state early and often the basis in sound morality of the free market. I'm not an Objectivist, but Ayn Rand was dead right about that (as are the Austrians).

[mekender]

remove popular and electoral vote for president and VP...

President and VP are elected by the house and senate...

senate returns to being elected by the state legislature - repeal the 17th amendment...

all reps and senators are elected to 2 year terms, and may only serve a maximum of 4 years.

guarantee you would start to see a LOT more getting done