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Politics : View from the Center and Left -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Lane3 who wrote (10570)	2/2/2006 11:09:48 AM
From: one_less	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 541558

"I don't see where replacing the process changes anything." The bugs in the current system fail to keep politicians on an ethical track for the reasons I gave earlier. The current system depends on the the foxes to guard the chicken house. >Partisan dependencies forbid action against a partisan ally. >It is a conflict of interests for lobbyists and financial supporters to allow processes to simply remain objective. >The general populace must be significantly aroused about a problem to act on it via the voting process; which is too cumbersome to deal with issues like an ethical breach. >Problems often become deliberately obscured due to political wrangling (which is unethical all by itself). >Everybody else does it (unethical stuff), so it becomes an accepted and effective method of getting something you or your constituency wants. What I am proposing (an anti-corruption law) is to have an effective vehicle to address unethical behavior, that removes political conflicts of interest. There is no cure all, but if there was a serious and effective process, much of the negative 'politics as usual' conduct would stop. If, on the other hand you believe the current system to be efficient, constructive, and effective at promoting the needed change and renewal within our government ... ok. As I watched the Alito hearings and news coverage, followed by the State of the Union Address, it became glaringly apparent that politics in Washington is more about beating the other side (in destructive ways) than working together to find the best solutions (constructively) for our nations problems. Holding them accountable for ethical conduct, with consequences for less than ethical behavior seems like a prerequisite to them being able to contribute something of value, in a constructive manner, IMO.