A "Good Government" Platform - Jets Insider.com Forums

doggin94it · 11-15-2011, 11:20 PM

Looking for ideas of what you would want to see candidates for office promising - not in terms of the substance of their positions, but in terms of procedural safeguards meant to ensure that, when elected, they actually represent their constituents, not themselves. Here are mine:

1) [B]An actual [U]Contract[/U] with America[/B] - by which I mean legally binding campaign pledges. There's an easy way to do that, now; most candidates fund-raise online, and we've all had to deal with "clickwrap" contracts (you know, "by clicking 'I accept' you agree to the terms and conditions herein . . ."). Candidates should include such a contract with their "donate" links - legally binding [B]themselves [/B]to certain campaign promises and allowing any donor to sue them if the promises are broken. (Tying it to donations makes it legally binding; the promise becomes the consideration for the donation).

2) [B]A promise not to go into lobbying (as a profession) after leaving office.[/B] This is one that ought to be in that contract - lets end the revolving door between Washington and the industries it regulates.

3) [B]A promise not to make investment decisions[/B]. Limit elected officials to mutual funds, so they can't make money off their inside information.

4) [B]Support for modified term limits.[/B] What do I mean by modified? Beginning with the third run for office, any candidate who receives less than 66% of the vote will not be allowed to run for the same office again. That will limit most politicians to three terms while allowing the electorate to keep the politicians who are truly doing an exceptional job (at least in the eyes of their constituents).

I can probably think of more, but I'm beat and headed for bed. What would you add?

long island leprechaun · 11-16-2011, 07:28 AM

Appoint Southpark as Secretary of Treasury, Warfish Secretary of Health and Human Services, Bitonti Secretary of Defense, Palmetto Secretary of Labor, DeanPatsFan Secretary of State, Mn as Secretary of the Interior, and Doggin Attorney General. As soon as I get done with the State of Union, you guys can all report to me in the Oval Office.... :D

PlumberKhan · 11-16-2011, 08:11 AM

[QUOTE=long island leprechaun;4235140]As soon as I get done with the State of Union, you guys can all report to me in the Oval Office.... :D[/QUOTE]

Depends. How long is your nomination of me to head the ATF gonna be held up in the House of Hampersentitives?

quantum · 11-16-2011, 09:18 AM

[QUOTE=doggin94it;4235056]Looking for ideas of what you would want to see candidates for office promising - not in terms of the substance of their positions, but in terms of procedural safeguards meant to ensure that, when elected, they actually represent their constituents, not themselves. Here are mine:

1) [B]An actual [U]Contract[/U] with America[/B] - by which I mean legally binding campaign pledges. There's an easy way to do that, now; most candidates fund-raise online, and we've all had to deal with "clickwrap" contracts (you know, "by clicking 'I accept' you agree to the terms and conditions herein . . ."). Candidates should include such a contract with their "donate" links - legally binding [B]themselves [/B]to certain campaign promises and allowing any donor to sue them if the promises are broken. (Tying it to donations makes it legally binding; the promise becomes the consideration for the donation).

2) [B]A promise not to go into lobbying (as a profession) after leaving office.[/B] This is one that ought to be in that contract - lets end the revolving door between Washington and the industries it regulates.

3) [B]A promise not to make investment decisions[/B]. Limit elected officials to mutual funds, so they can't make money off their inside information.

4) [B]Support for modified term limits.[/B] What do I mean by modified? Beginning with the third run for office, any candidate who receives less than 66% of the vote will not be allowed to run for the same office again. That will limit most politicians to three terms while allowing the electorate to keep the politicians who are truly doing an exceptional job (at least in the eyes of their constituents).

I can probably think of more, but I'm beat and headed for bed. What would you add?[/QUOTE]

while these are truly awesome, isn't there a law forbidding #1 (suing politicians because they executed the duties of their office, or some such legal nonsense)?

Warfish · 11-16-2011, 09:41 AM

[QUOTE=long island leprechaun;4235140]Appoint Southpark as Secretary of Treasury, Warfish Secretary of Health and Human Services, Bitonti Secretary of Defense, Palmetto Secretary of Labor, DeanPatsFan Secretary of State, Mn as Secretary of the Interior, and Doggin Attorney General. As soon as I get done with the State of Union, you guys can all report to me in the Oval Office.... :D[/QUOTE]

Can I have Transportation instead?

PlumberKhan · 11-16-2011, 09:48 AM

[QUOTE=Warfish;4235222]Can I have Transportation instead?[/QUOTE]

No. You're a table. Tables don't have wheels.

The Turk · 11-16-2011, 10:06 AM

[QUOTE=doggin94it;4235056]1) [B]An actual [U]Contract[/U] with America[/B] - by which I mean legally binding campaign pledges. There's an easy way to do that, now; most candidates fund-raise online, and we've all had to deal with "clickwrap" contracts (you know, "by clicking 'I accept' you agree to the terms and conditions herein . . ."). Candidates should include such a contract with their "donate" links - legally binding [B]themselves [/B]to certain campaign promises and allowing any donor to sue them if the promises are broken.[B] (Tying it to donations makes it legally binding; the promise becomes the consideration for the donation).[/B]

[/QUOTE]

This may be a legal technicality but I'm curious; wouldn't that make it "payment for services" rather than a donation? Under Turkish law a donation, by its nature, cannot have any consideration for it, I would've guessed it was the same in the US?

If so, is paying elected representatives to enact or oppose certain laws (other than the payment they receive as wages of course) legal under US law?

long island leprechaun · 11-16-2011, 10:10 AM

[QUOTE=Warfish;4235222]Can I have Transportation instead?[/QUOTE]

I got a call from the horse and buggy lobby promoting your nomination. But I think you are well suited to HHS. You got Medicare and Medicaid, you got FDA, you got Children's services, you got NIH... You could be the Grinch in Whoville on Christmas, hauling away billions in budget waste and letting those old people, poor people, and kids get with the new program... the Warfish Medical Self-Help Program, in which we all administer healthcare to ourselves using Old Wives' remedies and Tonic. Not to mention that you can set up a sub-department at FDA to personally test all imported Scotch Whiskey before allowing the general public to be exposed to potential toxins. It's a win-win. ;)

long island leprechaun · 11-16-2011, 10:13 AM

[QUOTE=PlumberKhan;4235148]Depends. How long is your nomination of me to head the ATF gonna be held up in the House of Hampersentitives?[/QUOTE]

How about Homeland Security? You'd be great at handling the technical details of building that fifty foot wall on the border... with bathrooms that actually suck illegals down the toilet and flush them back into Mexico. You can have ATF too, but your agency will not be allowed to have bullets.

PlumberKhan · 11-16-2011, 10:14 AM

[QUOTE=long island leprechaun;4235266]...the Warfish Medical Self-Help Program...[/QUOTE]

Castor oil and haggis?

ug

Warfish · 11-16-2011, 10:45 AM

[QUOTE=long island leprechaun;4235266]I got a call from the horse and buggy lobby promoting your nomination. But I think you are well suited to HHS. You got Medicare and Medicaid, you got FDA, you got Children's services, you got NIH... You could be the Grinch in Whoville on Christmas, hauling away billions in budget waste and letting those old people, poor people, and kids get with the new program... the Warfish Medical Self-Help Program, in which we all administer healthcare to ourselves using Old Wives' remedies and Tonic. Not to mention that you can set up a sub-department at FDA to personally test all imported Scotch Whiskey before allowing the general public to be exposed to potential toxins. It's a win-win. ;)[/QUOTE]

With regret, I'd have to resign.

And I think you'd be suprised what I'd promote in that position tho.;)

[SIZE="1"]Funny thread tho[/SIZE].

long island leprechaun · 11-16-2011, 11:35 AM

[QUOTE=Warfish;4235311]With regret, I'd have to resign.

And I think you'd be suprised what I'd promote in that position tho.;)

[SIZE=1]Funny thread tho[/SIZE].[/QUOTE]

This president-gig is lots of fun! And there are no resignations from my administration. Chiefs2000 is the head of the FBI. Let us just leave it at that.

doggin94it · 11-16-2011, 12:27 PM

[QUOTE=quantum;4235199]while these are truly awesome, isn't there a law forbidding #1 (suing politicians because they executed the duties of their office, or some such legal nonsense)?[/QUOTE]

Not that I know of. There is a concept of immunity for certain legislative acts, but as long as the "contract" is dealing with process issues - like "I won't become a lobbyist after leaving office" or "I won't manage my own investments" it would be a non-issue. And in any event, immunity wouldn't extend to contract claims - just tort and criminal claims

doggin94it · 11-16-2011, 12:28 PM

[QUOTE=The Turk;4235256]This may be a legal technicality but I'm curious; wouldn't that make it "payment for services" rather than a donation? Under Turkish law a donation, by its nature, cannot have any consideration for it, I would've guessed it was the same in the US?
[B]
If so, is paying elected representatives to enact or oppose certain laws (other than the payment they receive as wages of course) legal under US law?[/B][/QUOTE]

No - but that isn't what you would be doing. The "contract" couldn't cover policy positions - only process ones.

11-15-2011, 11:20 PM	#1
doggin94it Hall Of Fame Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,392	A "Good Government" Platform Looking for ideas of what you would want to see candidates for office promising - not in terms of the substance of their positions, but in terms of procedural safeguards meant to ensure that, when elected, they actually represent their constituents, not themselves. Here are mine: 1) [B]An actual [U]Contract[/U] with America[/B] - by which I mean legally binding campaign pledges. There's an easy way to do that, now; most candidates fund-raise online, and we've all had to deal with "clickwrap" contracts (you know, "by clicking 'I accept' you agree to the terms and conditions herein . . ."). Candidates should include such a contract with their "donate" links - legally binding [B]themselves [/B]to certain campaign promises and allowing any donor to sue them if the promises are broken. (Tying it to donations makes it legally binding; the promise becomes the consideration for the donation). 2) [B]A promise not to go into lobbying (as a profession) after leaving office.[/B] This is one that ought to be in that contract - lets end the revolving door between Washington and the industries it regulates. 3) [B]A promise not to make investment decisions[/B]. Limit elected officials to mutual funds, so they can't make money off their inside information. 4) [B]Support for modified term limits.[/B] What do I mean by modified? Beginning with the third run for office, any candidate who receives less than 66% of the vote will not be allowed to run for the same office again. That will limit most politicians to three terms while allowing the electorate to keep the politicians who are truly doing an exceptional job (at least in the eyes of their constituents). I can probably think of more, but I'm beat and headed for bed. What would you add?

11-16-2011, 07:28 AM	#2
long island leprechaun Don't mess with Angel Eyes. All Pro Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: greenwich village, NYC Posts: 7,209	Appoint Southpark as Secretary of Treasury, Warfish Secretary of Health and Human Services, Bitonti Secretary of Defense, Palmetto Secretary of Labor, DeanPatsFan Secretary of State, Mn as Secretary of the Interior, and Doggin Attorney General. As soon as I get done with the State of Union, you guys can all report to me in the Oval Office.... :D

11-16-2011, 08:11 AM	#3
PlumberKhan BRACE YOURSELVES FOR 12... Banned Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Van down by the river Posts: 21,013	[QUOTE=long island leprechaun;4235140]As soon as I get done with the State of Union, you guys can all report to me in the Oval Office.... :D[/QUOTE] Depends. How long is your nomination of me to head the ATF gonna be held up in the House of Hampersentitives?

11-16-2011, 09:18 AM	#4
quantum GFY Snatchez! Hall Of Fame Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: LI Posts: 17,877	[QUOTE=doggin94it;4235056]Looking for ideas of what you would want to see candidates for office promising - not in terms of the substance of their positions, but in terms of procedural safeguards meant to ensure that, when elected, they actually represent their constituents, not themselves. Here are mine: 1) [B]An actual [U]Contract[/U] with America[/B] - by which I mean legally binding campaign pledges. There's an easy way to do that, now; most candidates fund-raise online, and we've all had to deal with "clickwrap" contracts (you know, "by clicking 'I accept' you agree to the terms and conditions herein . . ."). Candidates should include such a contract with their "donate" links - legally binding [B]themselves [/B]to certain campaign promises and allowing any donor to sue them if the promises are broken. (Tying it to donations makes it legally binding; the promise becomes the consideration for the donation). 2) [B]A promise not to go into lobbying (as a profession) after leaving office.[/B] This is one that ought to be in that contract - lets end the revolving door between Washington and the industries it regulates. 3) [B]A promise not to make investment decisions[/B]. Limit elected officials to mutual funds, so they can't make money off their inside information. 4) [B]Support for modified term limits.[/B] What do I mean by modified? Beginning with the third run for office, any candidate who receives less than 66% of the vote will not be allowed to run for the same office again. That will limit most politicians to three terms while allowing the electorate to keep the politicians who are truly doing an exceptional job (at least in the eyes of their constituents). I can probably think of more, but I'm beat and headed for bed. What would you add?[/QUOTE] while these are truly awesome, isn't there a law forbidding #1 (suing politicians because they executed the duties of their office, or some such legal nonsense)?

11-16-2011, 09:41 AM	#5
Warfish JetsInsider.com Legend Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 35,000	[QUOTE=long island leprechaun;4235140]Appoint Southpark as Secretary of Treasury, Warfish Secretary of Health and Human Services, Bitonti Secretary of Defense, Palmetto Secretary of Labor, DeanPatsFan Secretary of State, Mn as Secretary of the Interior, and Doggin Attorney General. As soon as I get done with the State of Union, you guys can all report to me in the Oval Office.... :D[/QUOTE] Can I have Transportation instead?

11-16-2011, 09:48 AM	#6
PlumberKhan BRACE YOURSELVES FOR 12... Banned Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Van down by the river Posts: 21,013	[QUOTE=Warfish;4235222]Can I have Transportation instead?[/QUOTE] No. You're a table. Tables don't have wheels.

11-16-2011, 10:06 AM	#7
The Turk Veteran Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Istanbul Posts: 2,067	[QUOTE=doggin94it;4235056]1) [B]An actual [U]Contract[/U] with America[/B] - by which I mean legally binding campaign pledges. There's an easy way to do that, now; most candidates fund-raise online, and we've all had to deal with "clickwrap" contracts (you know, "by clicking 'I accept' you agree to the terms and conditions herein . . ."). Candidates should include such a contract with their "donate" links - legally binding [B]themselves [/B]to certain campaign promises and allowing any donor to sue them if the promises are broken.[B] (Tying it to donations makes it legally binding; the promise becomes the consideration for the donation).[/B] [/QUOTE] This may be a legal technicality but I'm curious; wouldn't that make it "payment for services" rather than a donation? Under Turkish law a donation, by its nature, cannot have any consideration for it, I would've guessed it was the same in the US? If so, is paying elected representatives to enact or oppose certain laws (other than the payment they receive as wages of course) legal under US law?

11-16-2011, 10:10 AM	#8
long island leprechaun Don't mess with Angel Eyes. All Pro Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: greenwich village, NYC Posts: 7,209	[QUOTE=Warfish;4235222]Can I have Transportation instead?[/QUOTE] I got a call from the horse and buggy lobby promoting your nomination. But I think you are well suited to HHS. You got Medicare and Medicaid, you got FDA, you got Children's services, you got NIH... You could be the Grinch in Whoville on Christmas, hauling away billions in budget waste and letting those old people, poor people, and kids get with the new program... the Warfish Medical Self-Help Program, in which we all administer healthcare to ourselves using Old Wives' remedies and Tonic. Not to mention that you can set up a sub-department at FDA to personally test all imported Scotch Whiskey before allowing the general public to be exposed to potential toxins. It's a win-win. ;)

11-16-2011, 10:13 AM	#9
long island leprechaun Don't mess with Angel Eyes. All Pro Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: greenwich village, NYC Posts: 7,209	[QUOTE=PlumberKhan;4235148]Depends. How long is your nomination of me to head the ATF gonna be held up in the House of Hampersentitives?[/QUOTE] How about Homeland Security? You'd be great at handling the technical details of building that fifty foot wall on the border... with bathrooms that actually suck illegals down the toilet and flush them back into Mexico. You can have ATF too, but your agency will not be allowed to have bullets.

11-16-2011, 10:14 AM	#10
PlumberKhan BRACE YOURSELVES FOR 12... Banned Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Van down by the river Posts: 21,013	[QUOTE=long island leprechaun;4235266]...the Warfish Medical Self-Help Program...[/QUOTE] Castor oil and haggis? ug

11-16-2011, 10:45 AM	#11
Warfish JetsInsider.com Legend Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 35,000	[QUOTE=long island leprechaun;4235266]I got a call from the horse and buggy lobby promoting your nomination. But I think you are well suited to HHS. You got Medicare and Medicaid, you got FDA, you got Children's services, you got NIH... You could be the Grinch in Whoville on Christmas, hauling away billions in budget waste and letting those old people, poor people, and kids get with the new program... the Warfish Medical Self-Help Program, in which we all administer healthcare to ourselves using Old Wives' remedies and Tonic. Not to mention that you can set up a sub-department at FDA to personally test all imported Scotch Whiskey before allowing the general public to be exposed to potential toxins. It's a win-win. ;)[/QUOTE] With regret, I'd have to resign. And I think you'd be suprised what I'd promote in that position tho.;) [SIZE="1"]Funny thread tho[/SIZE].

11-16-2011, 11:35 AM	#12
long island leprechaun Don't mess with Angel Eyes. All Pro Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: greenwich village, NYC Posts: 7,209	[QUOTE=Warfish;4235311]With regret, I'd have to resign. And I think you'd be suprised what I'd promote in that position tho.;) [SIZE=1]Funny thread tho[/SIZE].[/QUOTE] This president-gig is lots of fun! And there are no resignations from my administration. Chiefs2000 is the head of the FBI. Let us just leave it at that.

11-16-2011, 12:27 PM	#13
doggin94it Hall Of Fame Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,392	[QUOTE=quantum;4235199]while these are truly awesome, isn't there a law forbidding #1 (suing politicians because they executed the duties of their office, or some such legal nonsense)?[/QUOTE] Not that I know of. There is a concept of immunity for certain legislative acts, but as long as the "contract" is dealing with process issues - like "I won't become a lobbyist after leaving office" or "I won't manage my own investments" it would be a non-issue. And in any event, immunity wouldn't extend to contract claims - just tort and criminal claims

11-16-2011, 12:28 PM	#14
doggin94it Hall Of Fame Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,392	[QUOTE=The Turk;4235256]This may be a legal technicality but I'm curious; wouldn't that make it "payment for services" rather than a donation? Under Turkish law a donation, by its nature, cannot have any consideration for it, I would've guessed it was the same in the US? [B] If so, is paying elected representatives to enact or oppose certain laws (other than the payment they receive as wages of course) legal under US law?[/B][/QUOTE] No - but that isn't what you would be doing. The "contract" couldn't cover policy positions - only process ones.