WingColors

I'd read A More Perfect Constitution by Larry Sabato and get back to you.

Off the top of my head, however, I'd re-do the whole electoral system so that we have a primary election, then a run-off election.

The primary election would include all candidates from all parties. People could then vote their hopes, not their fears.

The top two (or three) from that election would then meet for a run-off election, and the President would be decided from there.

The reason for this is simple: third party candidates don't stand a chance against the two behemoth parties in large part because people are so afraid of "wasting their vote" that they'll vote for the "lesser of two evils." How often have you heard "Well, I'd love to vote for this guy, but he doesn't stand a chance of winning, so I'll vote for this guy instead, since he's my second choice"? This system would allow everyone to choose their first choice right off the bat, and if their first choice didn't make it to the second round, then they could vote for their second choice in the run-off.

Imagine how history would have been changed had this been implemented? In 1992, would Clinton have gotten elected? In 2000, would Bush?

I'd add in the removal of the Electoral College system of election so that your vote in November ACTUALLY means something. I like your idea though.

The electoral college is out of date. If Obama is elected, he will probably push for election reform.

The electoral college is out of date. If Obama is elected, he will probably push for election reform.

Problem here is that to many, the tyranny of the few is the only electoral evil we face. People should be leery of the tyranny of the mob just as well.

Nevertheless, that's a conversation for another thread. Michael, what would YOU change, and how? Presuming your comment is an indication, how would you change the electoral college system?

My reform for sure would be a "re vamp" of the War on Drugs.

Decriminalizing "softer" drugs such as MJ, and some "party" related and a controlled medicinal MJ program, especially for the chronic and terminally ill. This would free up a lot of money which could be allocated towards curbing (mind you not trying to "stop", so long as there is demand, it'll be there) of the import of illegal drugs from other nations (which in many cases support terrorism, etc), and also towards drug treatment and health/education programs.

The saving of money from not hunting down and prosecuting growers & peddlers would be a huge saving. Then take into account the govt taxing the sales too...I bet in that alone, they could make more than they spend now.

Also in this would be some pretty hefty regulations regarding the commercial pharmaceutical industry. I think it's gotten way out of hand with regards to advertising and prescribing "fixes" in the manner that they do. I remember a time when something was wrong with me, the DR would prescribe for me something I'd never heard of, and it would work...not the other way around as it is now, where a patient walks into a DR's office, and says hey, I heard about XXX drug on TV and I think it will help me.

that's all I've got to say about that...for now...

Hey, I'm all for that one... it's INSANE how much money is wasted up locking up non-violent "criminals" when there are BILLIONS to be made in regulating the industry (which we all know is something government LOVES to do).

I'll jump in. I wasn't even pushed! In national policy, there are many parts of education that I would pick to change. Most importantly, the way it is funded on a national and state basis. I mean (public) community colleges and (public) universities also. I want federal policy to give scholarship monies to college students who do their student teaching, public urban policy or inner city social work in the nearest geographical regional area. This federal money should be 100% dependent on maintaining excellent grades. In the kindergarden - grade 12, federal money in combination with state should completely fund preschool for all students. This program should not be mandatory but available by parental choice. A serious, relevent, realistic study and review of the "No Child Left Behind" federal policy should be done. A national Education Czar should be selected by the public and not appointed by the federal administration.
I can feel my blood pressure going up as I write this. I better end now but know I have another 20 paragraphs in my soul.

So you're talking a completely federalized education system from start to finish? I'm not sure I followed ;)

yeah, education needs some SERIOUS reform...

I think back to when I was in school, I was really good at math & science, and ok at history, but literature, arts, and some of that other stuff I really stunk at...now, don't get me wrong, in the end, I'm a pretty good speler, and my grammer is functionel...but imagine an Einstein level kid, that sucked at half the stuff in school, and they said, ok, lets let him suck at one course, but still give him the basics, but the fact that he's great with math, well, lets accelerate that. hmmm :)

the no child left behind is just another way to rank and file us.

p.s. the speling mistakes were on perpus :)

the no child left behind is just another way to rank and file us.

ahem, so is federally managed education...

RightOn: even if we just stick to the idea of an Education Czar that's elected not appointed... I want this country to openly aknowledge to ourselves and the rest of the world that we value education. We are ready to and will globally compete. Instead of changing faddish direction every 4 or 8 years, instead of political winds defining "education" I want our nation to elevate it in importance.

Personally, I think a system needs to be created--or a current one needs to be promoted--to help people become more involved in their government. If this is truly a government for, by and of the people (which we all know it isn't in its current state), it should stand to reason that we all be well informed of the actions of our various governing bodies. Unfortunately, small clips of Senate meetings on the news really don't tell us anything.

So, if I had one sweeping thing I could do, it would be to create a short-term information campaign in regard to systems such as OpenCongress and Washington Watch (or perhaps the creation of something similar). If the government is truly working for you, it should be willing to share with you how you can keep tabs on it (rather than vice-versa, which is the norm). It should encourage self-transparency. Services like OpenCongress, Washington Watch and others provide valuable information to the people about the bills that are being passed, as well as how our politicians are voting on the important issues.

I think encouraging Americans to use informational services that promote government transparency when it comes to lawmaking would lead to a number of positive things: higher voter turnouts at elections (because we'd all want to get rid of the assholes who weren't voting the way we wanted); the implementation of shorter, more readable bills, because politicians would begin to worry about swiftly voting on matters contained within dozens of pages of legal jargon, for fear of an equally swift career demise after repeated mistakes; fewer unnecessary laws; etc.

It is my belief that many of the laws that get passed today are passed because people aren't always aware of where they should go for actual information, and, of course, watching something like C-SPAN is, indeed, a drag. So I cannot see how the promotion of informative, watchdog-like services could not be severely helpful. We know there are tons of Americans who don't know anything, or care to know anything, about their government and what's going on within it. This is how the government gets away with so much, obviously. There will always be those who don't want to get involved, but I do think there is a large percentage of the population that just needs to know that it can be honestly and thoroughly informed.

And the Internet, of course, makes information systems like this very affordable to provide.

I believe that Obama wants to combat voter fraud and enforce voters rights. There has already been a push for this but I imagine that a president like Obama might have the integrity to push for electoral college reform.

The problem with the current electoral college is that the election results do not represent the absolute amount of votes cast.

So many things, so little time.

I have always been an advocate of a national education system.

I think I've written in some note or other why, but fact is we have a very poor system , some states much worse than others, and certain districts in some states much worse off than others.

Many things factor into education including the education of the parents and socioeconomic factors but that not withstanding what is happening is fewer and fewer students from average public schools come out with the ability to get through a round freshman college courses successfully without some kind of remediation in math and language.

We fall further and further behind every year, we have to import our scientists now as it is. If the trend continues, sure the people who can afford it, people with well educated parents and money to get them in to expensive schools will continue to prosper, but that population is shrinking as well. Education is power and if we don't care to empower everyone the power base in this country will continue to shrink, just as we will see our power in the world shrink due to our population as a whole being educated so poorly in comparison to the rest of the industrialized world.

I read this article in the Atlantic a couple weeks ago which tends to agree with me. ;) It it is now available online, maybe it always was but

Here it is if anyone is interested.
First, Kill All the School Boards

It is not a concept only held by liberals either, at this point in time some rather conservative individuals are also leaning that way.

I believe that Obama wants to combat voter fraud and enforce voters rights. There has already been a push for this but I imagine that a president like Obama might have the integrity to push for electoral college reform.

What makes you think he would combat voter fraud?

What voters rights?

Cooper, just about the only thing I would say I would have to agree on is that Teachers Unions aren't helping ANYTHING... I also find no surprise in the concept that liberals and conservatives have had the idea of federalized education... if you tip the scale too far left you get Communism, too far right and you get Fascism. A common factor in both oppressive forms of politics is a desire for the government to control the minds of the people through a government education.