Governing

Last Updated 25 November 2000

A vision for our nation is:

Politicians at all levels earn and receive respect (rather than regularly ranking low in esteem and trust opinion polls).

Enacted laws are “clean”, with no “special” cases, exceptions, and loopholes.

Elected and appointed leaders have both long-term and short-term views.

Election processes operate accurately and effectively.

A culturally literate, committed, active, and effective electorate (see “Education”).

Citizen-friendly government.

Actions we should take include:

Demand strong, professionally ethical government officials, through the election process.

Institute an appropriateness and operational impact review on every item of legislation passed by the U.S. Congress, and eventually the same within every state.

Demand the elimination of the legal favoritism of the Democrat and Republican parties.

Review and improve the election procedures in every precinct in every state.

Do not reelect legislators that sponsor unrelated amendments and special cases.

The overall approach is:

Creative approaches and solutions are required for the success of our United States for the next generation and century.

We, the citizens, must change what is considered “politically possible”, and enable a wide range of views to have effective legislative voices. We, the citizens, must also discourage pork-barrelling and perks.
Successful businesses operate with focus, clarity, and efficiency; we should require the same from our government. Our government must focus on what it as an organization can do well, and let go of what it can’t.

We should also demand that goverment officials, especially legislators, focus appropriately, such as on appropriate legislation, and avoid counterproductive activities, such as impeachment proceedings based on personal flaws and not on professional misconduct.

Elected legislators and executives should have vision, coupled with practical proposals. Our elections should emphasize professional capabilities and ethics, not personal morality. We should evaluate and reelect politicians based on how well government actually operates and improves its operation.

"Clean" legislation without “special” cases, exceptions, and loopholes, is the only way that the electorate can truly understand what has been legislated. Special cases, exceptions, and loopholes complicate laws, and only benefit those with the financial resources to understand and exploit those loopholes.

The Executive branch must do what any company should do: manage well within its priorities and budgets. This means defining quality measures, observing and reporting relative to these measures, and continuously and measurably improving the functioning of government. This includes reducing the bureaucratic impact of government on citizens.

Unlike most of the other areas touched by Common Sense 2000, which state policies for governmental and other organizational leaders to advocate, this area demands continual attention and energy from all of us, the electorate.