politics posts

Ideas: regions vote for governing state

Each state would be close to sovereign, with general freedom to create and enforce laws, choose and operate economic systems, run military organizations, etc. States would start as they are now, as geographic areas.

Each state would be divided into regions, such as the current counties, though preferably equal in size. Each region would have a nationally prescribed method of voting to switch to governing of another state.

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I Ohio voting in democrat primary

Today, “I Ohio voting”. I got in just about at the last minute. This time, for the first time ever, I took a party ballot for voting in a primary. I dislike the two-party system and how limited our choices are with effectively two not-so-dissimilar options. I think regardless of who is elected, more things that I dislike will come to pass politically than things I like. I don’t really want my name associated with either of the large, powerful parties that control this country. However, I kinda like what Bernie Sanders brings to the table, as compared to the other options. He was an independent for a long time, and still has that feel, at least as much so as a candidate can in this political environment. He’s down, but not out, so I figured I’d give him a tiny bit of help with a vote.


Appropriate living place service

To help ensure people can easily move to the country best suited to them, there would be a program which all countries could choose to join. Joined countries would have buildings that citizens interested in moving away or even just seeing if there is something better could visit.

A counselor would be provided. The citizen would discuss their political, social, religious, and other wants and views, and the counselor would talk to them about the countries seeming most appropriate. The counselor would then give them guidance in how to research and choose a country as well as how the country moving procedures work.

The citizen would be given access to a computer database with political and social characteristics, news, geography, and all sorts of information about all of the participating countries, with advanced searches available.

After researching the countries, the citizen would talk to the counselor to make a final decision. If the citizen decides to go through with the move, the counselor would tell the citizen everything they need to do to proceed with the move.

The counselor would meet with a counselor from the other country to start the process toward citizenship for the citizen. This process should be an agreement between the two countries plus the citizen that would help ensure both success and safety for both the citizen and the new country. The process should be relatively quick and easy, with important records provided from the originating country so the destination country can more easily do background checks.

Some countries might only do exchanges, have number limits, or have certain stipulations on the citizens they will take, though the movement of citizens must be generally relatively free and easy.

A similar but simpler version of this service could be provided for intra-country moves, helping citizens find the best city or place within a country for them to live.


Presidential Advertising and Funding

The advertisements on the TV and radio and the costs associated are crazy and huge, and one item that helps prevent smaller parties from entering the political game. The money for these adverts coming primarily from donations, these donations sources have become a large point of contention.

I suggest that we eliminate all advertising by campaigners in these traditional advertising mediums. All other forums of communications that are currently used would then be expanded in power. Speeches and appearances, campaigners, candidate websites, and the debates should all be given more power.

The debates in particular need to be improved to allow more even representation of competing candidates and their ideas. Each candidate should be timed during the debate for how much they’ve said. This includes words spoken during or interrupting others’ speech. At the end, during their final statements, the other candidates should be given the time to even out their total speaking time. And the presidential debates should always include at least one third party candidate, the most popular probably. This will bring in an additional voice to attempt to break up the polarization in the discussion between only two voices.

Both the costs of campaigning and the needs to receive all that money through donations must be reduced significantly. All that money could potentially be used for better purposes.

Other mediums should be better at providing information than the more stagnant campaign adverts on TV and radio.