If Hilary Clinton is elected President of the United States I expect the Republicans in congress will redouble their efforts to obstruct the political process as they have been the last eight years. If Donald Trump
is elected President of the United States I expect the Democrats in congress will do their best impersonation of the Republicans as they obstruct the political process.
Now, I am aware that this thought does not sound hopeful. Here is where I believe there might be hope for our political process. I am able to imagine a scene in the halls of congress where Democratic leaders look at Republican leaders and vise-verse in frustration and exclaim, “We must fix this mess!” (It could happen!) Leaders of the two political parties could look at each other and say in the words of Albert Einstein,
“We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” Hey, then they would begin to change how the business of politics is accomplished.
Here are a few ideas I have that our political leaders might be interested in exploring:
1. Get the money out of politics by assessing one dollar from all of us voting stiffs to be used for elections. No other money would be used for elections. The pot would be split among all the candidates and the best woman or man would be the winner. I am sick and tired of millionaires and billionaires electing each other to our Nation’s highest offices.
2. Limit the number of years a person can be in office inside the beltway. Maybe the process could be like the military promotion system. If you don’t keep moving up in rank the military you are out. We could do the same in Washington. If you do not make President after 20 years in elected office you have to retire.
3. Open the system to a third (or fourth) party. The two party system keeps us polarized. A third party will give us another option which will add new inputs to the discussion.
4. Dismantle our current primary process and create an election process of inclusion. Three hundred and nineteen million people live in the United States. I can’t believe the two candidates running for President this time are the best we have.
Molly Ivins (a writer) once said, “The first rule of holes: when your in one, stop digging.” I believe it is time we stopped digging and got out of this hole.
On another topic. Jane has been enveloped in a blanket of love beyond our imagination as she continues her series of treatments for a benign tumor. We are so very grateful to so many of you for sending your hugs, prayers and positive thoughts our way. We are blessed. We begin the third week of treatments next Monday and our culinary treat will be found in Chinatown.
See you next time.