What happened to the days when you voted for candidates because of their “abilities”, and not because of their party affiliation, or the popularity they enjoy as a result of expensive media exposure? Have you ever noticed that most Government offices are being held by individuals who are independently wealthy, or who enjoy very strong financial support? This applies to all levels of government, whether it be Federal, State or Local.
Individuals may be extremely well-qualified, but their name may never be added to a ballot simply because they are virtual unknowns who are financially unable to compete in an arena heavily populated with the rich and famous. Have you ever noticed how many elected officials are either independently wealthy or own their own business? Unfortunately, that doesn’t make them better qualified than less affluent candidates.
Instead of receiving donations and other forms of financial support for “individual” candidates, why not place these monetary contributions into a special fund and allocate an “equal amount of money” to each candidate … to be used for promotional purposes. This would give “all” candidates an equal opportunity to win. Some type of regulation would need to be implemented to prevent individuals and companies from doing their own promotions for their favorite candidate. This should encourage more highly-qualified people to run for office and it would minimize the amount of favoritism they owe to those who provided financial support. If you like this suggestion spread the word by telling others to read this article … if enough people show support for it, it can become a realilty. Wouldn’t you rather have someone represent you who shares a comparable lifestyle and who can more fully understand and appreciate your needs and concerns? I would!
About the Author
The author is a Personal Computer Consultant residing in Southern California. Contact info: comments@busonweb.com