Donald J. Trump is the first man to run for the office of the Presidency on a platform of eliminating corruption since...well, perhaps George Washington. And that's a bit quirky because the United States was founded on this idea of, "governments are a necessary evil, and we must construct ours with the singular goal of preventing corruption at all cost."
This concept is largely lost to the People, and the proof is in the debate: all the sheep debate and argue over policies that will never be implemented properly anyway due to corruption. Quite frankly, if we can find some way to guarantee 0% corruption, I'd have no problem socializing some stuff (like healthcare) and I have a feeling most would agree, and those who don't probably need to go back to the beginning of this sentence where I said, "0% corruption."
But, as politicians become evermore corrupt (even with our 3 branch checks and balances system), socializing things results in even more corruption and theft from the people. And shittier services.
Question...why does nobody make this point? Why is this not the only topic anyone in Congress is talking about when it comes to policy? Trump asks for ~$2 billion to combat CoronaVirus, and Schumer says 'no, no, we need $8 billion'. Why? Well, maybe because Schumer cares about me and you more than POTUS. Unlikely! More likely that Schumer doesn't want to waste this opportunity to write a blank check to whichever companies will appoint his family and friends to their boards in exchange government contracts that we probably don't need.
Alas, I'm preaching to the choir, so let me get to the meat: We, the People of the United States of America, should demand an update to the Constitution! Not for policy wins like the Democrats always want (progressives...pft), rather, in order to do exactly what the Founders demanded--but with new technology!
You see, Pedes, the technology exists today to hold our 'representatives' accountable in ways the Founders couldn't have dreamed:
I propose that it should be illegal, by penalty of public hanging (Constitutionally authorized to be carried out by the People, NOT any branch of government), for any elected official in the Congressional Branch, or any appointed official in the Judicial Branch, to participate in any Government work outside of live-streamed and archived video and audio.
This means any policy discussions, writing of bills, voting, speaking with anyone in any way about anything potentially being done within government.
While these two branches should remain a check on the Executive branch (which would be able to act in secrecy out of necessity), we must be able to guarantee they remain loyal to the people and/or to justice. And the penalty for not doing so can be nothing less than a gruesome death, I am sorry to say, and the People must enforce that penalty ravenously.
I know, it sounds harsh, but if you understood the stakes it would sound a lot less harsh. To put it mildly: you cannot fathom how much better your life, and the lives of every person in the world, would be if we could eliminate government corruption entirely. We have the means and ability to solve most problems in the world. Government Corruption kills an unparalleled amount of people in obvious ways, but even more in not-obvious ways that you haven't considered and I won't list here.
Obviously this Constitutional amendment would only and strictly be enforced if these officials attempt to do government work in secret. Whatever they do in public, openly, shall not be punished by this amendment, no matter how distasteful their public action may be. Take it to the polls.
If the American People once again focus upon the problem of corruption, and employ new technologies to ensure its elimination, the sky (and beyond) is the limit for our Nation!
(My name is Christopher Hill, I am the lead programmer and co-owner of Three Guys Game Studio, have a beautiful wife and 2 daughters, and am forever in awe of Donald John Trump's speech at the Al Smith dinner)
This isn't a terrible idea, I just don't know how things will ever really get fixed until we get some actual representation voted in. Nobody in Congress would vote in something like this to be amended, so I think a reasonable first step would be for everyone to start voting for good candidates and for us to make more of those think tanks that will put good candidates up for voting...
You're right, however, only an outlandish idea will garner enough momentum to cause true change. This is why Trump's first 'offer' always sounds overblown, it's a negotiation tactic. People will never get behind the idea of 'let's vote on good candidates' en mass. Too many policy disagreements (which don't actually matter but get in the way of movements) etc.
An idea that has no regard for policy, rather, only regard for something that every citizen agrees upon (corruption politicians deserve punishment and hardly ever get it) might just start a movement, and the end result might end up being everyone starts by voting on good candidates - or perhaps just candidates who profess agreement with this idea, or one like it.
But you have to start with something radical and outlandish.