9 Ways to Improve the U.S. Government

The Democratic Republic of the United States is one of the best governments in the world. That does not mean it is without problems, as the great framework set by the Founding Fathers needs some adjustments to better fit with today’s country. This is not about helping or hurting one party or the other, it is about working out the kinks in government so that it better serves the people. This was written an independent moderate that doesn’t like either party and just sees them as a necessary evil.

1. Popular vote decides the President - The electoral vote rarely has a different outcome than the popular vote, but it does happen, like in 2000. It was set up to keep large population states from having their issues dominate. States today do not have as differing issues so the need it not as great. The problem with the electoral vote is that it causes some people’s votes to be useless. Those voting Democrat in red states or Republican in blue states do not count because only the votes of the majority in such states decide the electoral votes. When a person’s vote does not count in the most important election of the country it is no wonder we have low turnout. The electoral vote just makes candidates focus on swing states because those are the only places where even one person’s vote could theoretically change the outcome of who gets the states electoral votes and that is the difference between winning the office and being the runner up.
2. Lower the voting age to 16 – When a lot of people are 18 they are living outside their residential district in a college dorm. To vote in the first election they are eligible for they have to make the extra effort cast an absentee ballot or go home in the middle of a class week. Neither is ideal, but if they were able to vote in high school they be home. Also they would have their social studies class as a great source to inform them on the issues and encourage them to participate in government. If they are mature enough to drive a car, which can be very dangerous if not used right, then why not mature enough to have direct influence on government. This could have the problem of teachers trying to influence students’ votes but most students should be able to see through such efforts.
3. Election Day should be a national holiday – Voting is the heart of a democracy yet we can’t get the day off to do it. This discourages people from taking time to go to the polls, especially in places that have long lines to get to the booth. This also hurts poor people, as they might not have the money or time to take off from work to vote. Credit for this idea belongs to former President Bill Clinton.
4. D.C. should elect the senate president – In case you don’t already know, the Vice President currently holds this job. He casts the deciding vote in the event of a tie. The executive branch holds enough power as is, being able to veto bills that both houses pass. The VP being able cast a vote just gives the branch two chances to stop a bill. This job was given to him because originally he did not have many responsibilities, but today VPs have shone the ability to have influence on a lot of other aspects of the government. D.C. should not be able to have regular representatives in congress, as this is the privilege of a state. However if the elected representatives of the 50 states reach a deadlock in the senate, why not a representative from the remaining part of the population of the country decide.
5. Limit Congressional terms – Congress is full of people that have held their seats for decades. Newcomers have to wait until someone has decided to leave or they have to take them on as a nobody versus someone that is well established in the state. Long time holders of an office tend to loose touch with the people. Senators should have a limit of two terms (a total of 12 years) and Congressmen in the House five terms (a total of 10 years). A decade should be plenty of time for the congressmen and women to achieve the majority of their goals.
6. A person must live in a state for five years to be its congressman or governor – How can a person know what is important to a state and what in government should be done for it if they have not lived in it for a while. An outsider holding a state’s office is rare but it happens and that is too often.
7. Supreme Court Justices are chosen in a different way – Currently the President picks a nominee and Senate has final say whether that person should be a justice of the court. If a party controls both the White House and the Senate they can choose whomever they want. This leads to justices who are chosen based on how they will rule on issues important to the party rather than what they should be chosen on, upholding the constitution. The court should be about justice under America’s most sacred legal document not winning ideological battles. I can’t think of a better way to choose them as of now but involving both houses of congress would be a start. Direct election by the public seems ideal but it could also make the court more political rather than less.
8. Congressmen need to regularly report all earmarks they sponsor – Earmarks are small additions to proposed legislation that are about a something different then the bill itself. Often they are for pet projects in the state the sponsoring congressmen are from. The problem with this is it usually leads to federal money being spent on things without any debate because most of the time it is the merits of bill itself and not what’s attached that decides whether it will be approved by congress and the president. This in effect lets small pieces of legislation to sneaked by wasting money on things most people don’t want. While the ultimate goal should be to eliminate earmarks all together, a start would be forcing members of congress to report all earmarks they are responsible for, by law. Some did such a thing voluntarily at the request of CNN, but many had to have pressure put on them before complying. An article on it can be found here. Another way to curb earmarks it to give the president the ability to veto earmark without vetoing the bill it is attached to.
9. Conversations between elected officials and lobbyists should be recorded – The technology to do this sort of thing is certainly cheap enough. The office holders may not like the idea of this but if nothing wrong is happening in the meetings with special interest groups then why can’t the people, the governments boss not hear them. They are not like security briefings where peoples lives will be in danger if the public knows. With such a measure corruption should be cut down and you just might hear those in government act more like an advocate for the voters.