Post 11

In an ideal world, many would agree that government should serve the country based on personal motivation and not by how much money they are given. Many of citizens could agree that most politicians in office right now are after the money and power, rather than looking out for the interests of the people they represent and the government they serve. How can current politics change so it returns to its original purpose? What needs to be done to satisfy the citizens?

 One of the biggest problems with US government and politics is reelection. Politicians who win a seat or a race are never content and immediately begin fundraising for the next election although it is at least more than two years away. When politicians focus on reelection, they completely neglect the true duties of being a part of government. Often times, at the end of a politician’s term, nothing was accomplished and the situation was the same as it was two, four, or even six years ago. Sometimes, this makes me wonder if politicians really have any idea on issues that society faces.

One possible solution to this is to create an educational program for potential candidates that would include lessons on current problems and proposed solutions. This program would be mandatory for all those seeking to become a politician or representative. An amendment to the requirements of becoming senator or representative would be appropriate and perhaps one month of training would suffice. This would create a more effective government and ensure that some positive work was done during a term.

Another solution, as Woodhouse suggests, would be to pay legislators and politicians for doing their job well. This solution is analogous to the CEO pay proposal and would work similarly. If a bill was passed that would somehow reduce carbon emissions, the legislators and/or the local politicians would receive compensation of sorts. Or similarly, if taxes were lowered in a state, then the governor would be compensated. Although this pay system may further monetize government, it still would warrant some good work.

Our government needs serious evolution and the sooner it begins, the better for all concerned. Many countries look up to our model of government as ideal, and if we cannot even tackle basic issues such as unemployment, what makes us better than a corrupt nation?