On Page 8 - Here - we discusses the 10 suggestions for repairing our dysfunctional political system in the book by Steven Hill called '10 Steps to Repair American Democracy'.
1. Reform of our Election and Voting system because the cornerstone of our democracy is an honest, fair, and transparent elections and voting process!
The 'Voter Bill of Rights' (HERE) - has ideas to ensure that all citizens have a fair and reasonable access to voting and that election results are not vulnerable to tampering.
a. National groups that are working on this issue.
* AEI/Brookings - HERE!
* ACLU - HERE!
* Black Box Voting -
* Brennan Center For Justice - HERE!
* Campaign Legal Center - HERE!
* Center for Hand Counted Paper Ballots - HERE!
* Center for Responsive Politics - HERE!
* Common Cause - HERE!
* Demos - HERE!
* Election Defense Alliance - HERE!
* Fair Vote - HERE!
* Justice Integrity Project - HERE!
* Let's Free Congress - HERE!
* No More Stolen Elections - HERE!
* Richard Charnin - HERE!
* Sunlight Foundation - HERE!
* The Brad Blog - HERE!
* The Free Press - HERE!
b. Informational videos on the issue.
* Bob Fitrakis on problems with electronic voting machines! - HERE!
* Mark Crispin Miller on Voter Fraud vs Election Fraud! - HERE!
* "Clean Elections, Changing The Face of America" - HERE!
* "Bill Moyers on the Influence of Money in Government" - HERE!
* Videos from Money in Politics Conference (5/09) - Click HERE!
c. Informational articles on the issue.
* An Election Protection Agenda for 2016! - HERE!
* Will Your Vote Event Get Counted by Sheila Parks - HERE!
* Brennan Center on Voting Rights - HERE!
* Simple Solutions to Fix Voting Machines! - HERE!
* Voter Registration Modernization! - HERE!
* We Have to Fix That! - HERE!
* Could e-Voting Machines Be Hacked! - HERE!
* Paper Ballot Concepts In a Computerized World! - HERE!
* Romney lost, but the voting system is still broken! HERE!
d. Informational books which have chapters on election and voting reform!
* America The Possible: Manifesto for a New Economy by Gus Speth (2012)! Click HERE
for interview on the book.
* 10 Steps Repair American Democracy (2006 and 2012) by Steven Hill. Click HERE for
interview on the book!
* The Seventeen Solutions: Bold Ideas For Our American Future by Ralph Nader (2012).
Click HERE C-Span interview on the book.
* Electoral Dysfunction: A Survival Manuaal for American Voters by Victoria Bassetti
(2012). Click HERE for interview about the book.
* While We Still Have Time: The Perils Of Electronic Voting Machines And Democracy's
Solution: Publicly Observed, Secure Hand-Counted Paper Ballots (HCPB) Elections!
(2012) Click HERE!
* Will the GOP Steal America's 2012 Election: Corporate Vote Theft and The Future of
American Democracy! (2012) e-book by Fitrakis and Wasserman (2012). Available from Free Press. org - Click HERE!
2. Minimize the Role of Money in Politics because we need elected officials who are working for everyone, not the economic elites. Big money buys access and influence for elite special interests, dominates our policies and corrupts our politics. The best way to get big money out of politics is to cut politicians' dependence on big campaign contributions and special favors while in office. Public financing of elections, disclosure of campaign contributions, and strict lobbying rules are key parts of that effort.* ACLU - HERE!
* Black Box Voting -
* Brennan Center For Justice - HERE!
* Campaign Legal Center - HERE!
* Center for Hand Counted Paper Ballots - HERE!
* Center for Responsive Politics - HERE!
* Common Cause - HERE!
* Demos - HERE!
* Election Defense Alliance - HERE!
* Fair Vote - HERE!
* Justice Integrity Project - HERE!
* Let's Free Congress - HERE!
* No More Stolen Elections - HERE!
* Richard Charnin - HERE!
* Sunlight Foundation - HERE!
* The Brad Blog - HERE!
* The Free Press - HERE!
b. Informational videos on the issue.
* Bob Fitrakis on problems with electronic voting machines! - HERE!
* Mark Crispin Miller on Voter Fraud vs Election Fraud! - HERE!
* "Clean Elections, Changing The Face of America" - HERE!
* "Bill Moyers on the Influence of Money in Government" - HERE!
* Videos from Money in Politics Conference (5/09) - Click HERE!
c. Informational articles on the issue.
* An Election Protection Agenda for 2016! - HERE!
* Will Your Vote Event Get Counted by Sheila Parks - HERE!
* Brennan Center on Voting Rights - HERE!
* Simple Solutions to Fix Voting Machines! - HERE!
* Voter Registration Modernization! - HERE!
* We Have to Fix That! - HERE!
* Could e-Voting Machines Be Hacked! - HERE!
* Paper Ballot Concepts In a Computerized World! - HERE!
* Romney lost, but the voting system is still broken! HERE!
d. Informational books which have chapters on election and voting reform!
* America The Possible: Manifesto for a New Economy by Gus Speth (2012)! Click HERE
for interview on the book.
* 10 Steps Repair American Democracy (2006 and 2012) by Steven Hill. Click HERE for
interview on the book!
* The Seventeen Solutions: Bold Ideas For Our American Future by Ralph Nader (2012).
Click HERE C-Span interview on the book.
* Electoral Dysfunction: A Survival Manuaal for American Voters by Victoria Bassetti
(2012). Click HERE for interview about the book.
* While We Still Have Time: The Perils Of Electronic Voting Machines And Democracy's
Solution: Publicly Observed, Secure Hand-Counted Paper Ballots (HCPB) Elections!
(2012) Click HERE!
* Will the GOP Steal America's 2012 Election: Corporate Vote Theft and The Future of
American Democracy! (2012) e-book by Fitrakis and Wasserman (2012). Available from Free Press. org - Click HERE!
a. Programs we should support to get the money out.
* The "American Anti-Corruption Act". Cl ick HERE for details and to sign on as a
citizen co-sponsor. Click HERE for a short video about the plan.
* The Government By the People Act (H.R 20) - HERE!
* The Democracy is for People Movement - Click HERE for info and petition
* The "American Anti-Corruption Act". Cl ick HERE for details and to sign on as a
citizen co-sponsor. Click HERE for a short video about the plan.
* The Government By the People Act (H.R 20) - HERE!
* The Democracy is for People Movement - Click HERE for info and petition
* The Fair Elections Now Act. Click HERE for info and sign petition!
* Read about (HERE) and support the Disclose Act 2015 - HERE!
* Support Shareholder Protection Act (H.R. 1734) Click HERE for info and sign petition.
b. Groups working on the money in politics issue.
* Read about (HERE) and support the Disclose Act 2015 - HERE!
* Support Shareholder Protection Act (H.R. 1734) Click HERE for info and sign petition.
b. Groups working on the money in politics issue.
* Brennan Center for Justice - Click HERE!
* Center for Public Integrity! HERE!
* Center for Responsive Politics (Open Secrets) - Click HERE!
* Center for Voting and Democracy (Fair Vote) - Click HERE!
* Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington - HERE!
* Common Cause - Click HERE!
* Democracy 21 - Click HERE!
* Let's Free Congress! HERE!
* Public Campaign (now Every Voice) - Click HERE!
* Public Citizen - Click HERE!
* Represent Us - Click HERE!
3. Support " Fix the Senate Now" (website - HERE) to ensure the legislative process is no longer high jacked by the minority. Click HERE for a short video about why this is important. Over the years, the senate rules have allowed a minority (usually of conservatives) to stop legislation that is supported by and helpful to the majority of Americans by using a silent filibuster. HERE is a chart and HERE is an article about the increased use of the silent filibuster in the last 35 years. The following articleHERE lists legislation that has been stopped because a 60 vote majority is now needed.
a. Groups working on reforming the U. S. Senate:
a. Groups working on reforming the U. S. Senate:
* Alliance for Justice comments - HERE!
* Common Cause - HERE and HERE!
* Brennan Center for Justice - HERE!
* AFL-CIO - HERE!
* American Constitution Society - HERE!
* Blog - HERE!
b. The Fix the Senate Now website suggests the following 4 reforms:* Clear Path to Debate: Eliminate the Filibuster makes motions to proceed not subject to a filibuster, but provides two hours of debate.
* Brennan Center for Justice - HERE!
* AFL-CIO - HERE!
* American Constitution Society - HERE!
* Blog - HERE!
b. The Fix the Senate Now website suggests the following 4 reforms:* Clear Path to Debate: Eliminate the Filibuster makes motions to proceed not subject to a filibuster, but provides two hours of debate.
* Talking Filibuster: Ensures Real Debate and creates a “talking filibuster.” If a majority of the Senate votes for cloture, but not the 60 Senators required to invoke it – which means 41 Senators have voted to continue debate – then the majority leader can initiate a period of extended debate. This period ends, and cloture can be invoked by a majority, if at any point no Senator seeks to continue debating. This forces Senators who filibuster to actually speak on the floor, greatly increasing public accountability and requiring time and energy if the minority wants to use this tool to obstruct the Senate.
* Expedite Nominations: Reduce Post-Cloture Time - reduces post-cloture debate on nominations to 2 hours, except for Supreme Court Justices (for whom the current 30 hours would remain intact)
* Restore the Conference Process: Eliminate the Filibuster on Motions to Establish a Conference Committee. The Senate has to take three steps in order to start the conference committee process: adopt a motion to reject a House amendment or insist on a Senate amendment, adopt a motion to request a conference committee or agree to a request by the House for a conference committee, and, by unanimous consent, authorize the chair to appoint conferees. These steps represent three opportunities to filibuster a bill the Senate has already agreed to. The proposed rules change would establish a single non-divisible motion to accomplish all three steps, and limit debate of the consolidated motion to 2 hours.
4.
Other repairs that will take some time.
Support a 'Medicare for All' single payer health insurance plan! Sign the petition at Healthcare Now - HERE! Click HERE for a short video about this effort.
Reject the 'Citizens United' ruling that corporations are people and money is speech by amending the Constitution!
a. Sign the petitions at "Move to Amend" (HERE) and "Democracy is for People" (HERE ).
b. Click HERE for a short video about why this is important.
Support Reform of our Justice System!
a. Brennan Center for Justice has Fair Courts Reform Ideas - HERE and HERE!
b. Common Cause on Supreme Court Reform - HERE!
c. Comments on 'Strategies for Effective Court Reform' - HERE!
Reject the 'Citizens United' ruling that corporations are people and money is speech by amending the Constitution!
a. Sign the petitions at "Move to Amend" (HERE) and "Democracy is for People" (HERE ).
b. Click HERE for a short video about why this is important.
Support Reform of our Justice System!
a. Brennan Center for Justice has Fair Courts Reform Ideas - HERE and HERE!
b. Common Cause on Supreme Court Reform - HERE!
c. Comments on 'Strategies for Effective Court Reform' - HERE!
