These are neither Republican nor Democratic proposals. You either believe in good government or you don't. Feel free to add any suggestions you have.
1. Term limits now and tweak the terms. Three four-year terms for State Reps. Two six-year terms for State Senators. A two-year term for State Reps is too short. They have to start campaigning for the next election virtually the day after they win. (I would oppose term limits for municipal offices because it is hard enough to attract people.)
2. Reduce the size of PA government so state rep districts have 85,000 people within. This is small enough to maintain constituent services at the current level, but large enough to eliminate 52 positions entirely.
3. Eliminate pensions for elected officials. Salaries for a full-time state legislator should be adjusted to be the median for the district represented. It is a full-time job, but not a career. Pensions are for career positions.
4. Enact Resign-to-run rules that would apply to any full-time elected position that draws a taxpayer funded salary. Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley should not be able to use the perks of his office as a springboard to the state senate. The only exception is if the candidate is in the final year of his term.
5. End gerrymandering by establishing independent commissions to do the redistricting. (The current commission is appointed by incumbents to help them keep their jobs.
6. Require all candidates for statewide office to file campaign finance reports electronically so the people know immediately how the campaign is being funded. Too many candidates refuse to file electronically, and the state elections office is never in a hurry to get reports online. Each county government should adopt ordinances requiring that campaign finance reports be posted on the county webpage within 24 hours of filing. (NorCo lists campaign finance reports, but this is at the whim of the Exec, who could change her mid tomorrow. County Council needs to adopt an ordinance requiring their publication).
7. Ban the use of campaign funds for criminal defense.
8. Increase penalties for noncompliance with state campaign finance laws and continue the requirement that a candidate pay for violations out of his own personal funds.
9. All local governments should be required to provide an Internet broadcast of every meeting. If it is too expensive, the government should be dissolved.
10. Ban gifts of any kind, on a state and local level.
12. Require receipts for per diem payments.
13. Allow independent voters to participate in Primary Elections.
14. Ban local governments and school districts from attaching risky derivative "swaps" to their debt.
15. Ban candidates or elected officials from using campaign funds to make contributions to any other PAC or candidate committee. This prevents money laundering and ensures that money given to a candidate is used only for his campaign.
16. Limit campaign expenses to year of election requiring forfeiture of unspent monies. Eliminate rolling campaign accounts and expenditures in non election years. I believe district magistrates must spend it or lose it and cannot accumulate funds when they are unopposed. Similar rules for everybody.
17. LIST candidates on the ballot (per office) in random order with no party affiliation attached.
18. In addition to term limits, place "None of the Above" on the ballot for every elective office. If "None of the Above" wins a majority or plurality of the votes, the other candidates are disqualified and a new slate of candidates (including "None of the Above") must be drawn for a new election. Lather, rinse and repeat until someone other than "None of the Above" receives a majority of the votes.
1. Term limits now and tweak the terms. Three four-year terms for State Reps. Two six-year terms for State Senators. A two-year term for State Reps is too short. They have to start campaigning for the next election virtually the day after they win. (I would oppose term limits for municipal offices because it is hard enough to attract people.)
2. Reduce the size of PA government so state rep districts have 85,000 people within. This is small enough to maintain constituent services at the current level, but large enough to eliminate 52 positions entirely.
3. Eliminate pensions for elected officials. Salaries for a full-time state legislator should be adjusted to be the median for the district represented. It is a full-time job, but not a career. Pensions are for career positions.
4. Enact Resign-to-run rules that would apply to any full-time elected position that draws a taxpayer funded salary. Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley should not be able to use the perks of his office as a springboard to the state senate. The only exception is if the candidate is in the final year of his term.
5. End gerrymandering by establishing independent commissions to do the redistricting. (The current commission is appointed by incumbents to help them keep their jobs.
6. Require all candidates for statewide office to file campaign finance reports electronically so the people know immediately how the campaign is being funded. Too many candidates refuse to file electronically, and the state elections office is never in a hurry to get reports online. Each county government should adopt ordinances requiring that campaign finance reports be posted on the county webpage within 24 hours of filing. (NorCo lists campaign finance reports, but this is at the whim of the Exec, who could change her mid tomorrow. County Council needs to adopt an ordinance requiring their publication).
7. Ban the use of campaign funds for criminal defense.
8. Increase penalties for noncompliance with state campaign finance laws and continue the requirement that a candidate pay for violations out of his own personal funds.
9. All local governments should be required to provide an Internet broadcast of every meeting. If it is too expensive, the government should be dissolved.
10. Ban gifts of any kind, on a state and local level.
12. Require receipts for per diem payments.
13. Allow independent voters to participate in Primary Elections.
14. Ban local governments and school districts from attaching risky derivative "swaps" to their debt.
15. Ban candidates or elected officials from using campaign funds to make contributions to any other PAC or candidate committee. This prevents money laundering and ensures that money given to a candidate is used only for his campaign.
16. Limit campaign expenses to year of election requiring forfeiture of unspent monies. Eliminate rolling campaign accounts and expenditures in non election years. I believe district magistrates must spend it or lose it and cannot accumulate funds when they are unopposed. Similar rules for everybody.
17. LIST candidates on the ballot (per office) in random order with no party affiliation attached.
18. In addition to term limits, place "None of the Above" on the ballot for every elective office. If "None of the Above" wins a majority or plurality of the votes, the other candidates are disqualified and a new slate of candidates (including "None of the Above") must be drawn for a new election. Lather, rinse and repeat until someone other than "None of the Above" receives a majority of the votes.
*****
Some new ideas
19. Limit both individual and PAC contributions to $1,000 a year.
20. Ban all public employees from contributing to candidates in races for the municipality by which they are employed.
21. Prohibit all individuals who contribute to candidates for a specific municipality from having any form of business relationship with that municipality for a period of two years after making the contribnution.
Politicians have ruined the greatest country in the world Because of fraud and there is a lot of it and terrible spending and taxing the system is fatling a good amount of it's citizens. Social security and our health system are in bad shape because of our politicians spending all that money overseas is a good example that money should first take care of our citizens, We will not go anywhere as a country with the way our politicians do their job.
ReplyDelete22. Ban public sector unions from making campaign contributions to candidates who they negotiate member salaries and benefits with.
ReplyDeleteGood move
DeleteNo to No. 13! The point of a primary is to select the candidate for YOUR party! If they want a say in a party’s candidate, then pick a party.
ReplyDelete6:26- wrong. There are different types of primary voting. You're probably familiar with the with closed primaries in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania and 22 other States has closed primaries. 18 States have open primaries. Here's a breakdown of the type different primaries and who's allowed to vote for whom.
DeleteIn closed primaries only registered party members are allowed to vote. This includes states where a voter may be able to change their affiliation on the day of the primary
In semi-closed primaries, registered party members and unaffiliated voters are allowed to vote.
In open primaries, all voters are allowed to vote.
In top-two primaries, top-four primaries, and blanket primaries, all candidates are listed on the same ballot, regardless of partisan affiliation and voters may vote for candidates from more than one party.
YES to No. 13!
Open primaries enfranchise voters. We’re lucky to live in a purple state. But if your preferred party is consistently disadvantaged in the general election, closed primaries essentially disenfranchise you. Republicans in Oregon and Democrats in North Datoka basically don’t get a vote unless they switch parties.
DeleteAllowing open primaries would result in less polarized candidates and more moderates. I believe most states have some form of open primaries.
DeleteYou knew it was a waste of time when you sent it. Politicians are not going to do anything to damage their golden goose. On another note, Ron Beitler is the most honest politician in the entire valley.
ReplyDeleteI agree, and by far! He's not a phony, nor did he get his wife a political patronage job like Boulette.
DeleteI agree with almost every one of these suggested improvements. I also know that NOT A SINGLE ONE of these will ever become reality. Career zombies like Boscola and Freeman will continue to steal their salaries from taxpayers and have zero interest in any person or group trying to kill their golden goose. They are disgusting. They are an affront to democracy. May their retirements be short and painful.
ReplyDeletewhy would you get rid of pensions. These people give up that portion of their earnings career to do the right thing and you want them to not be able to have something at the end of, say 4 terms. if they are effective legislators and IF the system worked, by that i mean voters paid attention to the peope they elected, then I have no problem with a career politician looking out for my district.
ReplyDeleteNo pensions. Let them contribute to a 401k with a standard match. Problem solved.
DeleteThey get a 3 multiplier while our high risk occupations like corrections get 2.5. For a part time job what a joke! How bout we give them a 4% match like most ppl get in the private sector.
DeleteAll good. If I had to pick a few I would start with term limits. Reduce size of the PA legislature. No pensions! PA state rep over a 100 k plus per diems plus a car plus pension for what amounts to a part time job.
ReplyDeleteFrom the original post:
ReplyDelete“These are neither Republican nor Democratic proposals. You either believe in good government or you don't.”
This isn’t Moses coming down from the mountain with God’s words. Some of these are good ideas, but some are terrible.
Making terms LONGER simply makes an unresponsive system even less accountable. Same with larger districts.
Resign-to-run should have NO exceptions. The minute you declare for another office you’re trying to serve two masters. That never works.
An “independent” commission on redistricting will eventually become just as political as the system we have now, only with people who never have to answer directly to the people.
Allowing independents to vote in party primaries opens the system up to outside manipulation. As it is, anyone can vote in any primary. They just have to take the step to change their registration. That seems reasonable and not a burden.
A HARD “NO” on the “None of the Above” proposal. We already have what seems like an endless election season. We don’t need additional special or runoff elections on top of that.
The others are mostly ok, but likely still need some tweaking.
As far as additions, it would be nice if there was a way to ban contributions from outside the area that a candidate represents. I’m not sure that’s constitutional, though.
No buildings, highways, bridges, etc. should be named to honor a politician solely for the deeds they accomplished with taxpayers dollars and sucking on the public teat for thirty years..
ReplyDeleteLandfills, sewage treatment facilities and data centers should be required to bear a politician's name. No name, no approval. Another idea might be to place joint names (one being a politician, the other being a convicted felon). The Jeffery Dahmer Robert Freeman Sewage Plant. The Donald Trump Lisa Boscola Landfill. The Mike Schlossberg Ted Bundy Data Center.
DeleteDid you know we have the country’s highest paid governor? 253k. The 3rd highest paid legislature at 113,500. It’s time for a pay freeze! Cars, pensions, gold plated health care, they’re like pigs feeding at the trough!
ReplyDeleteConsidering their "Off Time" for recesses, vacations, etc. Has anyone really computed their hourly rate in service to their constituents ?
DeleteAllowing Indies to vote in primaries would be disastrous, given how insecure our elections are. In February, I switched from R to D solely to vote against McClure and to elect crooked Brooks, who will lose in November. That's the way it's done. I'm now a Democrat who hates Democrats and will work to poison the party. Ds do this to Rs, as well. The biggest changes come from within. Being Indie is useless virtue signaling. Switching parties is easy and very American. Just ask Arlen Specter.
ReplyDeleteRevoke all "get out of jail free cards" for all politicians and bloggers. (sorry Bernie, I just couldn't resist)
ReplyDeleteHokie Joe
All of the above- especially #1, you can name it the Bob Freeman Act.
ReplyDeleteZero point zero "pension" for electeds. Get a real job losers. Also, pay for your own health plan. Enough with the freebies and bennies.
ReplyDeleteBernie,
ReplyDeleteThanks for providing this list. It contains a lot of great ideas. A number of them have the support of almost every voter.
#1: Everyone wants term limits. Even though we have dozens of ideas about the exact structure, I haven’t seen anyone set the bar as high as 36 years. (That’s a hint.)
#12: I would love to see Lisa Boscola’s receipts for the hundreds of days she got paid by per diem instead of being reimbursed for only her actual costs.
Scott Janney for State Senate
ScottJanney.com
scott you would spend every cent you got and then some, what makes you think you are better than anyone? Your a crook just like boscola and your campaign is a joke
Deleteor her bar tab! Boscola, Emrick & Freeman are the ultimate grifters!
DeleteYou supported all of the stupid NorCo term limits.
ReplyDeleteThat's not really accurate. I support term limits for state and federal offices. I do not support term limits for lower offices like borough councils or township supervisors. County office is a bit of a grey area for me. But I supported letting the voters decide and they did vote to term limit county offices. It was opposed by Zrinski, Lott and Heckman. Zrinski had argued voters did not want it. She was wrong. They did. The term limit referendum was put to the voters after Council overrode McClure's veto.
DeleteLike I said, this is a grey area for me. I believe it takes two years for a council member to familiarize himself with his role. I don't think they really hit their stride until then, if ever.
two years you say? we have a few who never understood the role yet they were re-elected
DeleteDo you mean it takes 2 years for a new member to become indoctrinated ?
DeleteIf you cannot vote for a candidate - do not live in the area they will represent - you cannot contribute to their campaign. Exceptions for relatives - if your, for example, son is running for office and lives out the area, you can make a small donation to the campaign.
ReplyDeleteIf you are a paid elected official and you vote for a tax increase, your pay is adjusted down by the percent you approved. 17% tax increase? Your pay takes a 17% cut.
If you are a paid elected official, you cannot endorse candidates at campaign events. Writing an op-ed in support is sufficient. No more using a paid day to travel and rally for someone.
I really like this suggestion
DeleteI'd vote for that tomorrow, but our feckless politicians would never vote for it- just like term limits!
DeleteI thought elections are basically "term limits"
ReplyDeleteAgree with every suggestion you posted.
ReplyDeleteRequire all "Authorities" to be required to prepare minutes available to the public!
ReplyDeleteAnd all authorities should be forced to hold open meetings. No more close doors.
DeleteNo elected official should be permitted to accept free office space in a donor's building.
DeleteRetiring elected officials staffers should be required to wait five years before throwing their hat in the ring to replace their boss.
ReplyDeleteGive others a chance!
Those of us in Allentown would love to see the end of party affiliated candidates in local/municipal and school board elections. There are still a lot of really good people in Allentown with a lot to offer that know they simply cannot get 20% of the vote due to having an (R) next to their name. I'd love to see any and all good candidates living in Allentown and wanting to run for office to run purely on their name recognition, ideas and experience.
ReplyDeleteHow about no Jews or Irish?
ReplyDeleteAll of this is way above the heads of common people and maybe it is designed that way. Thank you Bernie for doing the dirty work so that most of us can understand it. Good work indeed.
ReplyDeleteAll state elected officials get paid a base salary, basic health insurance, no per diem BS & gold pensions- and definitely term limits!
ReplyDeleteStop idiots like Josh Siegel from even proposing something as stupid as his "Clean Election" fund nonsense. What a waste of time and hopefully illegal. Just stick to legit governing.
ReplyDeleteThe assumption is that every politician is a problem...except for one guy. How 'bout if you lose the Presidency once...even if you irrationally claim it was stolen...you don't get to run again. Let's start there.
ReplyDeleteLet's do that for all offices including local
DeleteI'd like no cross filing.
ReplyDeleteSome good ideas, Bernie, but the mother of all of our political problems is gerrymandering. We need a system whereby our voters pick the representatives rather than the other way round. When my children had to split a cupcake, our house's rule was always, "one cuts, the other one picks". Something similar would probably work statewide!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your service.
Elimination of the county planning agency LVPC... Time for each county to do their own comprehensive and other planning activities. The LVPC has had a long history of bias against Northampton County, just ask Brown and McClure
ReplyDeleteA burger and a coke please
ReplyDelete