What if only 20% of them were elected in the first election cycle? The political scene in Washington would be dramatically changed for the better. No longer would 60 (either Democrat or Republican) Senators be required to keep the wheels of governance rolling. The iron grip of majority and minority whips in congress would be loosened, if not entirely broken. Hard-core bases on either side of the aisle would be equally diminished, as the dominance and purpose of "all or nothing' political stalemate became untenable.
Look at the power of a single swing-vote (Joe Lieberman as an example). Imagine twenty such Senators. Each Representative and Senator would now face two contenders for their seat after the primary dust had settled, greatly reducing scare campaigns and the demonizing of the "other' party.
Presuming that issues change (as they do) and that light and air are good for the body politic (as it is), few hard right or hard left candidates would survive in an environment where there was only "the other guy' to run against. How many of us have voted, holding our noses, because one candidate or another was simply not possible to vote for?
Personally, over six decades in the voting booth, that occasion has delivered my unenthusiastic vote a number of times. How many more have simply stayed away from the polls. Based on the number of eligible voters disdaining national elections, that frightening fact continues as a tragically downward spiral.
But how would a truly viable third party find funding? Who'd put up the dough?
Once one concentrates on congressional candidates (instead of presidential aspirants), the math gets pretty simple and the chances of success improve dramatically. The average cost of candidacy for a Representative is one million dollars; the average for a Senator, four million. A concerted national TV campaign, to drive home the third party's Political Platform, would significantly lower these individual costs of campaigning. But let's leave the numbers as they are and guesstimate.
à ‚¬ $15 million to run a national convention and establish a platform (Democrats, 2008)
à ‚¬ $435 million for Representative races
à ‚¬ $400 million for Senate races
à ‚¬ $1,000 million ($1 billion) for a national Party Platform TV campaign ($2.5 billion was spent in 2008, but that included both party candidates, as well as their presidential campaigns)
So, the prize is out there for under $2 billion, but who is to pick up the cost if we conclude that political contribution equates to disguised (or undisguised) and undue influence? A rich patriot? A group of such public-spirited men and women?
Remember also that costs are not one-time, as they continue to roll on through election cycles yet to come. But one presumes significant growth of small-donor contributions as (and only if) the third party's walk matches its talk.
No matter for this discussion. It's pocket-change for certain individuals, if one can but find such patriots interested in the rescue of American-style democracy from its sick bed.
Bill Gates? Warren Buffet? Alice Walton? Michael Bloomberg? Ted Turner? A coalition of these worthy men and women, to give birth to and nurture a true and elegant version of coalition politics?
"For money you can have everything it is said. No, that is not true. You can buy food, but not appetite; medicine, but not health; soft beds, but not sleep; knowledge but not intelligence; glitter, but not comfort; fun, but not pleasure; acquaintances, but not friendship; servants, but not faithfulness; grey hair, but not honor; quiet days, but not peace. The shell of all things you can get for money. But not the kernel. That cannot be had for money." -Arne Garborg, writer (1851-1924)
What I suggest is not the shell, but the kernel. If troubled times bring forth great men and women, what times are more troubled in America than now? Troubled, not so much economically or spiritually; these are things that come and go and we will recover to an unknown extent.
But we are off the rails in the ability to govern ourselves, and failing test after test of the very sense of purpose that made us the enviable place on this planet to meet the aspirations of human hope.
The time, if ever, is now. The resources and that deep American need to be the best we are capable of being is there. Can, or will, such a thing happen?
Why not?
Look at the power of a single swing-vote (Joe Lieberman as an example). Imagine twenty such Senators. Each Representative and Senator would now face two contenders for their seat after the primary dust had settled, greatly reducing scare campaigns and the demonizing of the "other' party.
Presuming that issues change (as they do) and that light and air are good for the body politic (as it is), few hard right or hard left candidates would survive in an environment where there was only "the other guy' to run against. How many of us have voted, holding our noses, because one candidate or another was simply not possible to vote for?
Personally, over six decades in the voting booth, that occasion has delivered my unenthusiastic vote a number of times. How many more have simply stayed away from the polls. Based on the number of eligible voters disdaining national elections, that frightening fact continues as a tragically downward spiral.
Once one concentrates on congressional candidates (instead of presidential aspirants), the math gets pretty simple and the chances of success improve dramatically. The average cost of candidacy for a Representative is one million dollars; the average for a Senator, four million. A concerted national TV campaign, to drive home the third party's Political Platform, would significantly lower these individual costs of campaigning. But let's leave the numbers as they are and guesstimate.
à ‚¬ $15 million to run a national convention and establish a platform (Democrats, 2008)
à ‚¬ $435 million for Representative races
à ‚¬ $400 million for Senate races
à ‚¬ $1,000 million ($1 billion) for a national Party Platform TV campaign ($2.5 billion was spent in 2008, but that included both party candidates, as well as their presidential campaigns)
So, the prize is out there for under $2 billion, but who is to pick up the cost if we conclude that political contribution equates to disguised (or undisguised) and undue influence? A rich patriot? A group of such public-spirited men and women?
Remember also that costs are not one-time, as they continue to roll on through election cycles yet to come. But one presumes significant growth of small-donor contributions as (and only if) the third party's walk matches its talk.
No matter for this discussion. It's pocket-change for certain individuals, if one can but find such patriots interested in the rescue of American-style democracy from its sick bed.
Bill Gates? Warren Buffet? Alice Walton? Michael Bloomberg? Ted Turner? A coalition of these worthy men and women, to give birth to and nurture a true and elegant version of coalition politics?
"For money you can have everything it is said. No, that is not true. You can buy food, but not appetite; medicine, but not health; soft beds, but not sleep; knowledge but not intelligence; glitter, but not comfort; fun, but not pleasure; acquaintances, but not friendship; servants, but not faithfulness; grey hair, but not honor; quiet days, but not peace. The shell of all things you can get for money. But not the kernel. That cannot be had for money." -Arne Garborg, writer (1851-1924)
What I suggest is not the shell, but the kernel. If troubled times bring forth great men and women, what times are more troubled in America than now? Troubled, not so much economically or spiritually; these are things that come and go and we will recover to an unknown extent.
But we are off the rails in the ability to govern ourselves, and failing test after test of the very sense of purpose that made us the enviable place on this planet to meet the aspirations of human hope.
The time, if ever, is now. The resources and that deep American need to be the best we are capable of being is there. Can, or will, such a thing happen?
Why not?
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