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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsScrap Elections & Have Lotteries
Face it, elections are purchases. The powers that be prop up the biggest whore and fun his election. Then after the 'election' the whore does everything his rich pimps tell him to do.
Our founders couldn't foresee the massive amounts of money in politics. So we need to change the system.
If we had lotteries instead of elections we'd surely have a better quality and more honest government. Everyone could qualify if they pass the constitution's qualifications for office. We'd end up with a government staffed by our next door neighbors and regular people. No matter how much money corporations or the rich have it would have no effect on a lottery.
I even thought a lottery from only a pool of prisoners would give us a better, more honest government than what we have now. Ok, l guess we could omit mass murderers and other violent criminals but I believe even they would be more honest than the criminals who are in office now.
I know there are a few good people in office but having just a few is not enough. We need most to be honest. But that will never become a reality until we take every dime out of politics. Until we are on the verge of a revolution those in office will never change campaign finance laws substantially. They are only in office because they have sold out to the richest pimps so there's no hope that they will r er do what's good for the US or Americans.
A lottery from local, state to national would put people from all walks of life into office and regular people can solve problems better than any rich political whore.
Once a person serves his term in office he goes back home. He won't go to K-Street or to a corporate board. That would be prohibited for life. After serving their terms they'd resume the jobs they had before they were selected by lottery. Because they knew they'd have to go back to live where they came from they'd be ever mindful of all the decisions and votes they made while in office.
Lets end the whoredom the US has become. Washington DC is a national bordello, not a seat of government. We could change that even with outlandish proposals like using lotteries to select our officeholders.
How would you like to wake up one morning and realize you're a US Senator?
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MisterP
(23,730 posts)it was also a holy governance mode in old Israel
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sortition
TheTruthBeKnown
(72 posts)Since there is a precedence then who knows, it could become a reality, especially since it was considered the 'principle characteristic of a democracy'.
Here's a part of the text from the link you sent:
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sortition
"In politics, sortition (also known as allotment or the drawing of lots) is the selection of decision makers by lottery. The decision-makers are chosen as a random sample from a larger pool of candidates.
In ancient Athenian democracy, sortition was the primary method for appointing officials, and its use was widely regarded as a principal characteristic of democracy. It is commonly used today to select prospective jurors in common law-based legal systems."
BlueJazz
(25,348 posts)LOL !!!!...I know it's sadly true but it's still funny as hell...
TheTruthBeKnown
(72 posts)Going a step further we could have the lottery from the hundreds of thousands of people in jail because of marijuana related cases. We'd have a very mellow government and the US wouldn't start any wars. 
Make love, not war.
denverbill
(11,489 posts)You might have some luck getting it passed through state governments though.
You might also have a problem with the 'who does the selecting' part. Because if there was any possible way to corrupt it, it would get corrupted.
I'm also not so sure I'd like to run the chance of the crazy guy on the corner that screams at people being my next governor, or mayor.
TheTruthBeKnown
(72 posts)Currently, mental health is not required to be in office. All I have to say is 'TeaBagger', 'Libertarian' or 'Ghomert' and rest my case. The level of delusion & insanness in RW officeholders is alarming.
As a requirement to be in the lottery pool a person would have to submit to a mental health exam. That would weed out the village idiots. There would be other issues to consider but a lottery would be far better than the election purchasing process we have now.
If it was good enough for Athens (birthplace of democracy) it's good enough for the US.
surrealAmerican
(11,792 posts)... by L. Frank Baum (of Wizard of Oz fame) about this premise. If I remember correctly it was Queen Zixi of Ix. The rulers were chosen at random from the people entering the city gates in the morning.
The one problem with this scheme is that it relies on the incorruptibility of ordinary people. There are probably a lot of people who would take bribes if they thought they could get away with it, although just what percentage that might be, I don't know.
whopis01
(3,914 posts)Get people from all walks of life, have them serve a term and then head back home. Compensate them for the term to ensure that it is no hardship on them or their families.
I think there are benefits well beyond getting an accurate slice of society as leaders. Imagine the benefits of bringing people from all walks of life together, letting them discuss issues, make decisions, and then return to their homes. I think it would bring an understanding of what effects others to all parts of society.