Simply TAX all political contributions of any kind, and political expenses of any kind, at a rate of 50%.

Spend a million on a radio commercial? Pay an additional $1 million in political tax.


Then make that money available as a grant,to any registered entity, who will fully disclose all it's donors, for their use in ads opposing the original ad.


Dollar for dollar.

it may be possible, for instance, for a donnie-supporting group to run an ad hyping hate against a migrant caravan, then for a "pro-immigration" group secretly aligned with the right-wing to claim the competing funds and use it to run the lamest ads at the lamest times in the lamest markets.

doesn't really understand the problem. If the solution was simple, it would have been solved long ago.

The churches have made a hard, far right turn in the last 4 years and they literally preach politics and tell people who to vote for, and they don't give a shit. It's way past time to take away their precious nest egg and to hit them where it hurts the most - in the pocketbooks. If they want to preach politics, they pay. If not they shut the fuck up, it's that simple.

If only to punish Falwell for being such a Trump stooge.

I have not recovered from a deep sense of loss with the retirement of Bill Moyers. He was an early champion of the fight against the Koch brothers and Citizens United.

If you wish to take up the mantle, I can offer moral support.

of the Supreme Court, since they have accepted the notion that money=speech. In open argument, I think that idea can be defeated. For one thing, free speech is supposed to be a right rather than a privilege, so it shouldn't be conditioned on having wealth. Arguably, political assassination is just as much an expression of political opinion as political contributions, but there's never been any issue regulating that. Furthermore, political contributions are not just being used to express opinions but to drown out competing opinions, which undercuts the very purpose for supporting free speech in the first place (the best ideas will have a chance at being heard). Free speech doesn't give a person a right to bring a megaphone to a public discussion. Unfortunately, the current Supreme Court is not likely to change this ruling because of evidence and arguments.

US house and state legislatures are chosen by lot (like juries.) State legislatures vote for US senators.

State legislatures have 6 year terms, vote for US Senate is after 3 years. US Senate has 6 year term.
US house has 2 year terms.

President chosen by national popular vote, every 4 years.
Salaries for all government officials are the same as they are today, annual COLA.

All funding for Senate and Presidential races are public, funds apportioned equally to all candidates. Presidential vote is in 3 stages. Open, then top 8 candidates, then top 3 in a run off.

Anyone caught attempting to private funding or using their power/influence in an election is guilty of federal election fraud, a felony punishable by a minimum 6 year prison sentence. Second offense is 25 years.

We must organize and run an overwhelming campaign.

when someone says, even here, that a candidates viability is connected to their fundraising ability, even though I know that's the reality of the situation.

No Republican or Trump supporter I've ever spoken to has ever heard of Citizen's United, much less tried to argue in favor it. All of them agree with me when I suggest getting money out of politics.

At the core of the absurdity of the decision is the fact that it's not only about businesses being able to bribe politicians -- it's that it forces everyone to go along. Bribery is now required for competitive survival in business. Any politician can effectively blackmail any business that doesn't donate to them.

That's not free enterprise. That's not healthy capitalism. That's fucking lunacy. And every regular Joe on both sides sees that clearly.

They just don't know. It's maddening. Over and over again I run into this. "Citizen's United? What's that?"

mention Citizens United in the right wing media since it was decided on by SCOTUS.
The roaches won, so they won't talk about it. They don't want their viewers thinking about it, or talking about it, either.

We can't make change if we're always out of power, and when we're in power, we need to stop getting mad because change isn't happening fast enough, picking up our marbles and staying home the next election cycle or two. That's what killing us. That's what has always killed us, and that's why Republicans have run roughshod for the last two decades. We don't come out to vote when it matters, and it always matters. We can't change the system from the outside, we have to have people like us on the inside. This election cycle was good. Hopefully, the next one will be better, and the one after that, and the one after that. Let's not let this midterm be a fluke, let's make it the new normal.

It's huge.

H.S. 1 will be introduced when the 116th congress opens session on January 3. "Democracy reform" is a hugely important package of bills falling into 3 general categories to put a stop to the rampant corruption and misrepresentation in government and elections funding and tampering that's exploded since Republicans became dominant some 35 years ago.

There's a great deal everyone will love in this, and a lot more will be written no doubt after it's introduced. Much will have to wait for 2020, but if the Republicans want to get anything through congress in the next 2 years as they worry about how not to get shellacked in 2020, they'll have to deal. I've read that automatic national voter registration, for instance, has bipartisan support and should be comparatively easily accomplished. This will also give state legislatures guidelines to follow in passing laws that will eventually be compatible with federal law.

And M$Greedia is a big part of this problem.