Ensure Congressional Honesty

America Needs Election Reform to Ensure Congressional Honesty
By Bruce Schwartz

America must implement a policy on Election Reform that is equitable and fair to everyone. It is something we must do if we are to be a progressive society, a society for everyone, rich or poor. We, the people of the United States of America, must take back control of our lives by taking back control of our government. And the only way we can do that - be a government by the people - is with a logical Election Reform Bill. It is past due because our elected officials are thinking only of their careers and their futures. As our representatives, the only thing they should be thinking about is doing what is right for the American people who are their employers.

America must make radical changes in order to change and move forward, bettering our society.

We must elect a president who is willing to put forth to the American people and Congress a constitutional amendment to lower the voting age to sixteen. Teenage crime has risen over the last four decades because America's youth feel alienated. They either feel apathetic about their future, or they fear it. Consequently, and sadly for them and society, today's teenagers enter adulthood with a defeatist attitude. They have no hope because they have no say in their own future. It is time to give them their say; it is time to give them the responsibility of helping shape their future.

With the information highway, and cable television, our children are more intelligent and more worldly than children of similar ages were in any time in history. We need to treat our teenagers as young adults. Our forefathers said that taxation without representation is tyranny. America must abide by its own laws. If an American sixteen or older earns a salary and pays taxes, then he or she must have a say in electing their representatives.

We must also have a president who is willing to put forth to America a constitutional amendment to restructure Congress. All terms of office should be for four years. The U. S. Senate should go from six-year terms to four, and the House of Representatives should go from two-year terms to four. Six years is too long for our senators to go without being accounted for by the people who put them in office. Two-year terms in the House are unfeasible in that representatives must spend most of their time away from Washington raising funds for their next campaign. It is more efficient to have four-year terms for all the people's representatives, with no term limitations. This includes the most important representative of the people, the president. It is the people's right to elect whoever they want for as long as they want. A government by the people. If an elected official is doing an exemplary job, we should keep them there to continue that fine work. No one, not even our government, should be able to take away that inalienable right from us.