Date: Wed, 28 Apr 2004 19:43:17 +0000 From: Justin <justin-cypherpunks@soze.net> Subject: Re: Fact checking

Thomas Shaddack (2004-04-28 18:32Z) wrote:

...

What won't hurt could be making them liable for their promises, as they can be considered to be a contract with the voters. With specific penalties for not delivering the results in the specified timeframe.

Presidents don't pass laws. Presidential campaigns would be reduced to issues that are mutable (vulnerable?) to executive orders.

Individual candidates for federal office can't pass laws either. You want to hold a Senator liable when his compatriots (even if they form the majority) don't support everything your senator supports?

Nobody who understands the basics of U.S. government construction could possibly believe that a candidate's "promise" is a guarantee. It is merely a statement of ideology.

What then, consequences for not "attempting" to effect promises? Who's to judge?

You could make giving enforceable promises an option for candidates -- something like "If I can't cut taxes in my first term I will eat my hat" or "... I'll owe everyone with a voting receipt with my name on it $100". Then there'd be pressure on candidates to boost their credibilty by making enforceable promises instead of "empty" ones. Secondly you could get around the problems induced by the labyrinthine checks and balances of the US system by tying the liability to measurable behaviors. The president either vetos a certain bill or fails to; a senator or representative either introduces a certain bill or fails to. As long as the bill is specifically identifiable in advance there isn't a great deal of wriggle room. A third alternative is to remove the politiican from the loop. At the same time you vote for candidates, you vote for propositions which become law if approved by a majority of those voting. The problem is who gets to decide what's proposed. Alternatively groups of candidates (e.g. parties) could be able to codify their promises as bills before the election. If a enough candidates who subscribed to the relevant platform get elected, then they're deemed to have voted for the bill already in their official capacity as senator or whatever. cheers, Tim