Campaign finance reform has become a focus of both parties and is likely to be passed in some fashion. Given that the Supremes have opened the door to revisiting the aspects of McCain-Feingold with their decision in
Wisonsin Right to Life the Constitutionality of any meaningful reform is in serious question--especially given that Alito may replace O'Connor and she provided the 5th and deciding vote upholding McCain-Feingold in 2002. While some people believe that it's possible to fashion a constitutionally permissible public financing system now, I'm not as optimistic. Although a constiutional amendment is quixotic, it is also the best solution. As long as I'm tilting at windmills I thought I would propose the trifecta. The goal behind this idea is to make the Federal Government fully accountable to the will the people as a united polity.
Historically, Constitutional Amendments come in clumps. Moreover, there are some tensions in the Constitution stemming from the Civil War in that the reconstruction amendments and the one providing for direct election of senators altered the structure of the Constitution to strengthen the federal government vis a vis the states, while retaining some features of a less centralized federal government. The Constitution vests the Senate with more power than the House because the Senate was intended to represent the constituent sovereign powers that formed the Union. For example, the Senate ratifies treaty and confers new powers on the federal government; the Senate approves Justices and the Cabinet; etc. The most famous example of the change in attitude regarding the federal government comes from the antebellum and post-Civil War methods of referring to the United States, i.e., the United States are... became the United States is.... The changes of the reconstruction amendments and later the direct election of senators, displays further evidence of the change in attitude. Once the Senate directly represented the people of a State as opposed to the state government, the role of the Senate changed and made the federal government answerable directly to the people of the United States.
Returning to Constitutional Amendments, then, beyond an amendment requiring the public financing of all federal elections, the electoral college should be abolished and we should proceed to the direct election of the President. In the same vein, a third constitutional amendment should be passed establishing a non-partisan districting board for the House of Representatives. These three together would serve to make the federal government more dependent on serving the will of the majority, without hampering minority rights.
Each one of these is highly unrealistic now, but each individually would strengthen democracy in the United States by creating greater accountability and barriers to corruption. Moreover, campaign finance is on the radar now and I doubt that the Supremes will permit any meaningful reform. Post-Goldwater Wingnuttia began by hashing out their positions in think-tanks, etc., and gradually found mainstream toleration and acceptance for their views (e.g., flat tax, unitary executive, etc.) Thus, I thought that if the community here hashed out language for the various amendments it could be a first step towards change.
Some preliminary thoughts on language:
1. Political advertising over the federally-owned airwaves for a primary or general election for any federal office must be carried by those licensed to use such airwaves in the public interest without charge. Each candidate on the ballot shall receive equal airtime in both quality and quantity.
2. The electoral college is hereby abolished. The President shall be selected by the candidate who receives the majority of votes in the popular election. In the event that no candidate receives a majority a run-off election shall be held between the two candidates receiving the greatest number of votes. Congress shall have the authority to establish uniform standards for independently verifiable voting practices.
3. The power to create districts in each state for the House of Representatives shall be vested in a Districting Board whose number and members shall be chosen by the Senate. No political party may have greater representation on the board than another. The Districting Board shall take into account the following factors, but is not limited to them: geographic contiguity; racial representation; and economic diversity. The Districting Board shall meet once per census period. No member may serve more than one term.
This may be a pointless exercise. I hope it is not and that at least a dialogue and the desire for full accountability and barriers to corruption can create some meaningful change, even if it does not come through an amendment process.
I'll probably be flamed for being naive, or ignored, but I'm interested in what changes people here are interested.