Comments on: Along the Path to Reducing Polarization http://themoderatevoice.com/16937/along-the-path-to-reducing-polarization/ An Internet hub with domestic and international news, analysis, original reporting, and popular features from the left, center, indies, centrists, moderates, and right Wed, 15 Feb 2012 10:08:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: superdestroyer http://themoderatevoice.com/16937/along-the-path-to-reducing-polarization/comment-page-1/#comment-153273 superdestroyer Tue, 08 Jan 2008 15:40:20 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/politics/elections/16937/along-the-path-to-reducing-polarization/#comment-153273 In doing a little research on Maine, I found out that Maine has term limits and has a part time legislature. <br><br>Why propose public financing of elections which is good for liberals and use Maine as an example while skipping over the protections they have to keep full time activist from doing too much?<br><br>Government financing along with no term limits and high pay for legislators would lead to a very liberal Congress. But I guess that is the point of the proposal after all. <br><br>If you want to make the government more moderate, you have to make it smaller. Nothing else is going to work. In doing a little research on Maine, I found out that Maine has term limits and has a part time legislature.

Why propose public financing of elections which is good for liberals and use Maine as an example while skipping over the protections they have to keep full time activist from doing too much?

Government financing along with no term limits and high pay for legislators would lead to a very liberal Congress. But I guess that is the point of the proposal after all.

If you want to make the government more moderate, you have to make it smaller. Nothing else is going to work.

]]> By: poetspirit http://themoderatevoice.com/16937/along-the-path-to-reducing-polarization/comment-page-1/#comment-153272 poetspirit Tue, 08 Jan 2008 15:14:17 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/politics/elections/16937/along-the-path-to-reducing-polarization/#comment-153272 Voting is an intellectual exercise; money has nothing to do with it. Common sense would tell you that if the public shared a common fund, we can concentrate on the issues at hand. Voting is an intellectual exercise; money has nothing to do with it. Common sense would tell you that if the public shared a common fund, we can concentrate on the issues at hand.

]]> By: superdestroyer http://themoderatevoice.com/16937/along-the-path-to-reducing-polarization/comment-page-1/#comment-153271 superdestroyer Tue, 08 Jan 2008 15:09:40 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/politics/elections/16937/along-the-path-to-reducing-polarization/#comment-153271 Paul, <br><br>I think you end up with many liberal, some moderate, and a few conservatives. There is no fiscal conservative path to public office in public financing. A assume a few social conservative/economic liberals could emerge out of religious instititions. But public financing establishes a career path for liberal activist to rise above NGO operations or political staffer. <br><br>My guess is that in a public sector, the highly organized activist can easily generate the local donations through tax payer finance activism after returning to a district from working in DC/NYC/SF. Paul,

I think you end up with many liberal, some moderate, and a few conservatives. There is no fiscal conservative path to public office in public financing. A assume a few social conservative/economic liberals could emerge out of religious instititions. But public financing establishes a career path for liberal activist to rise above NGO operations or political staffer.

My guess is that in a public sector, the highly organized activist can easily generate the local donations through tax payer finance activism after returning to a district from working in DC/NYC/SF.

]]> By: Kiss my shiny metal… » Blog Archive » Along the Path to Reducing Polarization http://themoderatevoice.com/16937/along-the-path-to-reducing-polarization/comment-page-1/#comment-109879 Kiss my shiny metal… » Blog Archive » Along the Path to Reducing Polarization Tue, 08 Jan 2008 14:21:36 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/politics/elections/16937/along-the-path-to-reducing-polarization/#comment-109879 [...] Read the rest of this great post here [...] [...] Read the rest of this great post here [...]

]]> By: PaulSilver http://themoderatevoice.com/16937/along-the-path-to-reducing-polarization/comment-page-1/#comment-153270 PaulSilver Tue, 08 Jan 2008 14:09:12 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/politics/elections/16937/along-the-path-to-reducing-polarization/#comment-153270 Superdestroyer.<br>It seems to me that those who get elected would still reflect the district that elects them - some would be liberal, some conservative and many moderate. The difference is that those candidates would have much more latitude to negotiate legislation than those who are beholden to a relatively small constituency of donors and activists.<br>Also your concern about the narrowness of candidates is not reflected in the results in publicly financed elections in Maine and Arizona. Superdestroyer.
It seems to me that those who get elected would still reflect the district that elects them – some would be liberal, some conservative and many moderate. The difference is that those candidates would have much more latitude to negotiate legislation than those who are beholden to a relatively small constituency of donors and activists.
Also your concern about the narrowness of candidates is not reflected in the results in publicly financed elections in Maine and Arizona.

]]> By: superdestroyer http://themoderatevoice.com/16937/along-the-path-to-reducing-polarization/comment-page-1/#comment-153269 superdestroyer Tue, 08 Jan 2008 13:44:33 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/politics/elections/16937/along-the-path-to-reducing-polarization/#comment-153269 In the long run, all that public finance gets the U.S. is a different version of the one party state. Public finance cuts off several avenues to public office and basically leaves long term activist who spend their life in NGO's and/or as political staffers as the only ones who would be running for office. <br><br>Instead of making money important, public finance makes political connections, connections to the media, and inside information as the important commodities. <br><br>If you want legislatures made up of left leaning activist who have never worked in the private sector and were hand picked to succeed their mentors, then public financing it the way to go. In the long run, all that public finance gets the U.S. is a different version of the one party state. Public finance cuts off several avenues to public office and basically leaves long term activist who spend their life in NGO's and/or as political staffers as the only ones who would be running for office.

Instead of making money important, public finance makes political connections, connections to the media, and inside information as the important commodities.

If you want legislatures made up of left leaning activist who have never worked in the private sector and were hand picked to succeed their mentors, then public financing it the way to go.

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