I have done it (Dem candidate, California Assembly-1994), and as much as I believe in the good faith of folks such as you, I can never get over how MSM, and essentially all bloggers, fail to investigate, self-educate, and understand the realities of modern American politics.

Every person now reading this who senses him/herself beginning to disagree with this post’s direction, or who disagrees at the end, must run for office in order to hold moral authority to disagree.

I can only repeat/re-phrase it: if you don’t like the money-whoring integral to every non-filthy-rich candidate’s campaign-cum-office holding behavior, try raising $1,000,000, plus-or-minus 25%, in FREE MONEY in a six-month period.

The term “Free Money” is essential to the understanding of modern American politics, because donors are asked to give with no publicy explicit offer of ‘return on investment.’

Campaign finance reform is the ONLY way out of our mess. Unless and until we do that, the moral emptiness of corporate values will continue to guide America’s demise.

Admittedly, we may only be looking at an empire in decline, but of course, we became that empire based on moral advance, and so it’s sad to lose it.

Oh, well, Howie…back to goes-nowhere complaining about hoped-for political behavior, versus (political) financial realities…

Thx, MoneyIsGod

Here’s another idea. Every congressperson puts up a blog. When a lobbyist comes, a staffer posts a summary of the meeting, including specific reasoning for the position asserted by the lobbyist. The comments section permits us to rebut the points….

FWIW, I agree that this is a very good idea. However, I wouldn’t assume that all comments to such a ‘blog’ would necessarily be hostile or argumentative. Given good guidelines and a well thought out system, something like this could be an asset. Lobbyists often have good information; however, a system like the one that you mention might be viewed with terror by less effective lobbyists and Congressmen.

For instance, if a lobbyist for a local hospital, or local PTA, my local cops were providing info or comments, then interested citizens would very likely post supportive or informative comments. (Such a system could incorporate DKos-type voting mechanisms, which require some form of registry and login. If users had ‘5 votes’ per month, they’d be judicious in awarding them their support. That would make using — and reading! — such a system reasonably efficient. Violations of system guidelines would require banning a user for ‘x’ period of time.)

These kinds of information exchanges are happening all over America. Except in politics. And it needs to happen in the political arena, although it would only be feasible if certain social guidelines were in place, and users would have to agree to them before the system would allow them to participate.

Online learning software makes valuable use of ‘tests’ and quizzes — allowing users to determine what they already know about a topic, or what they need to figure out. And these systems also incorporate white boards, so that seminars can include diagrams, charts, and other good content.

I realize that government ain’t perfection. But it needs to be less corrupt, because IMHO we are heading for ’system collapse’ in terms of American politics unless things get cleaned up and some new mechanisms and processes in place.

Our society is so complex, and so rapidly moving, that it’s really outpaced the ability of Congress to keep up. That worries me. Something like this blog concept might at least help with some of the more urgent issues.

It’s not as if every Congressman needs to do a blog on every topic — they need to be strategic and stick to their areas of expertise. But if that could occur, I am convinced that it would start to move things in a more productive direction AND ALSO they could get better information from knowledgeable citizens who do not ordinarily have time (nor interest) in interacting with their electeds.

Food for thought, at any rate.
Thanks to Howie and FDL for the chance to ‘think through my fingertips’ yet again.

Here’s another idea. Every congressperson puts up a blog. When a lobbyist comes, a staffer posts a summary of the meeting, including specific reasoning for the position asserted by the lobbyist. The comments section permits us to rebut the points made by the lobbyist, most of which are made up by public relations people, not experts. From this site alone, we have all kinds of genuine expertise on most anything, and think what the rest of the left blogosphere has.

Then ask yourself what the wingnuts will put up on the few occasions when our people get in to see a congressperson: the inanity of the comments will intensify our views, and we can take the edge off theirs.

Something along these lines is what is needed. My, admittedly limited, contact with our various electeds over the past year leads me to believe that the low level staff is virtually clueless about the issues aside from the party line and what they present, if they say anything, is what they have been told is the politic approach. There is an almost total distrust of the public and public involvement.

And what about the idea of a “Spotlight” feature for our public officials as well as the media?

Then ask yourself what the wingnuts will put up on the few occasions when our people get in to see a congressperson: the inanity of the comments will intensify our views, and we can take the edge off theirs.

Last time you raised this issue, I pointed this out, and pointed out a way to do it. We need to get the data from ActBlue to see who the middle sized givers are, and get organized to help in a good-sized way.

Griffin @ 105.

“…But why do you think the DCCC will provide these seminars? FDL’s been getting 200,000 hits this week. Doesn’t that suggest a collective vision and experience able to generate some interesting classes?”

I thought that Howie was asking for ideas, and the DCCC needs to try some new things ;-)
Trust me, I have no expectations whatsoever…”

I wasn’t clear enough- I agree completely with your sense of the value of seminars, and hope that the 200,000 hits A Day! means there is an audience and a pool of teaching skills so that perhaps FDL will produce some seminars.

truth@101 — just checked out yr blog Main St USA — great resource.

Hotflash – thanks! I took a special interest in Gillibrand because she represents my mom’s district. A Blue Dog Democrat is a huge improvement over that thug Sweeney.