I’ve been contemplating this list since Sunday. It’s not in final form yet, because I’m not. Hopefully, it will change and evolve as I learn more and I’m sure as I get older. I’m going to try to do a post on each point to further explain them.
I came up with this list in response to what I see in my elected officials today. Unfortunately, I don’t see a lot of these traits. I’m not sure how we can find candidates who subscribe to them, but I’m still searching. Let me know what you think of the list.
What I Want From My Elected Officials
- Not to support legislating any particular religious beliefs, but to support my right to observe my beliefs as I see fit
- To not prescribe how I should live my life, but to effectively legislate the limits of civil social interation (trade, crime, etc).
- To be able to intelligently debate an issue from both sides and appreciate the role of dissent in society.
- Defend my right to free expression
- Defend the weak from the strong, and the powerless from the powerful.
- Resist the unethical influence of corporate lobbying. My representatives at all levels should do their best to represent the needs of their constituents and not the desires of their contributors.
- Understand the difference between playing politics and doing the “right thing”, and should do the latter more than the former.
- Should not be so tied to one party’s platform that they are unable or unwilling to vote their conscience or follow the will of their constituents.
- Support transparency in government except in cases of National Security defined as narrowly as possible.
Comments
5 responses to “What I Want”
It’s a good list. I only wish I weren’t so cynical, otherwise I’d probably believe it’s possible to elect someone that exhibits even half of these traits.
Yeah, I’m trying to be idealistic here and not let the creeping cynicism I’m famous for spoil the list. I know I’ll probably never be able to vote for someone who measures up, but I’ll hopefully have a list to measure them against.
Count me into the cynic’s party too!
I don’t think it’s the fault of any candidates (directly), but there’s factors involved like your indebtedness to your campaign contributors, what the your party wants to achieve, etc.
I’m sure if these folks were left up to their own thoughts and opinions and truly accountable to the people who elected them (rather than who they owe favors to), I think they’d all do a better job.
Not to sound to steriotypical but anyone I can think of possess’ all those traits wouldn’t choose politics over another profesion say, social worker, or teacher.
Politics in itself attracts hypicrites and liars.
Good point… how do we change that? How do we make politics something people go into with noble reasons and not whatever messed up reasons they go in now? Or, do people go into politics for noble reasons and just get corrupted somehow?