We have a mere 6 weeks until Election Day 2024. The bottom line with both candidates is overall dissatisfaction. Across the nation the extremes of both left and right have dictated the political discourse for the past few decades. Every year, every election cycle becoming more vitriolic and violent. Congresspersons have been shot. Relatives bludgeoned. Presidential candidates have had attempted assassination attempts.

Part of the issue is the uncontrolled and barely monitored flow of large sums of money into these political races. Fifty years ago we did not have school board races attracting outside donations. Our primary process across most states is broken. Ten percent of the electorate participate. This leaves the very extremes of both parties promoting the fringe candidates. In recent years these candidates could care less about their constituents and more about views on Tik Tok or likes on Facebook.

Part of the solution is going to be to change the Primary process to Open Primaries with Ranked Choice. It will take the extremes and the fringe out of the primary process. We also need to make participation in primaries mandatory. I do not yet know if compulsive voting is yet required or even feasible in the United States. But we could make participation in General Elections contingent upon participation in Primary Elections which should drive up those numbers.

Another part of the solution is to take money out of politics. We need to divorce the lobbying industry once and for all from their DC insider relationships. Citizen's United and the Super-PACs have destroyed the political fabric. Corporations are no more individuals with free speech protections than is my beloved pet dog, Tuco. Money needs to be separate from politics at large. Federal and state funds can be set aside each election cycle for equal time and attention to parties' chosen candidates. The political parties can still raise their own funds, within strict individual contribution limits. Tax incentives can be given to media organizations to provide fee based and free air time equally for all candidates who will appear on local ballots for municipal, state, and federal elections.

Finally, most importantly, we need a new Constitutional Convention to secure age and term limits for all branches of elected government. Our Fore Fathers intended our representatives to be citizens first, elected representatives second and only for a limited time in their lives, and politicians they were never meant to be. For both the US House and the US Senate a combined 18 years would be the maximum amount of time they can spend in DC. That would be nine house terms and three senate terms. And given the controls over money in politics and lobbying limitations, the representatives can focus most of their time on constituent issues and not fund raising.

Whether you lean conservative or liberal, get out and vote on the 5th of November this year. Let your voice be heard. Then let's unite together as a people and VOTE EVERY SINGLE MEMBER OF GOVERNMENT OUT IN 2028!!!