Government Reform. . . The Fantasy Version

Let’s do a bit of fantasy government reform. These are reforms I’d like to see, even if there’s no chance they will happen. The problem as I see it, is that the Founding Fathers were very good at establishing a government that uses checks and balances to control the misbehavior of the branches, but they couldn't stop individual misbehavior. Here is what 200 years of experience tells me we need to do:

1. The Fiscal Discipline Incentive: Right now, Congress can bribe voters with no real consequence. Hence our budget problems. Let’s re-align that incentive with something Warren Buffet apparently suggested: any time there is a deficit of more than 3% of GDP, all sitting members of Congress and the Senate are ineligible for re-election.

This one would require a Constitutional Amendment to be implemented, but the effect would be dramatic as the things that Congress does now to buy votes would actually cost them their jobs. What’s more it gives Congress a powerful incentive to make the economy grow.

2. Banning Influence Peddling: Coincidentally, to keep them from profiting when they get tossed out, we need a lifetime ban from lobbying for any Congressman who serves more than two terms and any Senator who serves more than one full term. And Congressional pensions can’t begin until 15 years of service.

3. Pro-Growth Balanced Budget: We need a balanced budget amendment with spending capped at 15% of the prior year’s GNP. This would keep the government in check at an historically average size and would give Congress an incentive to put in place a pro-growth agenda. Using last year’s GNP prevents cheating.

4. Tax Discouragement: Raising taxes should require a 60% vote in both the House and Senate.

5. No Tax-Free Lunch: All lobbying gifts are now income to the Congress members/Senators and are personally taxable. . . every lunch, free flight or box of chocolates.

6. Separating The Fourth Estate: No Congress member or Senator may be married to any member of the media or any employee of any media company.

7. No Direct Self-Interest: Government employees may not vote in federal elections.

8. Tim Pawlenty’s Google Test: The government must privatize all services that are available in the private sector, i.e. can be found being offered to the public on Google. The government should be reformed so that only two types of people work for the government: (1) those administering private contracts and (2) government inspectors/law enforcement. Also, government pay should be set at the Dept. of Labor average for that job category in the region plus 10%.

9. Primary Improvement Act: Our primary system is skewed by the early primaries. We need to replace it with a rotating regional primary system, breaking the country into five or six regions and rotating the voting order each election. This will eliminate the overweight importance of early states while still making candidates address regional and state concerns.

10. The You First Act: Every law Congress passes must apply to Congress and all staffers.

Thoughts? What would you add?