This 15-minute YouTube Video conveys another message in line with the Mission of the Association. As the current media elaborates daily on the evidence of the increasing authoritarianism in the Democratic nations they continue to focus on the effects while totally missing the cause. The cause, effects and solution are actually a non-partisan aspect of a Freedom Flaw that was adopted in the 1970’s era. There were unintended consequences resulting from a broadly supported effort to improve the governmental system. It originated in the U.S but spread rapidly to most democratic nations as the panacea to solve societal unrest of the period.
Adam Smith, founder of the Association to Improve Government, encourages you to get involved to fix this Freedom Flaw and preserve modern day democracy.
Casting secret votes in Congress would reduce government corruption by weakening the influence of special interests, party coercion, and political retaliation on lawmakers’ decisions. When votes are public, legislators can be pressured by donors, party leadership, or activist groups to vote a certain way regardless of their judgment or constituents’ true interests. Secret ballots would allow members to vote their conscience and policy merits rather than fear of fundraising consequences, primary challenges, or loss of committee assignments. By insulating the act of voting from external leverage, secret votes would make bribery and quid-pro-quo arrangements harder to verify and enforce, thereby discouraging corrupt deals. Ultimately, this could promote more independent decision-making and legislation driven by the public good rather than by money or power.