Outcome: On October 6th, the Senate Voted 50 to 48 to confirm the nominee to the court. One Republican was absent and one declined to vote so the total votes cast equaled 98. The makeup of the body is Republicans 51 and Democrats 49 so given the missing senator, a purely party line vote should […]
The Secret Ballot – Anti-Corruption Bill
Objective: This change in the rules of all government organizations is proposed to significantly reduce the opportunities for individuals, organizations, special interest groups, elected officials and appointed parties to corrupt the decision process of a representative democracy. Proposed Rule Change: All decisions in all government organizations that are decided by a vote of elected or […]
Representative Democracy – The Math and the Myth
Most of us understand the concept of a representative government since the idea is simple. Actually doing the business of government takes a lot of work. Bills, legislation and laws require conceptualizing, writing, debating, revising, reviewing and passing. All of these activities are work and we elect representatives to do this work for us. Trying […]
Change Your World
Adam Smith has launched his first YouTube video for the Association to Improve Government. The 13 minute presentation uses a historically accurate, fictional story to highlight the mission of the organization in a simple and straightforward manner. Much of the factual data included was first highlighted by the Congressional Research Institute and has been used […]
Public Deception by Adam Smith
Adam Smith has just published a novel that paints a hauntingly realistic picture of a conspiracy to hijack the US Congress. Surprisingly, it was completely successful and allowed a few very powerful individuals to control the legislative process for almost five decades. The astute teamwork of a Canadian professor and a small-town Massachusetts detective discover […]
South African Power Play
The call for a Secret Ballot by the Members of Parliament in South Africa signals fear of reprisal if representatives do not conform to the desires of those in power.
The Senate’s Supreme Court Decision
Another example of an impasse that could have been avoided The recent dilemma faced by the US Senate over the confirmation to the Supreme Court provides another example of why the fundamental political process needs to be fixed. Would any rational person believe that every Republican and every Democratic Senator could be so committed to […]
Government by the People
There is a critical flaw in the process by which most free countries are governed. It is very basic and yet overlooked as an important aspect of the political process. It can be fixed but only when the public recognizes the issue and demands change. There is little doubt that people are upset and disillusioned […]
The Dark Side of Sunshine
** In 1970, the United States congress passed a bill called the Legislative Reorganization Act. It is not a bill that attracted much attention and it is a bill that virtually no one would even be aware of today. Its objective was overwhelmingly accepted as a remedy for the public’s disdain for the lack of accountability by […]
The Fair Government Movement
The Association to Improve Government has identified a concept to eliminate corruption in politics. This solution focuses on the use of secret ballot voting in all political bodies to prevent special interest groups and powerful organizations from corrupting the principles of democratic rule. Extensive research by an organization focused on the US Congress has identified […]