The "Occupy" movement has taken the county from Wall Street to California. It has monopolized the media and the minds of the citizens. People of all ages, college students, mothers and fathers with their children, and grandmothers and grandfathers have had what amounts to sit-ins with 1960's style demonstrations.
I have to ask if anyone has noticed that this is the 21st century.
While this occupy strategy has worked to get the attention of the media, it has been treated with disregard and merely tolerated by the people who have the responsibility and the ability to make changes – our government leaders. Surely, someone among such a diverse group can imagine and develop a more sophisticated and universal approach to getting the message out about the citizens' discontent – a method that can be directed to the leaders of our country.
The thought that comes to mind is why someone has not put up a website where American citizens can vote. Most of America has access to the web either with a computer or with a smart phone. A website like this would give more Americans an opportunity to participate, and give Congress the chance to see what most of the American people think. I believe a website would be more reliable than the polls that are discussed on television, news magazines, and in the news.
Let us make the first vote a referendum for term limits in the House of Representatives and in the Senate – two terms each. I would vote YES for that. What about you? I do not believe that the founding fathers ever intended for the positions of Senator and Representative to be career positions. A person was supposed to serve for a term or two and go back to their regular means of earning a living. In addition, the Congress and passing laws, was not a full time job in the beginning. Now it seems, our Congress, men and women look especially hard for some reason to pass a law just to have something to do.
Let us make the next question on the ballot a referendum on whether to allow corporate money to pay for campaigning for elected officials. I would vote NO to that. Why not pay for elections out of public funds and limit the amount of money that is spent on campaigning? Keep corporations out of the position of buying our lawmakers' services and goodwill.
While we are at it, let's just vote on whether we like the stalemate between the two major parties: Democrats vs. Republicans. I vote NO; I don't like the stalemate. Members of both parties seem to do what is most expedient for themselves rather than what is best for the country.
While I realize of course, this would not be a legal referendum, it would at least reach most of the citizenry, and it would lend some truth to the guesswork and discussion by politicians and media personnel about what the majority of the American people really want.
I know there are many more topics on which Americans would like to express their opinions. I believe a website is the very best way. The security would have to be stringent. The voter registration information would have to be verified before anyone would give any credibility to the site.
Someone out there must have the expertise to do this and do it well.