Campaign Finance Reform
Good tax reform would eliminate the need for campaign finance reform. One does not bother to buy things that do not have the excessive ability to influence power. However, assuming Congress will never lighten it's death grip on special interest tax code policy...*Remove the
"influence" of political contributions without trampling on the First Amendment.
Let citizens and candidates give and receive unlimited contributions, but prevent it from
influencing their vote by preventing disclosure of the donor.
An independent agency would serve as a clearinghouse for all political contributions. All
political contributions would be "laundered" before forwarding them to the
candidate. Politicians would regularly receive reports and lump sum checks (by which they
might gauge the popularity of the stands they take). Then, make it illegal to send or
receive political contributions directly. All records would be thoroughly documented,
subject to regular audit and made public after the candidate was defeated, stepped down,
or retired. The candidate could not spend money if it were not received through the
clearinghouse process. Without being able to confirm the payment, the undue
"influence" of money would be removed without limiting anyone's right to free
speech.
*With credit to Rich Martin's for the original idea.
I would also introduce CAPITALISM into political debate. Right now we have debates, the airwaves are confiscated, and debates are flooded over each of the three networks, with NO commercial interruptions. Hard bid all debates on TV and radio, allow only one network to carry them, and sell commercials! The profits go to the networks, and the hard bid contract goes into the campaign funding mechanism.