To the Editor:

Who really controls our government and the directions our country takes? Our United States Constitution states boldly, “We the People…” and defines a government led by elected legislative and executive representatives, to be watched over by an independent system of courts appointed and approved by our elected representatives.

The rules of how these representatives are elected vary by office and state or district but it is clear that those elected were to represent We, the People. We are supposed to have an empowered, informed (accurately?) electorate choosing our representatives.

Yes, we need our free press. There was no intention to give disproportionate representation to: We the lobbies; PACs; Wall Street; large corporations; the richest 1 percent; and yes, not even to a sometimes-biased press. Unfortunately, that is what we have.

And, as a result, our government is so much less honest, open, fair, bipartisan, efficient, and loving of individual rights and aspirations than it could and should be. And our “shining light to the nations” grows more tarnished every day. “For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required.” We are a rich nation! We can do so much better.

Everywhere you look, and with most everyone you talk to, you see people like me who don’t feel “represented” by our government. And it’s not just people who share the same position for or against our major issues and the (lack of) actions to relieve them; it is on all sides of the arguments. There’s a divisiveness and lack of willingness to compromise, as all sides seem to be saying, “You are not listening to me, or to the people who know the truths.”

There are many good ideas circulating to help get us out of this problem of under-representation and abuse of power. Just to list a few:

— Congress shall pass no laws that do not fall equally upon its members;

— Elected officials and all government employees, and their dependents, shall have only the same health-care access and cost structures made available to the general public by law;

— No elected official shall receive a pension other than standard IRA or Roth IRA /401K plans with self-contribution and matching limits equal to, or less than, those allowed for the general public. No special perks and “golden parachutes” for elected officials;

— Term limits for all elected representatives;

— Strictly public campaign financing, equally divided by qualified candidates. No financial leverage opportunities by special interests;

— Equal, balanced campaign access to the electorate for all qualifying candidates, by the press and public forums;

— All campaign claims by and for (or against) candidates to be factually verified by an independent panel;

— Increased legal restrictions on libelous campaign-related assertions on candidates by their opposition; the general public; the media; and yes, foreign nations and entities;

— Campaigns to be restricted to less than six months before the election;

— No paid, professional lobbying for any special-interest groups (domestic or foreign) by any previously elected officials, period;

— All lobbying to be performed in open forums with equal opportunity and time for opposing factions; and

— All election ballots shall carry the option to vote for “none of the above.” If “noa” wins the election, the slate is cleared and a new election with new candidates is held. Until someone can beat “noa,” no one fills the position. (Imagine being able to reject all candidates fronted by the political parties. Maybe more people would vote?)

So many good ideas to make our system of government work better for “We the People.” But they never make it to the change process.

Why? Because they threaten the status quo and accumulated power for those elected to office over and over again, and their powerful. wealthy backers, and the powerbrokers contained mostly within our 1-percent richest, most famous and most entrenched organizations.

What will it take to make real, positive change in our current malaise? True democracy is messy. Legislative changes and constitutional changes of this kind are very difficult.

It will take a massive popular demand with a set of charismatic leaders, having real vision and integrity (without self-serving, delusions of grandeur — sorry, not a Mr. Trump).

“I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore!”?  A second American Revolution? We all must choose, but to do nothing or to act recklessly without a willingness to compromise will be our nation’s downfall.

Gary M. Bates

East Berne