What 1 change would you make?

[ck4829]

If you could change anything, anything at all, to make sure nobody like Dumbya ever became President ever again, what one change would you make?

[donco6]

1. Not possible.

It will take many changes, not just one. Impossible to answer.

[NanceGreggs]

2. Mandatory IQ tests for presidential nominees ...

... and a quick current events test for voters.
Sample question for 2004 election: "Do you believe that Saddam Hussein master-minded 9/11?"

If the answer was 'yes', a buzzer would have gone off, with a voice-over saying: "I'm sorry, that's the WRONG response. Please try again next election -- and have a nice day!"

[babylonsister]

4. LOL! Now that is the

Democratic way! :toast:

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. Literacy tests

I want a prez who reads and can speak articulately.

[SammyWinstonJack]

22. I want a prez who doesn't demean World Leaders with silly nicknames.

Gawd! What an embarrassment Idiot boy is! BTW, that is at the bottom of my list of Presidential requirements. He thinks it makes he look cute, it just makes him look stupid and immature. It also makes all Americans look that way! :grr: Like I said, it's on the bottom of my list.

[Mikimouse]

3. Bring back the Fairness Doctrine, with TEETH!...n/t

[BrklynLiberal]

7. EXCELLENT start!

I guess one other step would be to break up communication, financial and oil monopolies.

EDIT: Shorten campaign length, as in England...maybe 2 months at most.

[Double T]

5. Eliminate the right wing faction of the republican/conservative party

[Strathos]

6. I'd get rid of the electoral college

I know it's controversial and the small states might get ignored, but that's too damned bad.

This should have been done away with a 50 years ago.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

8. Election reform with paper trail.

[proud patriot]

9. A multiple choice proficiency test ...5 sections

1)Language/English Grammar
2)Math/Algebra
3)Writing
4)Science/Biology/Geography
5)U.S. History/Government

Shoot I had to take one to get my
new job . It's the least presidential
candidate should do, to qualify to run.

[NMDemDist2]

10. breaking up the media monopolies (and returning the Fairness Doctrine)

so OK that's two, sue me :P

[mb7588a]

11. public funding of all campaigns. nt.

[pinto]

19. Agree. We (federal and state governments) ought to finance campaigns.

[TahitiNut]

23. See my post #20.

[pinto]

12. Mandatory voting. Include a "no choice" option, and make it a holiday.

[buddysmellgood]

17. We can't force them to show up, but we can tax them if they don't.

[buddysmellgood]

14. Public financing of campaigns. Candidates can raise up to $X each matched

by public funds. Television is required to carry three debates at cost. Each candidate gets X ads. Ads must have sources cited. The opposing candidate gets to respond to the ad.

I claim all of this as one change under the public financing :)

[0rganism]

15. require all nominees to show scores from a two-day run of Sim City 2000

which would, of course, take place in a controlled test environment to prevent cheats and such. Simulation would autosave every 10 minutes and upload to a website so people could track the candidates' progress online.

That'll weed out the mental midgets from the competent policy planners, real quick.

[evermind]

16. Voice stress analysis button for the TV

it would show a big red "LYING" at the bottom of the screen whenever a politician spoke, er, sorry, whenever a politician was lying.

Despite the enthusiasm of sites like http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/RANCHO/POLITICS/VSA/truthvsa.html , it's likely the most improbable element of this scenario is that VSA would work reliably. Oh well.

[firefox]

18. Direct vote with majority required to win every elected office nt

[TahitiNut]

20. I'd prohibit any elected or appointed public official ....

... from personally engaging in any fund-raising or for-profit activity of any kind while holding public office. It would also prohibit them from accepting any gifts, compensation, or reimbursements for anything other than properly-sanctioned official business. That would include campaign fund-raising, honoraria for speeches, charitable activities, employment, etc. Included in this ban would be all senior staff advisers and assistants for that official.

[stillcool]

21. the way we vote...

and the way our votes are counted.

[Cleita]

24. Make candidates submit a resume to a screening board before

they can even throw their hat in the ring. Everyone else has to do this for a job. Why not for one of the most important jobs in the world?

The candidate would list their academic achievements. If they performed military service, how outstanding was it? They should list the number of years they have performed government service and what they accomplished during their terms. They should also list any jobs and careers that they had besides government service and their successes and failures there.

Attached to this should be three character references from unbiased observers outside their circle, like a former teacher, military commander and maybe the pastor of a church they once attended.

Only the applications of outstanding accomplishment would be allowed to throw their hat in the ring. Bush would never make the first cut. A "C" student, who went AWOL in the military and had several failed business ventures, along with a mediocere governorship and a history of untreated substance abuse would have kept him out of the running from the beginning.

[democrank]

25. Election reform.

1. Public funding of all campaigns.
2. Mandatory paper trail
3. Debates: include all viable candidates
no inside-the-beltway moderators
no inside the beltway questioners

[Arkham House]

26. Sterilize the Bush family...