A Modest Proposal

Sadly, for many of us, we are condemned to a two party system which, for the most part, condemns us to voting for the lesser of two evils (which is still evil). Some people argue that we really don’t have two separate political parties but rather two competing groups within a single party dominated by corporate and wealthy interest groups – not unlike the AFC an NFC within the NFL. The result is a government with which no one is truly pleased and in which the majority of people disapprove.1

We have a government that borrows insane amounts of money2 to spend on “defense”,3 all the while cutting taxes which mostly benefits the rich and the corporations.4 Our national debt is already over $25 trillion and expected to pass $37 trillion in the next 10 years.5

One definition of insanity is: doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. One would think that repeatedly increasing spending and cutting taxes while expecting to reduce the debt would clearly meet that definition. But that’s what our so-called “leaders” do. And it doesn’t seem to matter which party is in office, we get the same results election after election after election (which also meets the definition of insanity)6.

In manufacturing terms, if a process continues to produce an inferior product, it’s time to change the process. In our case, the process is our elections that produce our public officials7. So let’s consider an alternate process: instead of electing our public officials, let’s draft them from the general population, much as we select people for jury duty8. Then limit them to serve single 3 year terms, after which they are returned to their previous homes and jobs or equivalents.

In addition to drafting our public officials, we should treat them like the public servants they are supposed to be. That means remove all the perks enjoyed by our politicians – eliminate the parades, the expensive ceremonies, most of the staff, limousines, private aircraft, etc. Provide work space in cubicles in public buildings9 and living accommodations consistent with middle class standards in middle class neighborhoods. As for rules of conduct, they should be subject to the same rules governing all federal civil servants10.

Consider the benefits of drafting our public officials:

    • No more non-stop campaigning (think of the money saved in addition to the aggravation),
    • Costs of elections reduced to cost of system for random selection of people (identified by social security numbers),
    • Elimination of costs of perks,
    • Reduction of graft and corruption11 (you can never eliminate it),
    • More people become involved in governance (making it more democratic).

So what are the disadvantages of drafting our public officials?

    • Government will be run by inexperienced people: most politicians are inexperienced when they first enter. Only after a couple of years do they really get to know how to work the system, and then it’s rarely to the benefit of the public.
    • Some drafted people will be complete idiots: some politicians are complete idiots.
    • Nothing will get accomplished: (that’s not a disadvantage, that’s the best thing that could happen) the only accomplishments needed from public officials are to ensure that the government runs smoothly and fix things that break12. That doesn’t take much. 99% of all activity at the political level is simply for the benefit of a few which adds no value added for the public.

One can find all kinds of arguments against such a proposal, but in the end, ask yourself the following question: how could it possibly be any worse than what we have? I have asked that question many times and no one has come up with a good answer.


1 According to a recent Gallup pole, the Congressional approval rate is only 23%, 73% of the people polled disapprove of the way Congress is doing its job, 57% have little or no confidence and 62% have little or no trust in Congress.

2 U.S. deficit in FY22: $1.036 trillion

3 The U.S. spends more on defense than the next 15 nations combined, 20 times as much as Russia, 3 times as much as China, 40 times as much as Iran and 500 times as much as North Korea

4 And then Republicans whine about over spending on infrastructure, social services and other domestic programs.

5 Analysis of the Presidents 2023 Budget, Congressional Budget Office, Sept., 2022

6 I suspect that moral bankruptcy is a requirement for becoming a politician. Who else would want the job. Only those who seek power, influence and wealth compete for the job and most, if not all, will sell their mothers to get there.

7 I hate referring to politicians as “leaders’ because the word leader implies leadership – and that’s the last thing any politician is guilty of. So I will henceforth refer to them as our public officials.

8 Why shouldn’t we consider our “leaders” like jurors? Aren’t they both supposed to be performing a public service? Why is one more important than the other?

9 Convert the White House and Congress into public museums, divide the big executive offices into cubicle spaces, etc.

10 Title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, Chapter I, subchapters A & B

11 If, for no other reason, amateurs cannot be as proficient as experienced professionals in any endeavor – including graft and corruption.

12 The government is 99% one huge, fairly will oiled machine running almost entirely on inertia with a little periodic feeding – that is until the politicians move in to “fix” it (like upgrades to your computer). Case in point: you can complain about the IRS all you like, but 99% of all IRS problems are caused by Congress constantly changing the tax laws (mostly to benefit themselves and their patrons).