Politics – Election Reform 2021

February 21, 2021

Politics – Election Reform 2021

Padmini Arhant

Election reform is fundamental to restore and revive democracy. The clean free and fair electoral process is the only way for nation to be republic. The critical element of democracy i.e. election is violated with corruption and fraud. 

Politics – Election Reform 2021

 

The topic is to shed light on independence.

The hard-fought independence establishing constitution governed democracy, individual rights, religious freedom, freedom of expression, freedom of press are all threatened and to a great extent under siege right now.

Those nations claimed  democratic hold elections to elect representatives in the local and national government.

Are these elections free and fair in light of glaring election anomalies?

Why should the requests for any clarifications, audit and open investigations be declined and judiciary refuse hearing even before the matter is presented in the court of law?

Election is the stepping stone in any functional democracy.

Unfortunately, election in modern age is even more susceptible to corruption.

Election corruption is the norm. Though there are many mechanisms to infuse corruption, my argument is narrowed down to three main channels.

They are – Electronic Voting machines and software, Unlimited Election financing from anywhere and everywhere not excluding cash and gifts for votes rampant in many so-called democracies and last but not the least, foreign interference amass control without having to indulge in military warfare that cost blood and treasure.

Foreign powers especially adversaries long yearned ambitions come into fruition with red carpet and lo and behold they surreptitiously gain dominance.

All these factors played out in favor of those usurped to power in the Presidential election 2020 in the United States with election diminished to nothing more than a mere formality. The same would be applicable in recent elections elsewhere like India, Israel and Belarus…to name a few among several others qualifying in this category.

Electronic Voting machines and software are smooth operators for candidacy to flip votes, configure and calibrate machine to delete votes, outsource voting tabulation offshore, use foreign server for vote manipulation and far more shenanigans pulled via EVM and software. In recent memory, i.e. beginning of the 21st century has facilitated illegitimate candidacy to power in local and national election. The electronic platform with no paper trail as proof of one voter per one legal registered voter continues to enable illegitimate government assume office. This is despite failed policy and strategy combined with miserable performance and track record, candidacies and political parties are declared winners in election and re-election across the globe.

How to free systems from the shackles of archaic, secretive and dysfunctional structures reining control over finance, economy, politics, energy, health, communication and now life, livelihood and lifestyle?

I begin with the authority heading the nation and citizens during a given term in office.

The primary focus is government and governance. There is no doubt the government and governance do not represent ordinary citizens i.e. mainstream population and vast majority in any nation. This is a global problem for citizens worldwide. The governments are installed in power as fiduciary for non-elected members incognito directing their representatives as heads of the state to steer nation in directions suitable to their self and vested interests. There is absolutely no care or concern over consequences of such maneuvers and often irreversible impact on everything related to citizens and nation at large.

Election is not fought instead bought with the highest bidder becoming major stakeholder in administration and legislative branch implemented policies and programs. As a result, the government and bureaucrats serve as agents and catalysts for special interests, foreign powers and oligarchy undermining citizens’ rights denying them fair political and economic opportunity.

Who runs for office and are in government in the so-called democracy?

The millionaires and wealthy are the ones seeking power. Those in key government positions are millionaires and multimillionaires maintaining close ties with wall street and U.S. chamber of commerce. In fact, politics and wall street similar to politics and the private entity – the federal reserve are revolving doors for easy entry and exit between them.

In other democracy like India – it is customary for industrialists, celebrities, political dynasties and religious zealots to hold office.  They all hold public office on public payroll but are engaged in self and campaign financiers’ enrichment.

Failing that, the other types usurped to power in politics are those peddling identity politics premised on race, religion, casteism, classism, fundamentalism and political ideology that otherwise represent political gimmick to distract and deceive electorate from burgeoning issues and persistent economic, education, social and environment woes crippling society and habitat respectively.

The other constraints for government’s abstinence from people representation are corruption and lack of transparency and accountability.

Corruption is seeded in election via electronic voting machines, software, oligarchy and foreign powers unlimited election financing, voter fraud, vote manipulation and above all media and tech giants direct meddling in intentional sabotage of electoral process to sway electoral outcome to their designated candidacy.

When the foundation i.e. the election is managed and subverted for devious agenda as it happened in Presidential election 2020,

Where does that leave the average citizen?

In the middle of nowhere.

What needs to be done to overcome the stumbling block depriving any nation the republic status?

Election reform is the fundamental step towards restoring and revival of democracy.

Election is corrupted by diverse means and the prominent ones are the electronic voting machines with software, mail-in-ballots, limitless campaign financing from anywhere and everywhere, manual voting tabulation involving dumping and deletion of legal votes while adding illegal ballots as witnessed in 2020 Presidential election.

The electronic machines are to be replaced with one vote per legal registered voter. The voter must cast from personal smart phone or computer. The vote transmitted immediately to a central database tabulating votes in real time with a monitor in public view equivalent to Imax screen for the entire nation to see 24/7 without any political party, affiliates or third-party intrusion.

Next, the election financing is to be capped with strict limit. The corporate, special interests and foreign powers direct and indirect donations to any candidacy at the municipal to national level should be barred overturning the United States Supreme Court’s infamous and unconstitutional human status awarded to corporations and special interests as legal entities synonymous to any electorate.

Contemporary politics reflect corrupt and crony politics with merit discarded over pledge of allegiance to forces behind operation. In other words, the politics’ loyalty to the conglomerate running the gamut.

The candidates falling for any incentives ranging from high-ranking posts in government to willingness to submit to corrupt influential powers within and offshore are the preferred choice. Additionally, such candidates also have excess baggage and skeletons in the closet for the corrupt and criminal clique to blackmail them that typically makes the candidates surrender to those luring them with power, fame and fortune.

Politics has increasingly shifted away from meritocracy and moved towards plutocracy which in turn evolved into kleptocracy. The idea of government of the people by the people and for the people is substituted with the ruling elites that are essentially narcissists by design.

Accordingly, the candidates for Vice Presidency and other key cabinet positions such as Secretary of State, Treasury secretary, Defense secretary and National security advisor are to be directly elected and approved by people rather than their so-called representatives in the House and Senate and state legislators through electoral college in the United States. The proposal might sound an arduous and out-of-norm recommendation. Nonetheless, the selection of these members by inner circle within political party together with other domestic and foreign influence are in direct conflict of national interest.

The government is too big with expansive bureaucracy. Wherever there is vast bureaucracy, the government functionality is tangled in red tape costing taxpayers and nation an exorbitant payroll. The local businesses have to deal with hindrances due to the red tape and far too many government agencies handling tasks that could be minimized and digitalized for public and private sector to access services in the technology era. The other aspect of big government is opaqueness barring any public or independent scrutiny on department budget, operations and contacts as well as contracts with foreign entities near and far. The foreign infiltration into these agencies have compromised government role in protecting sensitive information and services in various domain. The case in point is SolarWinds hack hitting entire United States government cyber infrastructure and apparatus is a serious and aggressive attack that could not have occurred without some government agencies security lapse and/or complicity.

The reduction in government size starting at municipal to federal level is necessary to curb corruption and misuse of agencies such as FBI, CIA and IRS…by political parties upon assuming office in administration, legislative and judiciary.

Smaller governments would be subject to better monitoring by public and independent groups – the only hope for checks and balances, something the press and communication media in myriad format are supposed to fulfill utilizing the freedom of press which unfortunately is in reverse order.

On the contrary, law abiding citizens are denied access on social media with far more restrictions on average Americans for their political choice in the Presidential election 2020. These rapid developments post Presidential election 2020 contrast democratic principles and value.

The current administration’s policy and performance.

The new administration and Congress since assuming office are yet to engage in tasks concerning citizens and the nation at large.

President Joe Biden commenced first day in office and the week after signing over forty executive orders not necessarily to help or improve lives in the country hit with worst pandemic and economic collapse from government imposed shut down that were violated by those executing such orders.

It is no surprise campaign promises stays on campaign trail. That is the tradition. However, the   Presidency, keeping the promise on prioritizing nation and national interests became the target and remain so for the forces against such practice. It is considered a sin to break tradition in Washington,D.C.

Congress is preoccupied with President Donald Trump and unable to think of any other issue besides settling scores with Donald Trump for winning 2016 and 2020 election. The political storm may never calm down in Washington D.C. with national guards deployed in town reminiscent of authoritarian government reminding citizens on armed forces safeguarding citadel at ordinary taxpayers’ expense.

Meanwhile, Texas has been hit with winter storm and power outage. The citizens are forced to bear the brunt of harsh weather without power. The Texans are in my thoughts and prayers for swift recovery to normal situation.

In the domestic front, there is no sign of stimulus check in the pandemic affected national economy. The citizens were guaranteed $2000 stimulus check by Presidential candidate Joe Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The earlier arrival of stimulus payment of $2000 during President Donald Trump’s administration was watered down to $600 by then Senate majority republican member Mitch McConnell who otherwise have no issues with China’s economic and political advantage against United States.

Congress wasted no time in organizing and passing package with pork spending including generous financial aid to far flung countries in South east Asia and other miscellaneous pet projects. The urgency to address American needs and desperate economic conditions apparently escaped congressional attention.

The employment situation in the United States under new administration is not very encouraging considering the loss of jobs from the pandemic imposed economic shutdown nationwide barely addressed by local and federal government. The keystone pipeline project hitting the major states Nebraska, Montana, South Dakota and Texas confronted with environment cause. Whenever such predicament arises, it is important to evaluate all factors weighing pros and cons for practical solutions.

The Canadian provincial government in Alberta and TC Energy owned and managed Keystone XL pipeline running between Canada and the United States has been shut down citing environment hazards from the pipeline leaks originating from a crack during the infrastructure construction.

The energy company fixing these leaks and preventing such incidents now and in the future are paramount to mitigate potential harm to ecosystem, biodiversity and pollution of rivers that are cited as the reasons for opposition to pipeline project from environmentalists. Again, economic liabilities and job losses are also to be taken into account while preserving natural habitat and environment. The energy company investment in these areas to avoid pipeline leaks and cracks would provide some relief to environment endangerment.

Any permanent blight to environment would inevitably hurt business and life existence. Keeping these important facts in mind, energy companies’ investments in averting any such mishaps are imperative to ecology and economy.

The business and environment organizations could work out an amicable resolution on the keystone XL pipeline project saving jobs as well as environment.

I end this topic here. The other topics will follow in due course.

Your patience and interest are appreciated.

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

Author & Presenter

PadminiArhant.com

Prakrithi.PadminiArhant.com

 

 

 

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

Written by Padmini Arhant · Filed Under Featured, Politics 

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