The first simple solution to America's current political and economic problems is to "throw all the rascals out".  What do I mean here?  Ordinary Americans need to express their righteous indignation next month and nationwide vote for the other guy.  Every incumbent needs to be replaced.

Today, most elected officials have forgotten that they originally signed on as "public servants" and caretakers of the public purse.  Just look at the recent $ 700 billion bailout bill.  It failed to pass on the first try.  The only reason it finally passed was due to our federal legislators adding another $ 100 billion of special interest, wasteful "pork barrel" legislation.  America is suffering from serious economic problems causing tens of thousands of Americans to lose their jobs and our greedy, self-serving Congressmen and Senators  can only think of looking good in front of their local constituencies.

American voters need to get mad and express their displeasure in the voting booth next month.  There is a great slogan I believe strongly in.  "We'll remember in November what you do to us today!" 

What should we expect from these new elected officials as soon as they are sworn in January 2009? 

To fully endorse my second simple solution.  Public financing of all local, state, and federal elections requiring all candidates not to legally be able to take even one dime from any contributor and especially for various special interest groups and lobbists.  You don't have to had the brains of a rocket scientist to realize that if a "fat cat" political contributor gives $ 100,000 to the re-election campaign of the president in order to sleep one night in the Lincoln Bedroom in the White House, he is not satisfied with bagels and coffee next morning.  He's looking for special treatment and fat contracts for his firm.

With full public financing of all elections, ugly, poor but brilliant "problem solving" candidates could run and even get elected.  The League of Women Voters and/or other reputable national public interest groups could organize and run fairly numerous debates and produce accurate brochures detailing the views of all candidates.  The period of active campaigning would be short and then ordinary Americans would decide who they want for their next leaders.  Also, there should be term limits for all elected positions.  New faces leading us also bring fresh ideas and definitely cut down on abuse of power and waste of the public money.

The third simple solution is a complete band on former elected officials and high level military personnel being able to work for companies that bid on public contracts.  Currently, a general retires and then becomes a consultant (lobbist) for a defense contractor.  He then deals with one of former subordinates and gets fat, often times wasteful contracts for his new employer.  Last year, a certain Congressman pushed through a bill that became law prohibiting Medicare from being able to buy generic drugs.  He then retired and almost immediately was hired as a million dollar per year consultant for a major pharmaceutical firm. 

If you want to work for the government or be elected to public office, then you must forgo when you retire the right to work for private firms which deal with divisions or departments of local, state, and federal governments that these individuals once directly had public dealings.

If what I have outlined above makes any sense to you the reader of this entry, then pass it on.  We only have a few weeks before Election Day. 

Far too many of our current elected officials are "closet royalty".  If there was a way to publicly add titles such as "duke" or "earl" or "princess" in front of their names, they would rush to that endeavor. 

They need to remember that they are "public servants" and always act in our best interests.  Otherwise, come the first Tuesday of each November, the voters of America need to make them get a real job.