If you came home from Saturday night poker and with a pocketful of IOU's your spouse might be happier if you brought home cash. Your lawyer will laugh if you seek contractual satisfaction. Promising not to spend more then you tax should be the first start of any campaign. Actually reducing budgets and spending cannot be shifted to the next four generations. Competing to see who will bring home more bacon should not be the highlight of a vibrant democracy.
The conflicts abroad, the Cold War and other errant spending have drained the national treasury to minus eight trillion. As long as two parties control the purse strings they will continue to spend tax dollars as only those in power dare to try. The independent candidate from district 23rd describes "Congress, right now, is like a teenager with a credit card. The teenager is spending and spending and passing the card around to all of his friends to spend with." We wish you luck W.L. Swarts.
Simple financial accountability should be the bare minimum expected of those who seek to and those that do serve. Truthful explanations of failure. Honest assessment of threats and disclosure of any government activity. Without these, we have two gangs that just control turf.
With a pair of researchers and an open mike, this campaign would bring home the information about why government fails so often, yet demands legitimacy so forcefully. Open government is more than a list of lunches or a flight to Aruba. Open government disclosure requires that power take a backseat to principle. Liberty has its costs. Unfortunately it cannot be defended by hands with guns, simply minds with ideas.