This will discuss the second half of a system to deliver real accountability to American politics.

1. √ We guide our politicians and expect results.
2. √ They report to us.
3. We grade them.
4. We have real choice in elections.

In the last post we discussed the first two parts of the system, #1 and #2. We guide them and expect results, and they report to us. In this post, we’ll look at the other two steps, grading them and having choice in elections.

We Grade Them

You’ll be able to grade each report you receive. Knowing what the district wants and knowing what the country wants, you’ll read your representative’s report and grade her on how well she’s doing her job representing your district and doing what’s good for America.

And knowing what the state and the country want, you’ll read your senators reports and grade them on how well they’re doing their jobs representing your state and serving America.

The report will be short- a few paragraphs on an issue you’re concerned about. The reports will come roughly monthly. Maybe you’ll pick 3 issues. We expect most people will spend 10-15 minutes per week answering questions and reading a report or two.

And you’ll see their average grades. So you’ll have a sense of how well your members of Congress are doing in the district. You might love the job they’re doing and others might hate it. But we’ll all be able to see what we want and what we think of the job they’re doing.

Lower Costs More Choice in Elections

This website requires money. But not very much. Maybe a few million dollars. Compared to the $525 million already spent on congressional races, and the $900 million raised so far, a few million is nothing!

So let’s say PeopleCount costs $5 million per year. And what will it provide? People will be able to vote on issues, so candidates won’t need expensive polling. Candidates will be delivering reports on the issue important to citizens, so candidates won’t need to spend money on advertisements. Many will, but they won’t need to.

Not just the incumbents will report to you- challengers will, too. So they, too, won’t need to raise huge amounts of money to run for office. More people will be able to run. Not just the wealthy or those owned by well-connected political bosses. Normal, competent, responsible people.

Attract Legislators, not Fundraisers

Currently, to run for Congress, you have to be willing to raise well over a million dollars, plus spend 2-4 hours EVERY DAY fundraising. Many people who’d be good legislators don’t want this kind of job. But with PeopleCount, since campaigns can be small and inexpensive, fundraising can be minimized. Someone can run for office who simply wants to be a good legislator.

In our current system, public campaign financing doesn’t work. The people with the most money usually win. But with PeopleCount, modest public financing will be plenty.

Allowing inexpensive campaigns, and letting public servants serve the public instead of devoting themselves to fundraising, more good people will run for office and we’ll have more choice in elections.

Plus, Political Reform

Plus, there are a number of interesting reforms that will also help give us more choice. On PeopleCount, we anticipate that America will quickly support some of them and Congress will accept them.

In the next post, we’ll see some of the great benefits this will create.

Articles in this series: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.