Let’s ask history’s great political and social thinkers.

America’s founders searched for solutions for corruption of government. They took great pains to create our government to avoid fraud and abuse of power. And we enjoy more freedom and prosperity than maybe anyone in history or in the world. Yet today, our government like all governments, stinks of corruption. And it doesn’t matter which political party is in control. What went wrong?

Our founders wrote many thousands of letters along with articles, essays, and books on the U.S. government. They wrote about it’s strengths and it’s weaknesses as they were creating it as well as after they experienced it. Plus, they had both agreements and disagreements. And much of their writings are still relevant to the world we inherited.

In addition, they studied the writings of many wise thinkers from ancient Greece down to their day. And there are many more such thinkers who came after them. So I suggest that we consult them all.

We can be Monday morning quarterbacks.

Today, with hindsight we know in detail about many things the founders could not possibly foresee. They had no idea what changes would come from the very government they created. They also couldn’t know what would come with the industrial revolution, modern capitalism, or political parties.

The founders had no clue that the halls of our government would one day be filled with lobbyists carrying campaign contributions from the deep pockets of mega-corporations. Or that this money would go to re-election campaigns. They couldn’t have known that those campaigns would support full-time professional politicians. Or that those politicians would be so completely controlled – heart, mind, and soul – by power-seeking political parties.

What will give us solutions to corruption? Crony capitalism, socialism, or something new?

We know that our modern crony capitalism doesn’t serve us all equally. But the problem is with the “crony” part, the blending of money and politics, not the “capitalism” part. And some think socialism is the solution. They say we should simply put all industry, business and trade under total government control.

But socialism is cronyism on steroids. The uber-rich elites who control our mega-corporations are the same people who already control our government. They manipulate it through their lobbyists and their campaign contributions to both parties. Socialism would only consolidate their control.

We don’t need to combine money and politics by returning to old, timeworn ideas like socialism. And we’ve never solved anything by voting any particular people or parties in or out of office. Instead, we need to separate money and politics by inventing totally new solutions for corruption.

Who should be allowed to pursue their definition of happiness? Liberals, conservatives or everybody?

Any solutions for corruption that do not satisfy both liberals and conservatives will never solve anything permanently. Why? Because conservatives and liberals will simply negate each other’s triumphs every time political power shifts between them. That’s why nothing ever gets done, except compromise, which makes everybody unhappy.

Broadly speaking, conservatives want more liberty, and liberals want more equality. And it’s possible to have both! I’ve spent almost 40 years studying the writings of wise people, like John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and dozens more. I found that combining their opinions reveals how we can have both more liberty and more equality at the same time. And it’s all about separating money and politics, as I’ve detailed in my book: “Proposals for Separating Money and Politics”.

Why settle for compromise, where nobody’s happy, when there are win-win solutions to make everybody happy?

We need “a great wall of separation” between money and politics.

Our founders did not intend or foresee anything like our current blending of money and politics. Even Alexander Hamilton, who more than anyone set that blending in motion, would be shocked by what’s happening in America’s government today. And it’s the main hindrance to solving our deeper problems, like poverty, racism, disease, and war.

This site is for discussing how to improve our political system. It is NOT for discussing party politics or political figures. So if you have a non-partisan question or comment, feel free to leave it below.