Written Political Contracts

Back in 2008, I wrote a document with this rather lofty sounding title:

The Electoral Contract of Steven Searle, candidate for US President in 2008

My preamble included this rather bold assertion:

“I will not be shy about claiming this to be an historic document, on a par with the Magna Carta and the U.S. Declaration of Independence. I hope my creation will serve as a model for future candidates (for national and local offices) who wish to follow my lead by offering themselves as alternatives to the Democratic and Republican parties which are ruining this country.”

I am the only presidential candidate in the history of this country to offer a written contract to the voters, declaring: “If you wouldn’t buy a house without a written contract, why would you give your vote away?” In fact, I am probably the only candidate for any elective US office to offer a written contract.

I haven’t yet finalized my contract for the 2012 election. But if you want an idea of what such a revolutionary contract-by-politicians might have to offer, check out these selections from among the 47-points of my 2008 contract:

ONE:  If I violate any of the terms of this contract, I will be removed from office by means of impeachment. I hereby affirm, in advance, that I will not defend myself nor authorize any other party to defend me against any impeachment activity in the House or trial by the Senate. I further agree to a speedy trial - within less than 10 minutes, if deemed necessary by the Senate.

THREE:  I will urge Congress to retroactively raise to $5,000,000 the payment to next-of-kin (or other designees) of all U.S. soldiers (and members of Private Military Companies) killed in Iraq and Afghanistan - and make that tax free. In addition, I will urge Congress to increase disability benefits to $1,000,000 per lost limb, also retroactively and tax free. All this with an apology to our troops who've sacrificed so much: "We - made - a - mistake - and - we're - sorry."

FOUR:  I will veto any bill presented to me by Congress if it has any provision for any type of aid or loan to Israel or Egypt.

FIVE:  I will veto every single bill from Congress that comes my way until it passes:

• a Single Payer health care reform package, which will provide medical coverage to all US citizens free of charge - that is, without co-payments, deductibles, or any requirement to pay insurance premiums. This will also establish reasonable medical billing practices and rates.

• a nationwide cap on personal credit card interest rates of 18%.
  

SIX:  I will not choose anyone to be my Vice President who is not a woman…

NINE: If we should ever need a lot of new soldiers very quickly, I still would not violate my campaign promise against the draft. Instead, I would resign from office or encourage instantaneous impeachment by the Senate. That way, I would be keeping my campaign promise ("Read my lips: No draft") but allow for my successor to do what she thinks is right.

ELEVEN:  Under no circumstances, during my presidency, will the United States militarily intervene (including by means of nuclear weapons) on behalf of any foreign nation without a declaration of war by Congress.

TWELVE:  As long as I am President, the U.S. will not take any military action against Iran, not even if the U.S. Congress declares war against that country for good reason. I would fully expect the Congress to remove me from office and find a Chief Executive willing to wage that war. [NOTE: This policy will not prevent US forces from defending themselves should they ever be attacked anywhere in the world.]

THIRTEEN: In the event of an Iranian invasion of Iraq: I would make an announcement to the nation acknowledging Iran's incursion, but I would not condemn it. I would continue by saying: "Hopefully, George W. Bush was the last of the Imperial American Presidents. With that in mind, I will not urge this country into war. If Congress wishes to declare war, I will here and now state that this President recognizes that only Congress has that power."

FOURTEEN: If Iran announced to the world that it was going to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and declare its intention to build an atomic bomb, I would acknowledge its right to do so. I would attempt to visit that country and plead with their leaders not to pursue that course, but I would acknowledge its right to do so.

FIFTEEN: I will invite Rabbi Lerner and supporters of his Global Marshall Plan to meet with me to discuss the principles of this Plan and how to implement it.

SIXTEEN: I will aggressively seek to completely replace our Constitution by means of establishing a Constitutional Convention, which will (hopefully) consider implementing a system I've created: Cross-Sectional Representation (CSR), which is briefly introduced in the next paragraph.

16a: Cross-Sectional Representation: The 435 Congressional Districts now in existence share a fatal flaw: they are distinct physical locations. Each district should be replaced with a new unit: the Cross-Section. Every eligible voter in the country should be randomly assigned to one of 435 numerically-equal Cross-Sections. A Congressman would still be elected, but his constituency would consist of voters who, as members of a Cross-Section, are literally scattered all over the country. This way, we avoid having Congressmen trying to please local constituencies at the expense of our broader, national interests. My proposal includes: Abolishing the U.S. Senate, thereby making the House our sole national legislative body, members of which will serve six-year terms.

EIGHTEEN:  I will use the Bully Pulpit to force radical changes in our federal tax laws. There are people serving time in federal prison for various tax-related offenses. Maybe releasing enough of these people from prison might make Congress nervous. Maybe if I granted a blanket pardon to everyone who refuses to pay taxes, that might actually terrify Congress into long overdue reform.

TWENTY-THREE:  I will not exercise the "right" of the President to grant/withhold diplomatic recognition to/from any country with two exceptions, which I'll invoke immediately upon becoming President.  After these two exceptions, I will consult with the Senate, seeking advice and consent on such issues. The two exceptions are:

• Granting diplomatic recognition to Cuba.

• Withdrawing diplomatic recognition from Kosovo.

TWENTY-FOUR:  I will seek to lift the US embargo against Cuba, since those sanctions are a violation of international law.

TWENTY-SEVEN:  I will undertake the most massive declassification of state secrets in US history.

THIRTY: I will abdicate my "right" to have US Attorneys serve "at the pleasure of the President" - with no such attorney to be dismissed without cause. Should I attempt a dismissal for cause, a right could be invoked to contest dismissal before a voluntary board consisting of eleven randomly-chosen legal professionals from the top eleven law schools in the United States. This board need not necessarily convene in person or hear such cases face-to-face.

THIRTY-THREE: I will end the ban against gays serving openly in the military by means of this Executive Order: "It is hereby declared to be the policy of the President that there shall be equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons in the armed services."

THIRTY-FOUR: I will not make any recess appointments. Also, I will ask for lists of recommendations to ambassadorships from the ten leading universities in the U.S. with programs in international studies. I will submit names to the Senate from those lists.

THIRTY-SIX:  By Executive Order, I will (in effect) repeal the unconstitutional Logan Act, which is an affront to our basic rights as American citizens to participate in the marketplace of ideas. This repeal will be effected by my Executive Order authorizing every U.S. citizen to share their ideas and interact with anyone they please, as long as they make it clear they are acting as private citizens and not in the role of U.S. diplomats/negotiators.

THIRTY-EIGHT:  All of our troops will be periodically and anonymously polled to obtain their views in the midst of (as well as prior to) any future military engagements we might venture into. These results will be made public.