In April 2006, a friend, Dave Peterson, gave me this blessing. Today, ten years later, I have the privilege to share the fruit of this blessing at Crossroads in Cincinnati. It holds true for all of us.
A blessing that proved true
America is great, Today
We have a disinformation war in America – a scare tactic led by our political parties and politicians. It is sad to return home and hear “I can make America great again” from Presidential candidates. America is great today.
The Way Forward
Article 1 of our Constitution guarantees that we will be “governed by the rule of law, in which human dignity, the citizens’ rights and freedoms, the free development of human personality, justice and political pluralism represent supreme values”. If the first law of our country is ignored by our leaders, all other laws are meaningless.
One hundred trips across the Atlantic to Romania
She quickly replied “We will know if you love us if you come back.”
She was right. Love hopes, love protects, love trusts and above all, love perseveres. It never quits. This is the love that never fails. I will never know this womens name, but her gentle words are with me always.
Closed Party Lists – the Communist Virus
“People do not matter. The party is all powerful, because we have lists.” This is not from 1995, it is from a Romanian political party leader in 2015.
Years ago, Alexander the Great remarked “the people of Asia are not free because they have not learned to say the word ‘no’.” Romanians will never be free until they say ‘no’ to closed party lists.
Principle #2 – Individual Accountability
Accountability integrates three concepts which are essential in democratic voting methods.
– The performance of each politician must be measured
– Each politician must provide specific answers on their acheivements and voting record
– Voters will determine whether a politican has another mandate or looks for a new job
Direct Elections – Voting Method
In 1994 New Zealand created a non-political Royal Commission to create one of the world’s most respected voting methods.
How wonderful if Romania became the first country in Eastern Europe with a voting method that placed elections in the hands of the people and political parties competed on thoughtful ideas to improve our schools, eliminate bureaucracy and protect our environment. It would change the reality of being Romanian.
Direct Election – Electoral Districts
Citizens obtain a direct voice in writing the State’s laws by electing a member of their community to the Chamber of Deputies. The word ‘chamber’ literally means to echo the citizens’ voice so it passes from their village to the Parliament.
Principle #1 – Direct Election
The essence of parliamentary democracy is that citizens elect their own representatives to make laws on their behalf.
Let’s repeat this – Citizens, not political party bosses, choose the people that right the laws of a democratic nation.
Communist election laws steal our Democracy
Since 1991, the laws of Romania have consistently followed the principle of allowing a few people in Bucharest to control as much of the country as possible.
This extractive principle is clearly evident in Romanian election law. Through closed party lists and limitations on new political parties, Romanian election laws are more communist than democratic.