US Presidential Election Cycles Are Too Long

I agree it is way too long and way too annoying but how is it even possible to shorten it? Don't I have the right to announce I am running for President in 2020 in this post right now (regardless how completely stupid that would be)? The me first, me first rush is also visible in the automobile industry with next year's models coming out as early as February and almost all available in AUgust.

 

"Where there is a will" comes to mind take the UK for instance and I believe other EU Countries. A Campaign Money Limit is set for General Elections. To overspend can and indeed does in a lot of cases, Disqualify a Candidate.
Now once you have announced you will Stand, your Campaign has started and the cash is being Spent.
Start your Campaign to early and you will no doubt overspend, so You loose your Deposit & get disqualified ( YES !they have to pay a Deposit) So they never really Start a campaigning until 6/7 months before a General Election.
That my Friends is why we over the Pond Don't get all this "Mud Slinging" 2/3 years before Hand.
So Steve as you have announced your Intentions, in the UK & others, your Campaign is now running

 

How does the "that wasn't me, it was someone else I have nothing to do with" (RNC, DNC, PAC etc) get dealt with? Seems if "they" have money to spend to buy the government "they" want, "they" will find a way around any rules and do what "they" want and we have to listen and put up with the garbage. Maybe we need a $10,000 fine for every insult, $100,000 fine for every message not referencing policy, and $1,000,000 fine for every lie, to be paid by whoever made the statement.

 

I don't see how they could really just shorten the length of the campaign trail and just do that. I think it would take some major reform laws and penalties changing the whole system.

1. Government finances campaign and manages debates. Each candidate that makes the qualifier gets X amount of money to use on their campaign.
2. Using outside government finances results in disqualification, requirement to repay finances given, 10 year bar from running for any office city/state/federal, and potential criminal charges.
3. Campaign morality laws. No candidate or their campaign can smear other candidates in smear campaigns but can challenge their political stances, agenda's, political history, and such. failure is disqualification.
4. With #1 you can also set the terms for when the campaigns open. I'd say 2-3 months before primaries is fair as there also needs to be time to dig up real skeletons in the closet of ones opponent.
5. Bar all outside money in politics. Someone can donate to the political action fund of the government which goes into the pool which is used to fund candidates campaigns.

The one thing I can't think of a possible solution for without changing the Constitution is limits on *news* and *media* requiring them to be fair, balanced, and honest. The media is the ones today that controls much of the direction of politics and how its seen especially by the uninformed masses. They are a huge threat to a fair democracy and keeping politics honest.

 

OH Sorry! there was me thinking You posted this

 

Simple misunderstanding Jack.[ Asking don't I have the right to announce I'm running for the presidency in 2020?] paraphrased] Is a yes or no question and doesn't mean you are running.

 

Robert how many times have we all been told Never ask an open question? Kapisch and say things we don't mean, this is what the Media make a meal of

 

I did, I was answering you back again. It should be simple enough as you said to keep track of how much I spend on my campaign, how do you count or keep track or limit spending of my supporters? Does the spending of my supporters also count towards my spending limit for disqualification? I like the idea about spending limits but do not see a realistic way to enforce it. (I see how to track "Steve for President spending" but what about "Jack wants Steve for President spending"?)