A political fairy tale.  part 1

The day is Sept. 5, 2008. You arrive home at 6 p.m., exhausted as usual, after another tough day on the job and another commute in the blazing California heat. You open the mailbox.  You don't get much regular mail any more; most anything unusual or interesting comes by email.  To your surprise, in between the coupons, the weekly Vintage Press and the telecommunications bills, you find an official-looking envelope from the California Secretary of State.  "Huh" you mutter to yourself, "Wonder what that is."

You walk in the front door, plop down on the couch, and open the letter.

"Congratulations!" it reads. "Your name has been drawn from the central elections computer, and you have been selected as one of 10 candidates for the 10th Assembly District Representative to the California Legislature.

"An orientation meeting for Assembly District 10 candidates has been scheduled for Sept. 12 at Elk Grove High School. Please plan to attend. Public debates are scheduled for Oct. 4 at Galt Intermediate School, Oct. 11 at John F. Kennedy High School, and Oct. 18 at the Laguna Community Center. Addition venues may be scheduled by popular demand.  Your participation is not required, but is considered vital if you intend to seriously vie for the privilege of serving your country and district. All three debates will be televised on Channel 146, and will be available as electronic files for downloading shortly after the debate.

"As you may know, Election Day is Nov. 4. Your campaign statement, not to exceed 2000 words, must be submitted to the Secretary of State's office by Sept. 30 in order to be posted on the Elections Internet Site and in public voter kiosks starting Oct. 1, and in the electronic voter pamphlet which will be e- mailed to all residences on Oct. 9. You may wish to send a biography, 100 words or less, as well as a photo.  

"Remember, your statement must not make statements--true or untrue--about other candidates, but rather, must focus solely on your background and your prerogatives should you be elected. 

Generally, you are forbidden from purchasing television, radio, print or internet advertisements on behalf of your candidacy. You may appear at public events and host events of your own without restriction, but you are prohibited from accepting more than $50 from any individual to defray those expenses.

You are forbidden from soliciting or accepting any money from any business entity-- either for-profit or non-profit--and from spending more than $500 on any one event. In addition, you must not spend more than $1,000 on all of your expenses for entire campaign.  Failure to abide by these rules will result in your candidacy being revoked.

For a complete discussion of campaign finance laws, please see www.elections.ca.gov/rulesofthegame/. 

Campaign expenditures are fully tax deductible. Also, you may be eligible for up to $1,000 in campaign financing.  Please contact this office for details.

If you no longer wish to serve in the California Legislature, let us know by Sept. 15 so another candidate may be selected. We thank you for your desire to serve your neighbors and your country. Good luck in the campaign."

You can hardly believe your eyes. Two years ago, you took the test which put your name into the central elections computer. You and some quarter million other California non-felons! The test was tough, but not overwhelming: focusing on reading comprehension, writing, analysis and statistical skills. The test was pass or fail, and you passed.

Although you were only an assistant manager in a big-box store, in the eyes of the Central Elections Computer you were just as good as any lawyer or brain surgeon. The odds were against you, but just like the lottery, someone has to win and here you are, staring at the letter. You wonder? Who will run against you? Will any be extremists (you hope so), or will most be moderates like you. How will you rise above the rest? Anyway, some of that will be revealed on the 12th.

You call your best friend to tell him the news. After a wide-ranging discussion of issues facing the district, you arrange a barbecue at his house and for him to invite his neighbors. Then you call just about everybody else you know.

That night, you start drafting your platform. Two thousand words sounds like a lot, but it seems insufficient. Your significant other drops by to pick apart your grammar and share some ideas. All in all, not a bad start.  You close your eyes for a well-earned rest.

You think back to how it all began. How the popularly-elected President of year 2000 stunned everyone the day after taking office by announcing his intention to devote the full energies of himself and the office to political reform.  It was not at all clear whether he would succeed. 

It took every resource available, because Congress--which had reneged on election reform for more than a decade--was in no mood to change its cozy relations with the nation's corporate elite and part with the plush lifestyle which had become part and parcel of being a "public servant."

In the end, the people and their president prevailed.  By using his bully pulpit to expose the corruption inherent in modern elections to the entire population, the president was able to oust the obstructionists in Congress.  By then, dozens of major stakeholder groups, including such disparate interests as senior citizens, the religious right and trade unions, had thrown their weight behind the reforms. 

Federal government programs remained virtually unchanged during the first term, as the President plunged his entire energies into political reform. The results had been stupendous.  Pilot programs were enacted in 10 states, including California, which inaugurated computer-based selection, followed by a brief publicly funded campaign and electronically-assisted voting. 

The media -- prodded by the forces of the status quo -- predicted dire consequences. But so far, the the financial markets were calm, in fact, things were downright prosperous.  All the billions of dollars formerly wasted on campaign contributions and annoying advertisements flowed to more productive sectors of the economy. Corporate CEOs, free of the constant needling for money they suffered at the hands of politicians, hired more employees and increased their giving to their communities.  You drift off to sleep, excited at the prospects the next few weeks would bring. 

Stay with us as our hero moves forward with his campaign for the 10th Assembly seat!  Send your suggested storylines here: