Starter discussions

Should voters be able to recall a national leader simply for poor performance? Waiting years for the next election can protect stability or protect failure.

Would democracy improve if candidates could not mention their opponents in paid ads? Attack ads may reveal real problems, but they also reward people who have no plan.

Should political parties publish every private meeting with major donors? A donation should not buy a private channel that ordinary voters cannot enter.

Should elected officials be forced to use the public services they oversee? A lawmaker who can buy a way out of a failing system has less reason to fix it.

Is refusing to vote a legitimate political statement or surrender? Calling every election the most important ever can become a way to avoid offering better choices.

Should citizens abroad keep voting on taxes they no longer pay at home? Citizenship carries political rights, but distance can separate decisions from their consequences.

Should a party be allowed to replace its nominee after primary voters have chosen? Party leaders should not get a veto just because their own voters embarrass them.

Should politicians lose their pensions after breaking major campaign promises? If promises carry no consequences, why should voters treat them as anything but advertising?

Would you accept a competent unelected government over an incompetent elected one? Democracy means letting voters make choices you believe are disastrous.

Should an election winner need the support of half of all eligible voters? Winning among people who show up is not the same as earning a mandate from the country.

Should governments publish the costs of every failed major project? Officials should not bury expensive failures under vague claims about lessons learned.

Should judges have to disclose gifts from lifelong friends? Friendship should not become an exemption that hides influence over public power.