How about some ideas for laws we might want.

1. No single member of congress can stop a bill all on their own.

2. No amendment may be added that is not directly related to the purpose of the bill

3. A majority is actually a majority

4. If a senator is going to filibuster he must actually keep presenting arguments relative to the bill. As soon as no new arguments are provided the filibuster is over. No other senator may join the filibuster unless they can present arguments not already raised by a prior speaker. In other words, talk all you want but actually say something related.

5. No conflicts of interest. If a member of congress has benefited in an election from money from any company or special interest, that member must recuse themselves from participation or voting in any legislation that directly affects that special interest.

6. All legislation must pass a test of constitutionality before it can proceed to a vote.

7. All legislation must pass a test that concludes its effect is unlikely to have an adverse affect on a majority of citizens or the nation's best interest as a whole.

8. Presidential appointments shall be deemed automatically confirmed if the Senate fails to do so within 90 days of the date presented for confirmation.

9. Congressional pay shall not be paid from the Federal budget. Each state shall set the pay for their representatives and that shall be paid from that state's budget.

10. No adult person who is a citizen of the United States shall, for any reason, be denied the right to vote.

11. No person who is a citizen of the United States shall, for any reason, be denied the right to travel into or out of the nation unless they are under indictment or subject to arrest for a crime for which they have not gone to trial or have been tried and ordered to report for detention or probation.

12. Districts shall be drawn for Federal candidates that are as compact and contiguous as possible and shall, were practical, follow legal boundaries of the various towns and counties, while seeking to maintain an equal population therein. ( States should be encouraged to do likewise for state offices )

13. The popular vote shall be used to determine the presidency. Electoral college abolished.

14. A paper record of all ballots cast in Federal Elections shall be retained for not less than 20 years following each election. Paper & ink used shall be archival quality to prevent degradation. Thereafter ballots shall be digitally preserved for a minimum of 50 additional years.

15. Campaign ads shall be treated the same as commercial ads with respect to truthfulness and honesty. Lies and distortions shall be considered libel and shall subject to the person(s) or entities responsible for said ads to civil penalty and a future ban on political ads for the next 2 election cycles for the first offense and the next 5 election cycles for a repeat offense.

16. All sources of funds used in a political campaign shall be disclosed at the time those funds are donated and shall be made available to the general public on the Internet and in the verbal disclaimers within any ads funded by such donations.

17. Political campaign ads on any broadcast or cable media shall be restricted to the 30 days immediately prior to any election. FCC shall have the authority to regulate this time window.

18. No corporation or artificial entity shall be considered a "person" for constitutional purposes with that designation reserved for actual living human beings.

19. No candidate for public office shall accept a donation from any artificial entity outside of the district or state that candidate would represent if elected.

• No artificial entity shall be permitted to fund ads for or against any candidate without that candidate's written permission.

• Any person running for an elected office shall, at the minimum, agree to a public debate with opponents.

1. Broadcasters shall provide adequate time for public debates and shall air them at such times to assure maximum viewer ship. This would be a contractual requirement to obtain and retain an FCC license to operate. Cable providers should be subjected to this same rule as a contractual requirement to obtain local licenses to operate, much as they must already provide local cable access to local governments.