STEVE: WE KNOW THAT CONGRESS IS
WILDLY UNPOPULAR CONFIDENCE IN
OUR LAWMAKERS AND THE MUSICAL
20%, THAT BEGS THE QUESTION IF
OUR SO-CALLED LEADERS THAT
UNPOPULAR, WHY DO THEY KEEP
GETTING REELECTED OVER AND OVER
AND OVER AGAIN.
OUR NEXT GUEST SAYS THE ROOT OF
THE PROBLEM AS PART OF THE
PRIMARY AND THE GROUNDBREAKING
POSITIVE SOLUTION IN ALASKA
SPECIAL ELECTION NEXT MONTH THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, GREAT TO SEE
YOU THE WHOLE SUBJECT OF THE
STRUCTURE OF OUR INSTITUTION, I
KNOW IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT TELL
US WHAT’S HAPPENING IN ALASKA
AND WHY IT MATTERS.
>> WHY IT MATTERS CONGRESS HAS
BECOME AN ALMOST UNACCOUNTABLE
INSTITUTION DESPITE 20% APPROVAL
RATINGS 90% GET REELECTED AND IT
IS BECAUSE THE ONLY WAY TO HOLD
OUR LEADERS ACCOUNTABLE IS
THROUGH MEANINGFUL CHOICE AND
COMPETITION IN OUR ELECTION AND
THERE ISN’T ANY TODAY THERE’S
ONLY AN ILLUSION.
AFTER THE LATEST ROUND OF
REDISTRICTING AND GERRYMANDERING
WERE ABOUT TO HAVE THE LEAST
COMPETITIVE IN OUR LIFETIME.
OVER 90% OF OUR DISTRICTS ARE SO
OVERWHELMINGLY DEMOCRATIC OR
REPUBLICAN THAT THE GENERAL
ELECTION IS OVER BEFORE IT EVEN
BEGINS.
THE ONLY ELECTION THAT TRULY
MATTERS IS IN THE PRIMARY.
THE PROBLEM IS OVER A THIRD OF THE SEATS TYPICALLY GO
THE SEATS TYPICALLY GO
UNCONTESTED TURNOUT IS ABYSMAL
AND THEY TURN OUT TO BE ON THE
PARTISAN EXTREME AND PUSHING THE
PARTIES INTO THE CORNER, THIS IS
WHAT WE CALL THE PRIMARY PROBLEM
IN OUR POLITICS TODAY AND WHY WE
THINK IS SO NECESSARY TO SOLVE
IT IF WE WANT TO GOVERNMENT TO
REPRESENT ALL THE PEOPLE.
>> THAT IS SO CLEAR LET’S LOOK
AT THE SOLUTION.
HIS BEEN PROPOSED AND BEING
IMPLEMENTED IN ALASKA, WHAT DOES
THE NEW SYSTEM IN ALASKA LOOK
LIKE?
>> SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY
HAPPENED IN 2020 WHICH IS A BUT
DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS AND
INDEPENDENTS CALLED ALASKA FOR
BETTER ELECTION THAT WAS PASSED
BY A MAJORITY OF A LOT ELECTION
VOTERS TO REPLACE THE PRIMARY
VOTERS IN ALASKA WITH A SINGLE
NONPARTISAN TOP FOUR PRIMARY.
ALL THE CANDIDATES GET TO
PARTICIPATE IN THE SINGLE
PRIMARY THE TOP FOUR FINISHERS
WILL GO TO THE GENERAL ELECTION
AND WHOMEVER EARNS THE MAJORITY
OF SUPPORT WILL WIN.
THE IMPACT OF THAT IS THAT
VOTERS WILL HAVE MORE CHOICE AND
POWER IN THEIR ELECTIONS AND ALL
ALASKANS WILL BE ABLE TO PASS
THE BALLOT THAT TRULY MATTERS.
SO FAR DOING THAT CANDIDATES
WILL BE FORCED.
THAT’S WHERE THE
TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE COMES
FROM BECAUSE FOR ONCE OUR
LEADERS WILL BE INCENTIVIZED TO
PUT COUNTRY OVER PARTY AND PUT
THE PUBLIC INTEREST OF HER
SPECIAL INTEREST BECAUSE THEY’LL
BE REWARDED RATHER THAN PUNISHED
FOR DOING SO.
STEVE: ONE LAST QUICK QUESTION,
WHEN YOU GET THE FINAL FOUR TO
THE GENERAL ELECTION, DO YOU
EVER GET THE MOST VOTES, I
THOUGHT THERE WAS GOING TO BE
SOME SYSTEM OF TRANSFERABLE
VOTES, YOU GET THE MAJORITY
BEHIND THE WINNING CANDIDATE.
IF NOBODY GETS A MAJORITY ON THE
FIRST ROUND, THE IDEA THAT
PEOPLE RANK THE CANDIDATES IN
ORDER OF PREFERENCE SO THEY
WOULD BE A SERIES OF INSTANT
RUNOFFS UNTIL SOMEONE HAS A
MAJORITY OF SUPPORT AND THAT
PERSON WILL WIN THE ELECTION.
THAT’S IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE WANT
SOMEONE TO REPRESENT US WHO
REPRESENTS THE BROADEST ELECTRIC
NOT JUST THE FASHION WITHIN IT
WHICH IS FUELING THE
POLARIZATION WE SEE TODAY IN OUR
POLITICS.
STEVE: I REALLY APPRECIATE.
YOU BROUGHT THIS TO OUR
ATTENTION I’M HAPPY YOU ARE ABLE
TO LAY IT OUT.