I just had the most fantastic idea ever for a rule regarding political campaigning. It should be illegal for any government or political party employee to speak of anything being paid for by the government, by the treasury, or by their party, when that thing would not actually be paid for out of the party's own funds. Instead, they should have to speak of "taxpayer money" or "your money" paying for things.
Imagine the ineffectual chaos as political campaigns are rephrased. "Under a Party X government, three billion dollars of your money will go to improve education" is so very much less compelling a claim than the more common "Party X will put three billion dollars into improving education." It's especially effective with tax rebates and reductions. "Under a Party X government, you will get a cheque for one hundred dollars of your money back!"
Oh yes, single mothers and retired people and the ill will receive benefits from your money, road repairs will be made with your money, and we'll have a space program or whatever research paid for out of your money. All these fantastic government offers sound so very much less fantastic when it's explicitly stated that you are paying for it all. Since that is and has always been the case, and is very much obfuscated by the people in power (and those who want to be), it should be constitutionally mandated that all 'government expenditure' mentioned in any public context must also have mentioned that the money they are spending is the citizens' money, not the government's. See how popular a multibillion dollar war on a smiley moustache man is then.
[11:41]
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