The Congress, under the U.S. Constitution, Article I, Section 4., has the authority to make law to alter state Regulations for holding elections of Senators and Representatives to the U.S. Congress:

Section. 4. The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of chusing Senators.

Rich will propose legislation to elect all Senators and Representatives by Instant Runoff Voting (IRV) in every State. When passed, the Citizens Right to Choose My Congress Act, will give each citizen the right to cast a ranked vote for each person on his/her ballot for U.S. Senator and U.S. Representative. Under Instant Runoff Voting, each Congressperson elected will have to win with a majority of the votes cast in the last instant runoff vote counted. Thereby, all Congresspersons would be elected with a majority of the votes cast. All citizens would have a better chance to be represented in Congress. The 70% nonpartisan middle who are not on the far right or far left would have a voice in Congress. That silent majority would be heard. The 99.999% would be heard.

End Congressional Deadlock: Radical bipartisan left (liberal) and right (conservative) incumbents would have far less chance to be re-elected by single issue constituents. Polarization in Congress would be greatly reduced. Single issue fights would not waste limited legislative time. Congress could pay attention to our many chronic unresolved problems. There are workable solutions to all of our problems. Public policy can benefit our nation and its people.

With more ballot choices voter turnout would increase. Boring, no difference, bipartisan two-party monopoly choices give people no incentive to vote. Both bipartisan parties are owned by the same special interests. Mere humans have little reason to think their vote might count in a bipartisan election.

John Anderson ran for President in 1980 as an Independent. He had been a Republican congressman. Just before the election he was polling 26%. I voted for Ronald Reagan, a vote I now regret, because I voted against "big government" and Jimmy Carter. I thought John Anderson was the best candidate by far, but I didn't want to "waste my vote."

Anderson ended up with only 8% of the vote instead of a possible victory for himself and the American people. The "one party with two heads" did not get the message of discontent with the bipartisan two-party system. Some people, like me, call bipartisan politics the two-party monopoly or "dictatorship."

My 1992 instant runoff vote would have been Ross Perot, 1. My other numbers would have gone to the other minor party candidates. John Hagelin, Natural Law Party, was one of them. Lenora Fulani, a Black Woman, was one of them, who I currently admire as an independent leader in the fight for small "d" democracy. Bill Clinton, would have gotten my last voting number. I would not have given George Bush a number. Many more votes would have been cast for nonpartisan independent and minor party candidates in a fair election setting with the use of Instant Runoff Voting. Who would have gotten your votes (yes, that is plural) in that election?

In 1996, much the same, Perot, 1. Dole would not have gotten any number from me. Dole lied in February 1996 saying that tobacco was not addictive. He still told the obvious lie to protect his 30-year (U.S. Senate) career campaign contributors, to obtain money for his Presidential campaign. Tobacco interests were his priority.

Closer to home, in 2000 my District One Congressional votes would have been Rich Stevenson (I), 1; David Groshoff (L), 2; John Cranley (D), 3 (only to enforce term limits; he did not allow minor parties to debate, etc.); and no vote for Steve Chabot (R), who was running for his fourth term, the 4^th time. I am told Chabot once indicated he would only serve three terms (in the Contract for America). Regardless, I think three terms, six years, is long enough for anyone to serve in the office of Representative to Congress.

How would you vote if you had the luxury of more than one vote in each and every Congressional election? I wish I had more choices and when I go to Congress I will fight to introduce and pass legislation to have "Instant Runoff Voting" used to elect all U.S. Senators and U.S. Representatives to the U.S. Congress. As indicated above, I would sponsor legislation appropriately entitled the "Citizens Right to Choose My Congress Act."

Voters would have many votes to choose Congressional leaders who effect every aspect of their lives. We could have a democratic republic, a government that serves everyone equally. "A government of, by and for the people."

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A Note on Presidential Elections: Electing the President is a different problem. There is no authority in the Constitution for the Congress to legislate to regulate State Presidential Election laws or that regulate the assignment of Electoral Votes for President. However, a sense of the Congress resolution could be passed that endorsed the assignment of Electoral Votes in proportion to the popular vote for President in each state. The resolution could also include support for IRV election of the President. The National Governor's Association could pass a similar resolution. Proportional assignment of Electoral Votes by popular vote under State law in every state would fulfill the "Citizens Right to Choose the President Resolution." Laws to assign Electoral Votes in proportion to the popular vote would have to be passed state by state in each state legislature. Florida (2000) and Ohio (2004) would be good places to start for obvious reasons.

 To choose the President by IRV elections and assign Electoral Votes proportionally, a "Citizens Right to Choose My President Act" with those provisions would have to be passed state by state in each of the fifty states.

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