Originally Posted by
Endus
Ultimately, the central problem is that once people have power, they will do everything they can to retain power. Reinvention requires, necessarily, the death of the "self" that is current governance; those in power must, necessarily, seek to undo themselves and everything they have built. Ultimately, while I can agree with the idea of regular deconstruction and reconstruction, in practice, it will require bloodshed.
The only way to get around that, in the end, would be to find a way to divorce personal self-interest from the governmental process. Perhaps, require all elected officials to sell off all their properties, save their family home and personal vehicle (one). You have a million-dollar business? Sell off all interests in that firm. You have a multi-billion-dollar inheritance? Give it all away. Every goddamned red cent. You have a retirement account? Purge every last dime.
In recompense, you'll get paid a salary while in office, and are not entitled to draw income from any other sources, not even gifts. Same applies to your spouse, if any, and you'll be expected to declare a conflict of interest when it comes to anything that might affect any business your family has involvement with; if one of your kids works for an oil company, you abstain from every vote based on that industry.
You get your salary and that is it. When you're done, you draw your pension, which will be generous, but that's the only thing you should have as income at that point. You'll retire in a decent level of upper-middle-class retiree comfort, and can be satisfied with the legacy of your work in office.
If that's not enough for you, get the fuck out of politics. Good riddance.