> EASING regulations?

Ok, first thanks for your reply. Next, my federal POV is dead in the water; it'll no nowhere; despite my disagreeing with your outcomes.

Easing regulations is what has lead to regulatory capture, giving corporations personhood and no responsibilities. Creating the revolving door, where people stay in gov just long enough to get lucrative lobby jobs; and then, get paid to re-enter politics; Influence peddlers taking key congressional jobs.

The so-called reverse revolving door, in which lobbyists for highly regulated interest groups temporarily take jobs in government with influence or oversight over policy impacting their former employers

To the point where many corporations with a stake in government policy now write the incentives into employment contracts. Where Banks and defense contractors extend special bonuses as a reward for executives to leave and enter government.

> getting rid of the electoral college

Popular vote, free of fixing/gerrymandering etc... is direct democracy; like it or not. Choosing a 'college' to do that for us may have had its place, but no longer. Because we cannot trust either them or the process.

> many of [your points] just perpetuate an image of a dystopian future. We BARELY live in a capitalistic society. What we currently live under is more closely related to corporatism.

And going even further in that direction unless we collectively act to stop it.

> both parties agree/consent without the need for approval from a third party. What is wrong with that?

Nothing, that's the marketplace in an ideal world; which is not where we are. Corporatism is, by definition, predatory; one's gain is another's loss. It's ruthless enough w/out corruption, but add that spice and you end up with what we have now: a kakistocracy serving kleptocrats.

> to rebuild us back to glory and wealth...

Allow that our 'glory-n-wealth', in the 0sum game has come with buckets of bloodshed that made an aristocracy filthy rich in a land that supposedly shed itself of a monarch. Its a myth told by the victors, but more important, as they've drained the well there is no going back. Only bleeding more blood from the stone that was the middle-class who once benefited by being trickled-down upon.

You may not agree on the speed in which collapse is coming, but 'objects in the rearview are closer than they seem' is apropos. Unless something is created (State-wide at least) to claw back our ideals, working-class ideals, caring for the least ideals, ... they'll be no different from the vanishing wildlife and bees.